Tongyeong Chungmu Kalguksu: A Filling Meal at Jungang Market

Kalguksu and mini gimbap at Jungang Market (중앙시장) in Tongyeong

Hi, I’m CULT.
Today I’d like to tell you about Tongyeong Chungmu Kalguksu (통영 충무 칼국수), a personal favorite.

Tongyeong Chungmu Kalguksu is inside Jungang Market, right next to Dongpirang Mural Village. It’s open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. I pass by almost every day, and I’ve never seen it close for a public holiday.
It’s inside the market, with a total of 3 public parking lots nearby. This area does get some tourists, though, so those lots can fill up on weekends and public holidays. Check ahead.

This is what Tongyeong Chungmu Kalguksu looks like from outside. It’s not a large building, but the restaurant takes up the entire first floor, so you can enter through either the front or the back. If you use a wheelchair or have a stroller and the step at one entrance is awkward, you can go around to the other side of the building to get in.

Let’s get straight to the food.
First up is gogi-gogi kalguksu. At 9,000 KRW, it’s a tasty bowl with no unpleasant meaty smell and a surprisingly generous portion. Incidentally, I’m allergic to oysters, so I can’t eat the farmed oysters Tongyeong is known for. Every dish I’m introducing today is oyster-free.
That includes this gogi-gogi kalguksu.
The light flavor is its appeal, and it’s a non-spicy kalguksu that Japanese and Western visitors can easily enjoy. Of course, kids should find it easy to eat too.. but I think the portion is a bit much for a small child.

Next is bibim kalguksu. It costs 8,000 KRW.
This is a personal favorite. A heads-up: Japanese and Western visitors will find this very spicy. It’s served cold without broth, making it great for summer.

Koreans don’t think much of it when they see it, but when I show my Japanese friends a photo, they say it looks spicy just from the picture. If a spicy ramen shop in Japan offered heat levels from 1–5, this would be around level 3.
This bibim kalguksu is oyster-free too, so people with an oyster allergy can eat it without worrying.

Next is Chungmu kalguksu, the signature dish at Tongyeong Chungmu Kalguksu. It shares its name with the restaurant. It costs 7,000 KRW.
It contains seafood such as clams and mussels, but still no oysters. It’s the most basic kalguksu on offer and good value for money. Personally, I prefer the gogi-gogi kalguksu because picking out clam and mussel shells is a hassle. You get a refreshing broth and a filling meal for the price.

The difference from the gogi-gogi kalguksu is.. a very faint hint of spice. It’s so subtle that a Korean wouldn’t notice. I’ve lived abroad for a long time and know at what point Japanese and Western people start finding food spicy, so I’d say a Japanese person who can’t handle any heat would find this spicy.
Say this is spicy in Korea.. and everyone in the neighborhood will tease you.

Next is mini gimbap. 5,000 KRW.
People in big cities like Seoul and Busan know it as Chungmu gimbap. Since living in Tongyeong, though, I’ve been asking everyone I meet, “What’s good to eat around here?” and “What food might kids enjoy?” I ask all the time, and when I say Chungmu gimbap, people often ask what that is. So my conclusion is that the name Chungmu gimbap is for the outside world. I think locals more often just call it gimbap or kkoma gimbap.
It’s one of my personal favorites.

In Japan they’re called maki, and in Europe they’re called rolls. And rolls are really expensive in Europe. If you’re visiting from the West, enjoy plenty while you’re here. These are much cheaper and better than the rolls at most sushi restaurants in Europe.
If you’re from Japan, think of these as slightly different gimbap.

It comes with onion sauce and geotjeori made that day. If you like spicy food, eat it with the kimchi; if you can’t handle much heat, go with the onion sauce. I eat the geotjeori with my kalguksu and the mini gimbap with onion sauce.

I often stop in at Tongyeong Chungmu Kalguksu when I’m passing by. There’s a side-dish shop nearby that I visit regularly, so sometimes I drop in for a meal while I’m there. One thing I’ve enjoyed about living in Tongyeong is.. how many places there are to eat your fill for very little money. This restaurant is one of them.
I recommend it to Korean kalguksu fans and anyone with kids who can’t eat spicy food. And of course, I recommend it to visitors from abroad too.

Cultravel

Noodles and tonkatsu

Try Guksurang Dongaseurang for a meal while viewing the cherry blossoms at Jinhae Gunhangje. It serves homemade tonkatsu at good value, an easy dish for visitors from abroad to enjoy while traveling in Korea.