Soju
Clean and warming beside chicken broth.
KOREAN FOOD · FROM HEAT TO FINISH
11 / 22
01 · THE DESTINATION
Dakhanmari Kalguksu: Whole-Chicken Noodle Hot Pot
A whole chicken cooks with potato, rice cakes, scallions, and garlic before knife-cut noodles take over the broth. Each round tastes deeper than the last.
02 · BEFORE THE BOIL
Build a Clean Pot
Prepare chicken, clear stock, potato, scallion, garlic, rice cakes, kalguksu noodles, and mustard-chive dipping sauce. A roasted chicken variation adds crisp depth.
03 · FIRST BOIL
Skim, Then Let It Simmer
Bring the pot up gently and remove foam before adding potatoes and firm ingredients. Cut large chicken pieces at the table once the meat begins to release.
04 · CUT INTO THE BROTH
Share the Tender Pieces
Use scissors and tongs to divide the chicken safely in the pot. Keep the broth simmering and add rice cakes before the noodles.
05 · READY TO DIP
Mustard and Chives Wake It Up
Lift chicken with potato and dip lightly into soy-mustard sauce with chives. The bright sauce contrasts the mild broth.
06 · THE NOODLE ROUND
Kalguksu Comes After Chicken
Remove most meat, loosen fresh knife-cut noodles, and stir so they do not stick. The starch naturally thickens the stock.
07 · FINAL POT
Turn the Rest Into Juk
Reduce the remaining broth and fold in rice, egg, seaweed, and scallions for a soft porridge finish.
WHAT TO DRINK · WHAT COMES AFTER
KEEP THE TABLE
GOING.
Lager
Easy with mustard-chive sauce.
Barley Tea
Gentle throughout the long meal.
Maesil Tea
Tart plum closes the rich broth.
WHERE TO EXPERIENCE IT
TWO PLACES
WORTH THE TRIP.
One pick from the food’s best-known regional home, plus one accessible Seoul choice. Check the latest listing before visiting.
REGIONAL PICK
Dongdaemun · Seoul
Jin Ok-hwa Original Dakhanmari
The landmark restaurant most associated with Dongdaemun’s whole-chicken hot-pot alley.
OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS ↗SEOUL PICK
Dongdaemun · Seoul
Wonjo Wonhalmae Dakhanmari
Another long-running alley favorite for chicken, dipping sauce, rice cakes, and noodles.
OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS ↗Coming to Korea? Use these as carefully selected starting points—and enjoy the dish where its local story feels most alive.
MAKE IT AT HOME
A SIMPLE
HOME-STYLE RECIPE.
INGREDIENTS
Dakhanmari Kalguksu
- Small whole chicken 1.2kg
- Water 2L
- Potatoes 400g
- Rice cakes 200g
- Kalguksu noodles 350g
- Scallions 100g
- Garlic 35g
- Soy sauce 60ml
- Vinegar 30ml
- Mustard 15g
- Chives 80g
METHOD
- 01
Place chicken, water, garlic, and scallion roots in a pot. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer for 30 minutes.
- 02
Add potatoes and cook until nearly tender. Cut the cooked chicken into shareable pieces with clean kitchen scissors.
- 03
Mix soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, and chives for dipping; add rice cakes to the broth.
- 04
After eating most chicken, boil the kalguksu noodles in the same broth until tender.
HOME NOTECheck that the chicken reaches 74°C / 165°F near the thigh before cutting and serving.
NEXT EXPERIENCE