Shabu-shabu lunch with kids at Hyoeunok, a Gyeongju Bomun restaurant

Hyoeunok, a favorite near Bomun District, and its kid-friendly Ppyeoberest.

Hi, this is Classic Butler. I came to Gyeongju to see the media art at Daereungwon, but honestly the food ended up stealing the trip. We kept breakfast simple at our lodging and decided to try the famous Ppyeoberest for lunch. So we headed to Hyoeunok near Bomun District.

Where is Hyoeunok Gyeongju Branch, and what are the hours?

• Address: 12-6 Bukgun 3-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea, 1st floor Hyoeunok
• Hours: 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 20:00

Since we were traveling with kids, we wanted somewhere easy to park, and there was plenty of space right in front of the restaurant, so we got in right away. We ordered the Ppyeoberest Original 25cm set and worked through beef ribs and bones, then shabu-shabu, kalguksu, and gondre porridge in order.

Parking right in front of Hyoeunok

Hyoeunok has parking space right out front. Even though it was a busy time near Bomun District, we parked right away and went in. Being able to park directly in front of the restaurant is such a relief when you're traveling with kids.

Inside Hyoeunok: spacious with group tables

The inside of Hyoeunok was pretty spacious overall. It was comfortable for a family, and there were tables for larger groups too. The mother-of-pearl furniture caught my eye as soon as we walked in.

Retro seems to be the trend these days. It used to be rare to see mother-of-pearl furniture in restaurants, but lately I keep seeing it in cafés and restaurants alike.

What we ordered at Hyoeunok and what it cost

We ordered the Ppyeoberest Original 25cm set for ₩65,900. It comes with beef ribs and bones / shabu-shabu beef / kalguksu / gondre porridge.

The default amount of shabu-shabu meat was a bit short for our family, so we added ₩10,000 of beef, and later we ordered an extra kalguksu too.

The 25cm Ppyeoberest, true to its name

When the dish arrived, the beef ribs and bones were stacked high in the center. I immediately understood why it's called '25cm.'

With so much beef rib and bone piled on, we started with the meat on the bones first. There was plenty of it, and it was tender rather than tough. We cut it into bite-size pieces and ate it with water dropwort, mung bean sprouts, and mushrooms.

Beef ribs and beef bones first

You naturally end up eating the ribs and bones before the shabu-shabu. After eating most of the meat off the bones, we topped up the broth and moved into shabu-shabu. Broth was set up at the self-serve bar, so we could refill it ourselves whenever it ran low.

Adding 10,000 won of shabu-shabu beef

The shabu-shabu beef that comes as default with the Hyoeunok Ppyeoberest set was a bit short for our family, so we ordered extra beef separately.

Cooking the shabu beef in the broth made from the beef ribs and bones gave it a much stronger meaty flavor than regular shabu-shabu broth.

The meat wasn't tough at all, so the kids ate it well too.

Hyoeunok's broth tastes close to galbitang

The longer it boiled, the more the beef rib and bone flavor came out into the broth. Rather than greasy or heavy, the broth tasted rich yet clean, like galbitang (beef rib soup).

The kids drank the broth well too. Even after adding shabu-shabu vegetables and meat, the broth never turned heavy or murky.

One more kalguksu to finish the broth

After finishing the shabu-shabu, we added kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) to the remaining broth. The basic set already includes kalguksu, but we added one more.

Even after eating so much beef rib and shabu-shabu, we still had room for the kalguksu. With the broth fully infused with meat flavor by that point, it soaked well into the noodles too.

Ending the Hyoeunok course with gondre porridge

The final stage of the shabu course is gondre porridge. You can make porridge with the leftover broth. Even after the beef ribs and shabu-shabu, plenty of flavor remained in the broth, and with the gondre (dried thistle greens) added in, it made for a nutty, savory finish.

The portion wasn't small either, so by the time we finished the porridge, we were completely full.

One order, four courses in sequence

Beef ribs and bones → shabu-shabu → kalguksu → gondre porridge. Rather than just one dish, the course-style progression made it great for a family visit. The kids ate their fill of ribs and shabu beef, while the adults got to enjoy the kalguksu and porridge too.

Is Hyoeunok a good family lunch near Bomun District in Gyeongju?

Hyoeunok was a good choice for a meal with kids near Bomun District, and the parking made it easy too. With just one Ppyeoberest 25cm set, we got to eat beef ribs, shabu-shabu, kalguksu, and gondre porridge, so the menu felt well put together. They also have a galbitang menu, so I'm thinking of trying that next time.

12-6 Bukgun 3-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea, 1st floor Hyoeunok