Visit Goyang

If you are looking to enjoy health food near Haengjusanseong Fortress, grilled eel and Haengju noodles are recommended for good value for money. Since many eel farms are located nearby Haengju Dock, there is a long line of restaurants specialized in freshwater eels and there is even a special street only composed of eel restaurants. Pre-grilled eels are grilled again on the table, and the deep flavor and firm and bouncy texture of eels are nowhere else to be found. Available dishes include light, grilled dishes with salt and juicy, grilled dishes marinated in a sauce that melts in your mouth.

Haengju noodles are famous for their reasonable price and large portion size. Banquet noodles and spicy noodles are the basics, and some restaurant also offer special menu items like loach soup with noodles. Their mild flavor suits everyone's taste.

Raw anchovy is a signature dish of Goyang and was one of the delicates served on the king's table. The raw dish gives this lovely soft and balanced texture, and as you chew more of it, it gets even more savory. Vegetable such as sesame leaves are sometimes placed underneath the raw fish, and if you add red chili paste with vinegar and horseradish and mix the whole thing, it will add layers of flavor. If you add a warm bowl of rice to it, it turns into a rice bowl served with raw Korean anchovy toppings.

There are several restaurants specialized in the raw and grilled Korean anchovy nearby Neunggok Station, and as they also sell grilled eels, they would be ideal for a family meal. You are also recommended to visit Neunggok 1904 and the five-day market at the Neunggok Traditional Market (on days ending in 2 and 7) after the meal.

As a traditional dish of Goyang, this spicy fish stew is prepared by adding noodles or sujebi (hand-pulled doughs) and a whole variety of vegetables into loach soup. Its spicy and rich flavor is peerless and since it is a healthy dish that fully preserves the flavor and nutrition of all ingredients, it is recommended for anyone. Loach is either ground or put inside as a whole.

A famous restaurant close to Goyang City Hall adds a fragrant flavor with chives and sesame leaves, and also serve generous portions. Start with chewy sujebi and then add some soft noodles to make it a hearty meal. You can also add freshly fried, crispy, and savory loaches to the meal to try a perfect combination of loach dishes.

Ilsan noodle soup is flavored with chicken broth to make chicken noodle soup or with clams to make clam noodle soup. The combination of a generous portion of noodle soup and kimchi completes an undeniably delicious meal. Dong-gu and Seo-gu in Ilsan has many restaurants named "Ilsan Kalguksu," so it may be a good idea to try different recipes.

Especially, there is a very popular noodle soup restaurant in Bamgasi Village and the entire area gets quite crowded over the weekend. There are often long lines outside the restaurant during the lunch hours, but you just cannot resist that flavor. If you go on a cafe tour in the Bamnidan Bonnet Street after filling up your belly, your trip to Ilsan will be ever more satisfying.

Goyang Rice Makgeolli made with the mineral water of Jugyo-dong well-known for its delicious water taste is now known among us as Raw Baedari Makgeolli. Makgeolli brewed with the technology built for nearly 100 years offers a perfect combination of freshness, sweetness, sourness, and bitterness. They are reasonably easy to get hold of and they are also served in restaurants in Goyang.

In recent years, Gawaji raw rice wine made out of Gawaji rice has been gaining quite the attention. Gawaji raw rice wine showcased by Baedari Doga, a brewery that has been active for 6 generations, is known for its deep flavor of yeast and grain scent. Since it is not mass-produced and only hand-made, the quantity is also limited. The labels that incorporate trendy vibes are also impressive.

The name Gawaji No. 1 was given after the place where the first seed of rice cultivated on the Korean Peninsula was found. Then, after the Agricultural Technology Centers of Goyang and the Agricultural Research and Extension Services in Gyeonggi-do signed a business agreement to cultivate Gawaji No. 1 in 2017, a special variety unique to Goyang was developed.

Cultivation began in 2019 and it is now well-established as the rice brand representing Goyang. Gawaji rice is less polished and it is known for its sticky and bouncy texture. It is available for sale at local food stores in Goyang (Songpo, Ilsan, Wondang, and Jido NongHyup), rice research society, Market Kurly, and Coupang. A wide variety of snacks such as bread, pound cake, and cookies made of Gawaji No. 1 are also found in many places in Goyang.