Even within Incheon, areas like Dongincheon and Jemulpo are total old town. These days when you say Incheon people think of Songdo, Cheongna, Gajeong and so on, but before that there was a time when Bupyeong was the hot spot, and before that the Dongincheon area was the center of it all. Maybe that is why old, long-running restaurants still survive around there. I found myself thinking that this is what heritage really is.
Haemijip
This place is famous too, but I had nobody to go with, so for now it is just a record..
Gilson Multeombeong
This is another famous place..
This place is famous as well..
Maybe because there are so many machine shops in this neighborhood, there are a lot of bars. It really used to be the center of Incheon, but these days this neighborhood too feels like it is turning into apartment blocks.
Roughly this kind of vibe..
Apartment towers rising behind the machine shops – that is the present of this neighborhood, I suppose.
Ihwa Chapssal Sundae
They are running it on quite a large scale. Who knew a place this famous was sitting in this neighborhood..
Menu
Reasonable prices.
Side dishes
Simple. Maybe because so many people order takeout, customers keep streaming in, but there is plenty of seating upstairs, so a table usually opens up quickly.
Sundaeguk
The clear broth, which reminds me of gomtang, goes beautifully with the fresh scallions and the fiery dadaegi. It is far too clean-tasting to call an ordinary sundaeguk, and it was completely my kind of thing. If it is this clean, I think even people who do not like sundaeguk could manage it.
The solids
A good variety of cuts, and served generously. I was hugely satisfied. The only shame was a slight peppery taste in the glutinous rice sundae. And after they went to all that trouble to pull such a clean broth..
Meat, shot on the way out
Great color on it. There is always a reason the good places are good.
Incheon scenery
The neighborhood feels pretty quiet.
A narrow lane
The wires are a mess.
Songnim Banjeom
They say it is an old institution, so I am leaving a record of it.
Apartment construction site
This neighborhood looks like it will be apartment blocks before long.
Apartments
Some people predicted that once the old downtown died it would slide into a slum, but looking at it now, it seems the faster it dies the faster it becomes apartment blocks. I suppose that is the Korean way of things. Thanks to that, Incheon’s population is exploding, and it feels like there are more people wherever you go.
An ad at a convenience store
Products that used to be sold in Japan finally making it into Korea.. I thought it was curious, so I took a photo.. That said, I doubt I will ever buy snacks I do not even buy in Japan..
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