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Restaurant

Dawon, a Famous Restaurant for Anmyeondo Gaegukji and Gejang in Taean

I visited this place during my trip to Taean because it's known as a famous restaurant for gaegukji.

WooleeSouth Korea15 photos
Dawon, found along Cheonsuman-ro, has a red sign listing signature menu items like gaegukji and ganjang gejang. It has a spacious parking lot, making it convenient to visit by car.
Tables line the spacious hall beneath the ceiling lights, and a set menu board is posted on the wall. During lunchtime, every seat is filled with customers, giving the place a lively atmosphere.
Set menus combining gaegukji, ganjang gejang, and yangnyeom gejang are hung on the wall, divided by number of people. Photos and prices are posted together, making it easy to check before ordering.
Nine side dishes, including kimchi, are served in separate compartments on a wooden tray. The variety ranges from salty jeotgal (salted seafood) to tangy muchim (seasoned salads), pairing well with the gejang set meal.
Gaegukji, with crab meat and ugeoji (dried napa cabbage leaves) blended into a rich broth, bubbles away on the stove. The steam rising as the spicy seasoning dissolves stimulates the appetite.
Yangnyeom gejang topped with sesame oil, whole sesame seeds, and cheongyang chili peppers is piled high on lettuce. The spicy-sweet seasoning soaks deeply into the crab meat, making it a popular side dish for rice.
The ganjang gejang served at Dawon has crab meat that stays plump and springy amid the salty marinade. Scraping out even the roe and innards with a spoon down to the last bit is part of the fun.
On the table at Dawon, yangnyeom-gejang and ganjang-gejang were served together with bubbling, simmering gegukji. Nine-compartment side dish plates were added too, making the table plentiful.
These are plastic gloves provided by Dawon for eating gejang. The packaging clearly displays the restaurant's name and a crab illustration, catching the eye.
As soon as you open the shell of Dawon's ganjang gejang, the roe packed full inside catches your eye first. The savory sweet-and-salty soy sauce marinade, enhanced with cheongyang chili peppers and sesame seeds, gives it a deep umami flavor.
Opening the crab shell with chopsticks reveals the orange roe and soft flesh inside. Chili peppers and sesame seeds add a sharp aroma that whets the appetite.
Yangnyeom gejang glistening with red seasoning is served on the table.
After eating the gejang, rice is mixed into the leftover shell to make crab shell rice. I ended up putting in too much rice.
The ganjang gejang bibimbap I tried at Dawon — mixing rice with the salty gejang sauce and scooping up a full spoonful is part of the fun. Spicy yangnyeom gejang served alongside adds to the appetite.
Dawon's gaegukji is made by long-simmering blue crab and aged kimchi, giving the broth a spicy yet refreshing taste. Ladling it out lets you scoop up plenty of crab meat as well.

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Menu

Set Menus

  • Dawon Special (4–5 people)150,000
  • Dawon A Set (3–4 people)100,000
  • Dawon B Set (2–3 people)80,000
  • Dawon C Set (2 people)55,000
  • Dawon D Set (2 people)50,000
  • Dawon E Set (2 people)50,000

À La Carte · Set Meals

  • Dawon Gaegukji (Small, 2 people)30,000
  • Dawon Gaegukji (Medium, 3 people)40,000
  • Dawon Gaegukji (Large, 4 people)50,000
  • Dawon Ganjang Gejang (1 person)25,000
  • Dawon Ganjang Gejang (Additional)22,000
  • Dawon Yangnyeom Gejang (1 person)25,000
  • Dawon Yangnyeom Gejang (Additional)22,000
  • Grilled Fish Set Meal (2 people)30,000
  • Dawon Grilled Hwangtae Set Meal (1 person)12,000

Prices may have changed since the visit.

Dawon is a restaurant specializing in gaegukji and gejang, located on Cheonsuman-ro in Nammyeon, along the road leading into Anmyeondo, Taean. The menu centered on set courses that came with ganjang gejang, yangnyeom gejang, gaegukji, grilled fish, and grilled hwangtae all together on one table, though it was also possible to order just ganjang gejang or gaegukji as a single dish. I ordered the Dawon D Set and paid an extra 22,000 won for additional gejang. This was because I wanted to try both yangnyeom gejang and ganjang gejang.

The gaegukji had the feel of a rich shrimp stew, and the ganjang gejang was excellent, with a rich, creamy taste from the roe packed inside. The yangnyeom gejang had such a strong seasoning flavor that the taste of the crab itself felt weak. Ganjang gejang was definitely tastier than yangnyeom gejang.

Honestly, this was a restaurant I visited because it's known for its famous gaegukji... but somehow it didn't quite suit my taste. The owner was very kind, but I don't think I'll visit again.

Detailed ratings

Taste
Value for money
Ambience
Service
Would go again
No
🕐 Hours
  • Monday: 10:00 AM ~ 8:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 10:00 AM ~ 8:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 10:00 AM ~ 8:00 PM
  • Thursday: 10:00 AM ~ 8:00 PM
  • Friday: 10:00 AM ~ 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: 9:00 AM ~ 9:00 PM
  • Sunday: 9:00 AM ~ 9:00 PM

As of my visit.

Good to know

  • Parking available
  • Free parking
  • Reservations accepted
  • Pet-friendly
  • Takeout available