Tosokchon Samgyetang & Seoul’s Legendary Chicken Soup

Tosokchon Samgyetang is a legend on the streets of Seoul.  It’s one of the most popular spots to get the chicken soup.

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Tosokchon is the best place to get samgyetang.  Samgyetang is a Korean dish.  The Korean dish is ginger chicken soup.  The ginger chicken soup has received a number of awards in Seoul.  It’s legendary.  If I could compare Tosokchon Samgyetang to a celebrity, it would be Anthony Bourdain cause he’s an icon when it comes to food.  Tosokchon Samgyetang is the same except it doesn’t travel around the world, drink itself to sleep every night, and practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Tosokchon Samgyetang is located next to the Gyeongbokgung Palace.  It’s on the corner of Hyoja and Jahamun.  The restaurant is a traditional Korean restaurant; the wood floors with the wood tables and the option of being seated at a normal table or on the floor on a pillow.   The stone walkway and the trees in the different dining courtyards.  The only thing I couldn’t find was the annoying service bell.  Yes, I know.  Tosokchon has loss its Korean street cred card.

Samgyetang is a play on Korean words.  In the States, we have Brangelina, Bennifer, and my least favorite Kimye.  However, Samgyetang has more substance than those three mentioned.  Sam means ginseng, gye is chicken and tang is soup.  Hence, Samgyetang.   Who would have thought the famous traditional Korean dish was started by people who were too lazy to say the full words?

The dish is supposed to be eaten in the summer time to fight the heat cause the Koreans believes the soup has medicinal purposes.  I don’t think that’s necessary true, but I do believe in the medicinal uses of marijuana.  If anything, I would smoke a joint and eat samgyetang together to get the full herbal uses.  Maybe I can switch the ginseng with some kush.

Tosokchon serves their samgyetang piping hot.  The samgyetang is a whole young chicken filled with rice then cooked in a chicken broth with ginseng, jujube, chestnuts, and garlic.  It had an intense taste; the chicken was tender and tore apart easily.   The rice came storming out of the chicken like ketchup from a bottle turned upside down.  The flavors were smooth and comforting as I was taken sip after sip then bite after bite and then it dawn on me that shouldn’t have smoked two blunts before my meal.

Tosokchon is definitely a must stop for some authentic Korean food.  It’s right next to the Gyeongbokgung Palace, so it’s a great stop for lunch.  Don’t forget the weed.

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