Famous Duck Food Restaurant

오리명가 (“Famous Duck Food Restaurant”) is a duck and samgyetang specialty restaurant that is currently celebrating their 10th anniversary with special prices on their main dishes.

Samgyetang is a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng and other healthy ingredients like garlic, jujubes and ginkgo nuts. It is said to refresh the appetite of people who have grown tired from the summer heat. According to oriental medicine sites, garlic detoxifies the body, jujubes quenche thirst and ginkgo nuts strengthen lungs. Ginseng rejuvenates the body, boosts metabolism, reduces stress, treats diabetes and improves respiratory illnesses.

Koreans enjoy chicken ginseng soup or samgyetang on three special summer days — Chobok, Jungbok and Malbok. These are said to be the hottest days of the year. They fall between June and July in the lunar calendar and come at 10-day intervals. Don’t miss out this year, as the dates are July 19th, 29th and August 8th.

Address:

광주광역시 복구 중흥동 360-1

(복구청 맞은편)

(062) 262- 4488

Area: The restaurant is located at the start of the busy intersection of the Chonnam University Back Gate area. It is right in the middle of the intersection near Buk-gu District Office and Jungheung-dong Megabox theaters.

From the two Chonnam University Back Gate bus stops (north and south), you walk towards the Megabox theaters and it is at the 4-Way Junction with Paris Baguette.

For the taxi, you can say “Buk-gu Cheong” for the Buk-gu District Office.

Atmosphere: The restaurant is spacious and has a few private rooms for meetings and reservations. The focus of their main dining room is a huge circular glass opening in the center of the room that lets in plenty of natural light and shows well-placed mini chandeliers and mirrors.

There did seem to be many groups of business men having work lunches, so it is definitely not the best place to bring a date.

Service: The service was friendly upon entering the restaurant. We were seated immediately and ordered without much delay. After this point, there was nothing ringing the bell could not help us get.

Food: The samgyetang dish comes steaming hot in a stone bowl, and you have to break open the chicken to release the various flavors from the deliciousness stuffed inside. A side dish of coarse salt is provided for seasoning. The kimchi and side dishes were simple, but all were very tasty because they did not overpower the natural flavors of the chicken soup.

For those who cannot stomach a whole chicken, they also serve duck, shabu shabu, soups and porridges.

Price: There are three types of samgyetang available in this restaurant: the basic ginseng (12,000 won), abalone and ginseng (16,000 won) and the herbal summer chicken (15,000 won). Check out the full menu in the picture.