Eating in Korea: Jeollado #1 Deokinkwan Restaurant (덕인관) - Bamboo barrel rice

 On the first weekend of August, I traveled Jeollado for 2 days with my family. I traveled to Damyang and Gochang in Jeollado. On the first day, I visited Juknokwon in Damyang where is a popular touristic place for Koreans. After looking around Juknokwon, it was lunchtime, so I found Deokinkwan where is around Juknokwon. Deokinkwan is a restaurant that started operating in 1963 so it is more than 50 years old restaurant. The main restaurant is located in another location and this building I visited was newly constructed as a branch. 

 

Deokinkwan Restaurant (Korean: 덕인관)

1. Main restaurant: 

- Address: 6, Damju 1-gil, Damyang-eup, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do

- Operation time: Everyday 11:00~22:00

- Tel: +82-61-381-2194

 

 

2. Branch restaurant: 

- Address: 1121, Jukhyang-daero, Damyang-eup, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do

- Operation time: Everyday 11:00~21:00

- Tel: +82-61-381-7881

 

 

- Menu:

 

 

 It is good to take a bus to go to a restaurant because the restaurant is a little bit far away from the Juknokwon so it is hard to get there by walk. You can take bus number 311 or 311-1 in front of Juknokwon and get off after 7 stops. Most of the restaurants have a big building for restaurants space not like Seoul. Deokinkwan also has a big building for a restaurant and there is a lot of parking space in front of it so you don't have to worry about parking. 

 

 

 There is a kitchen in front of the entrance to the restaurant so you can look inside and it was very clean. 

 When you enter the entrance to the restaurant, you will find a picture of the founder this restaurant on your right. In Korea, there are sometimes photos of the founder on the sign as one of the marketing methods to increase customer confidence. I don't know it works or not but it is kind of culture in Korea. And next to the picture of the founder is a certificate that has been designated as 'Food master' by the governor of Jeollanam-do.

 

 I've always liked old restaurants so I prefer to visit old restaurants especially when I travel to Korea. But it's not all good because it is an old restaurant. So I don't expect too much at first because if I try it, I'll get the answer. 

 

 

 I visited the restaurant around 1 pm on Saturday, and although the inside of the restaurant was crowded. But we didn't need to wait for a long time. I like the wide gaps between the seats in this restaurant. Because some restaurants have seats that are tightly attached so I sometimes feel like I am eating with people who are sitting next to me. 

 

 The most famous menu in this restaurant is rice cake ribs and bamboo barrel rice. I didn't order rice cake ribs because I could order more than two servings. The staff said that if I order bamboo barrel rice, it will come with mudfish stew, so I ordered bamboo barrel rice.

 

 As soon as I ordered, the side dishes were served first, and the mudfish stew and bamboo barrel rice were served at the end. The staff said that side dishes change according to the season. I've attached a picture of the side dishes that came out the day I went. All the side dishes are made from here. 

 

 

 The staff explained in a proud voice that the taste of tofu is so good because they made it by themselves. 

 

 

 My favorite stir-fried kimchi. It is a delicious menu.

 

 

Watery kimchi is the kind of watery kimchi that I used to eat at my grandma's house. 

 

 

 Crab fires can't be bad. I've refilled it twice. 

 

 

 This is self-corner. Most of the side dishes can be taken from the self-corner, but some side dishes need to be told to the staff. (Fried crab or noodle) The self-corner was clean. It is a place that many people use, so it gets messy quickly if restaurant staffs don't mind it. 

 

 

 It is bamboo shoot mudfish stew that comes with bamboo barrel rice for free. It is my first time eating a mudfish stew with bamboo shoots. It is really delicious than I expected. It is like the main menu than bamboo barrel rice. Bamboo barrel rice is not a common menu in Seoul but it is not special because the taste of bamboo barrel rice is similar in every restaurant. 

 

 

 Even though the staffs were busy, they responded kindly and explained about the side dishes well. It was great. 

 

 Next time, I really want to try rice cake ribs, which is famous in this restaurant. 

 

 I wasn't surprised because most of the Jeollado restaurants serve a variety of side dishes with the main menu but I like the tastes of side dishes of this restaurant. It was so delicious. Rather than saying that the taste of bamboo barrel rice was special, I was more satisfied with bamboo shoots mudfish stew with bamboo barrel rice.  Although it is the side menu, it was so delicious. There are many noodle soup restaurants nearby Juknokwon but if you want to try another menu, I recommend this restaurant. Of course, KRW 11000 may seem a little expensive, but most restaurants around Juknokwon are expensive except noodle soup restaurants. It is probably because it is a tourist place. 

 

 

I recommend this restaurant for those who:

- want to experience real Korean local food

- plan to travel to Damyang

- want to visit an old Korean restaurant

 

 

* If you have any questions or need any help regarding the trip to Korea, please send me a message. I am always ready to help you. I hope everyone who visits Korea makes many good memories of Korea. You can search my chatting room in Telegram messenger t.me/welcometokorea