Sindorim jokbal restaurant: private room seats and seaweed rice ball

Looking for somewhere to eat lunch in Sindorim on a weekday, I ended up at Sambaekga, a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) and bossam (boiled pork wraps) restaurant. I figured most weekday lunch customers would be there for jokbal, but once I arrived there were quite a lot of people just there for regular lunch. Turns out besides jokbal and bossam, they also serve kalguksu (noodle soup), bossam set meals, and sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew) set meals — easy, unfussy lunch options.

Where is Sindorim Sambaekga? Inside the Home Plus Sindorim building

Sindorim Sambaekga is tucked inside the Home Plus Sindorim store building. Heading in through the left side of the building (facing Home Plus) and following the corridor, I found the restaurant without much trouble even on a first visit.

Partitioned room seats and solo seats at Sindorim Sambaekga

Walking inside, the space felt clean overall and the tables weren't crammed together uncomfortably. I visited during weekday lunch and there were more diners than I expected. Even though it's a jokbal-bossam specialty restaurant, the range of light lunch options like kalguksu, bossam sets, and sundubu jjigae sets probably explains that.

Toward the back of the hall there was room seating lightly divided by partition walls, and that's where we sat. Compared to a fully open table, having the space slightly sectioned off made it cozier and more comfortable eating with three people.

On one side there were also dedicated solo seats. There were actually people eating alone, so anyone looking for a solo-dining spot in Sindorim could use this place comfortably too.

Sindorim Sambaekga lunch menu and prices: what three people ordered

Each table has a tablet, so you can check the menu and order right away.

Looking through the menu, besides jokbal and bossam there were plenty of meal options — clam kalguksu for ₩11,000, a bossam set meal for ₩10,900, and a sundubu jjigae set meal for ₩9,900.

• Sambaek jokbal + makguksu set ₩50,000
• Gimgaru jumeokbap (seaweed flake rice ball) ₩3,000

There were three of us, so we ordered the Sambaek jokbal + makguksu set along with the gimgaru jumeokbap. Getting jokbal and makguksu together made for a good combo to share among three people.

Side dishes and a tasting portion of cold naengchae jokbal

After a short wait, the basic side dishes arrived first — kimchi, chive salad, and a sauce to go with the jokbal. What caught my eye was a small tasting portion of naengchae jokbal (cold jokbal salad).

Thinly sliced jokbal came with a tangy sauce and vegetables, making for a nice light bite before the main jokbal arrived. Eating jokbal cold like this felt totally different from having it warm.

The kimchi geotjeori (fresh-tossed kimchi) that came as a side was also delicious. Apparently it's made fresh that day with persimmon added — it was crisp with well-absorbed seasoning, and eating it kept making me think of kalguksu. I thought 'this kimchi would be amazing with kalguksu,' and ended up a little sorry I hadn't ordered it that day.

How the Sambaek jokbal tasted: chewy, with no gamey smell

Then the Sambaek jokbal arrived. The lean meat and skin were mixed in just the right proportion, so it looked appetizing right away.

Tasting it, there was no gamey smell at all, which I liked, and the texture was on the chewier side. I sometimes leave the skin behind when eating jokbal, but this time it was so chewy that I ate every bit of the skin too.

The lean meat was soft and the skin was chewy, so eating them together gave a nice contrast in texture.

It went well paired with the chive salad, and dipping it in the sauce was good too.

Why the makguksu buckwheat noodles matched the jokbal

The makguksu that came with the jokbal was tastier than I expected too. The tangy-spicy sauce with vegetables mixed in matched well with the mild, chewy jokbal.

Mixing the seasoning evenly through the noodles gave a good balance of tang and spice.

Taking a bite of makguksu between bites of jokbal cleansed the palate nicely, so I was glad we ordered both together.

Seaweed-flake rice ball: the fail-proof 3,000 won side

The gimgaru jumeokbap (seaweed flake rice ball) we ordered as a side had a generous amount of seaweed flakes, and it went well alongside both the jokbal and the makguksu. Rice balls like this really are a fail-proof side dish.

With all three dishes spread across the table, there was plenty for the three of us to share. A bite of jokbal, then makguksu, then a rice ball in between — it was quite filling.

Is Sindorim Sambaekga worth it for a weekday jokbal lunch?

I went in wanting jokbal in Sindorim, but it turned out to be a place with a lot more versatility than I expected thanks to its wide lunch menu. The jokbal was tasty with no gamey smell and a chewy texture, and the makguksu's tangy-spicy flavor paired well with it. The gimgaru jumeokbap on top made the meal filling, and I'm already thinking I need to try the kalguksu with that kimchi geotjeori next time. With both partitioned seating and solo seats available, this could be a good pick if you're looking for a spot for a gathering or dinner with coworkers in Sindorim.

Sindorim Sambaekga hours, address and parking

• Address: 661 Gyeongin-ro, 1st floor, Unit 118, Guro-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–21:40
• Break time: 15:00–16:00 (no break time on weekends/holidays)
• Reservations / takeout / parking / high chairs available