Ondal: Bad Crab Stew To be Avoided

 

I had high hopes for Ondal, which seemed to get all the raves for its allegedly excellent crab stew, known as kkotketang. While the many side dishes were impressive, the star of the show disappointed, big time.

Let's start with the broth. It didn't have any depth of flavor. Flat. Then the crabs weren't even all that fresh. It didn't even come close to holding a candle to the OG of crab stew on the west coast of Korea. On top of that, 99% of the stew topping consisted of tasteless bean sprouts that didn't add anything to the mix. 

The sole saving grace: the side dishes. The steamed cabbage with fermented bean sauce with some red pepper paste mixed in tasted fresh and healthy. 

 

The acorn jelly blocks drizzled with some spicy soy sauce and minced scallions were not bad although not great.

 

Other notable sides: the sliced cucumbers that were tangy, spicy and slightly sweet; and the potatoes braised in soy sauce and a slightly sweet sauce. 

 Still, all the side dishes weren't enough to make up for the below average crab stew.

Needless to say, I won't returning. I'll have to find another place to get crab stew or just return to the beautiful west coast of Korea.