Chuncheon is closer than I had thought, and the fare barely costs anything. Taking the Gyeongchun Line does leave my back a bit sore, but a day trip is perfectly doable. So I went out there on a day trip in the autumn, when the weather was nice.

Buan Makguksoo

When you say Chuncheon, it has to be makguksu and dakgalbi, I think.. so while I was there this time I visited both. The place I went to during the day was the makguksu house, and this one had the best rating in the Blue Ribbon guide.

The menu

Compared with Seoul the prices are still very good. It is worth making the trip out here on purpose.

Chongtteok

They call it tteok, but it felt more like a crepe to me. Or maybe a dumpling.. and the portion was big enough that finishing it in one go was not easy.

Makguksu

All sorts of toppings, in a style that seems to mix the bibim and the broth versions together, and it was tasty. At this level it is worth going out of your way for.

The whole spread

They will pack up whatever chongtteok you cannot finish, but it is a dish that spoils easily so I would not recommend it.

The garden

Maybe because it is such a popular place, there was something unique about it. It was not travel season and there was nobody around, so eating was comfortable too.

The menu

Anyway, I checked the online reviews before visiting, and there were quite a few cases of people picking faults on purpose.. For example, a review saying they got too spicy and lost their original spirit makes no sense at all, because the makguksu here comes with broth in a kettle that you pour in to adjust the heat yourself. I have to wonder whether these people ever actually ate here before writing a review.. It looks like the place gets sniped at because it is doing well, and it makes me wonder why people live like that..

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