Doilcheo: Best Chinese Food Near Gimpo Airport
Today was another cycling day, just like yesterday. Yesterday I headed to the east side of Seoul, so today I decided to ride west and back. Since I made up my mind to go for a proper ride on such a beautiful day, I started from the Ara Seohae Lock (the start of the cross-country bike path). It was a bit hazy due to the fine dust, but the sunshine was so nice that I still felt refreshed. I really wish they'd do something about this dust, though. Even with the same sunshine, it doesn't even compare to Athens, both visually and in terms of the phlegm building up in my throat.
After riding for a while, I decided to grab lunch near Gimpo Airport. I searched around to see what was good in the area, and two places overwhelmingly dominated the results: a kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) spot and a Chinese restaurant called Doilcheo. Riding a bike and sweating profusely in 33-degree heat meant hot noodle soup probably wasn't the best fit, so I settled on the Chinese restaurant as a safe bet. I was a little worried at first, but reading through other blogs summarizing it as an "over 50-year-old restaurant" and "run by a Chinese owner" put my mind at ease. The menu also stood out from typical Chinese spots, with the most unique item being the chive dim sum. Since it was June and chives were in season, I headed to the restaurant curious about how the dim sum would taste.
I rode my bike there today, but I will never visit by bike again. The route from the bike path to the restaurant is incredibly dangerous and exhausting. You have to speed down the road alongside cars, making you wonder if you even took the right way. If you're doing a cross-country cycling trip, I highly recommend going to a different restaurant. This place is absolutely perfect for stopping by to enjoy a delicious meal on your way to the airport before catching a flight.
I ordered the Samseon Ganjjajang (seafood black bean noodles), my friend got the Gochu Ganjjajang (spicy chili black bean noodles), and we ordered the chive dim sum to share on the side. When you order the chive dim sum, it comes with a sauce that seems to be based on chili oil. The dim sum came out before the noodles, and I was so hungry I devoured it in a flash. It definitely wasn't bad. But I ate it way too fast to really say if it was amazing. Unlike how it looks, it wasn't greasy, and eating it with the chili oil added a nice spicy kick that made it go down easy. Maybe if I had ordered more, I could have actually savored the flavor. Eating just two pieces only made me realize I was still hungry.
While I had high expectations for the chive dim sum, I only ordered the jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) to fill my stomach. But man, I was completely caught off guard. The jjajangmyeon was incredibly delicious. Usually, no matter which Chinese restaurant you go to, they all buy their chunjang (black bean paste) from the same suppliers, so ganjjajang ends up being super salty and sweet. It almost makes you think that's why even hand-pulled noodle shops all taste pretty much the same.
But Doilcheo's jjajangmyeon is different. I don't know if they buy the paste and specially prepare it or make it from scratch, but the sauce isn't overly sweet or salty—you could literally eat it straight with a spoon. If you mix the ganjjajang and just eat the noodles, it might even taste a little bland. But if you take a bite of noodles along with half a spoonful of onions and seafood, the balance is absolutely perfect.
Another difference is that their noodles are thinner than at other Chinese restaurants. They are thin enough that I looked at them and thought, "Oh, that's interesting." I'm not exactly sure how this changes the flavor, though.
The dish I especially recommend is the Gochu Ganjjajang. The seafood one is good too, but when we ordered both and took turns taking bites, the Gochu Ganjjajang—with that spicy kick Koreans love—was definitely better. Just because it has chili in the name doesn't mean it's mouth-burning spicy. I have a weak stomach when it comes to spicy food and generally prefer milder dishes, but this was just the perfect level of heat to stimulate the appetite.
I wasted a lot of time looking for a Chinese restaurant, so I didn't get to ride my bike as much, but that time wasn't wasted at all. It's a bit far from my house, so I don't know if I'll be back, but I really want to try their jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and other menu items. I've eaten countless bowls of jjajangmyeon in my life, but Doilcheo's is the absolute best.