Restaurant Review: Kogoong Sooragan

by Gabriel Ward

I found myself waiting for a few buses at the bus terminal over the winter holidays. There are three good Korean restaurants where you can get a good meal right by the bus departures gates. I went to one of them again recently.

Kogoong Sooragan is a small Korean restaurant which specializes in bibimbap. I love bibimbap.  It’s one of my top three Korean dishes, and I feel it’s probably one of the easiest Korean foods for expats to like.

Kogoong Sooragan has a modern yet traditional feel, probably due  to the wooden furnishings. Seating is comprised of tables and chairs as well as an area with low tables and floor seating.

I was greeted by one of the waitresses and took a seat at a table. The lighting was dimmed a little, creating a pleasant atmosphere. The menu wasn’t huge by Korean standards, which I consider to be a good thing. A small menu is often a signal that what is on the menu is done well. As mentioned, this place specializes in bibimbap, with a couple of extra meat dishes available as well. The three standard varieties of bibimbap are available – Jeonju bibimbap, dolsot bibimbap, and nakji bibimbap. All three of these consist of vegetables and a red bean spice paste mixed with steamed rice. Where the three differ is how they are served and what protein they have. Jeonju bibimbap usually has an egg and is served in a metal bowl. Dolsot bibimbap usually has beef and is served in a hot stone pot and nak-ji is also usually served in a hot stone pot and has a mixture of seafood in it. I like all three of these, and they are all certainly worth a try.

Looking over the menu I came across a variation of bibimbap called ham-ji-pak bibimbap, which I had never heard of before so I enthusiastically ordered it. It was described as rice topped with vegetables and served in a wooden bowl. The wooden bowl in particular intrigued me as I’d never heard of or seen bibimbap served in one. Furthermore, the type of bowl that bibimbap is served in usually indicates a particular flavor, so I was excited to try a new one.

The waitress brought my bibimbap out in a large salad-sized wooden bowl. My mouth watered with the anticipation of trying a new variety of bibimbap. When it was put it in front of me, I felt reassured as it looked delicious. I eagerly mixed everything together with my spoon and tried my first mouthful. It had a different taste to the other three varieties of bibimbap. Instead of having a spicy, salty taste to it, it had a slight sweetness to it. It was bibimbap heaven for me and I enjoyed it immensely.

My friend got the Jeonju bibimbap which was also great. The Jeonju and hamji pak had similar descriptions on the menu; however their tastes were definitely different. I’d recommend trying both of them if you find yourself at the bus terminal. Admittedly some of the varieties of bibimbap are a little more than what you would usually expect to pay, for example the Jeonju bibimbap was 8,500won. Interestingly, as it was the same size as the Jeonju, my hamji pak was only 6000won. KKogoong Sooragan is perpendicular to gates 7 and 8 at the bus terminal. There are two other decent Korean restaurants close by as well, so check any of these out next time you’re waiting for a bus.