Extra-large pig's trotters with free makguksu in Nowon: Gwihan Jokbal

Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch: a jokbal restaurant near Nowon Station

Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is a jokbal restaurant at 18-6 Nohae-ro 83-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 1st floor. I was looking for dinner near Nowon Station and suddenly had a craving for jokbal after a while, so I stopped by.

When I eat jokbal I like having makguksu or rice alongside it, so this time I ordered the extra-large Gwihan Jokbal along with soy sauce egg rice. Long story short: the portion was generous, and with all the sides together it turned out to be a surprisingly filling meal.

• Address: 18-6 Nohae-ro 83-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 1st floor
• Hours: Daily 11:00 – 2:00 (next day)

Gwihan Jokbal menu and prices: what we ordered

I ordered the extra-large Gwihan Jokbal for 51,000 won, the makguksu came free, and I added soy sauce egg rice for 4,000 won. Walking in, I first took my time looking over the menu board.

Besides the Gwihan Jokbal, there was quite a variety — gwijok naengchae jokbal, mala charcoal jokbal, mala half-and-half jokbal, gwijok samdaecheonwang, golbaengi muchim, bossam, and more. There were more jokbal varieties than I expected, so I hesitated a bit before deciding to go with the most basic option, the Gwihan Jokbal.

Inside Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch: seating and atmosphere

The interior of Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch was clean, and the tables were spacious, which made it comfortable.

How much food is the extra-large Gwihan Jokbal platter?

Maybe because it's the extra-large size, the 51,000 won Gwihan Jokbal came out looking really generous. Wow, I let out a gasp the moment it arrived! With the plentiful jokbal and the neatly arranged side dishes, it was a perfect spread. My jaw actually dropped.

The soy sauce egg rice is 4,000 won. Topped with dried seaweed flakes, it had a nutty flavor that went really well with the jokbal. Eating rice alongside the jokbal made the meal more filling than jokbal alone, and since I like rice with meat, it suited me perfectly.

The jokbal was sliced into easy-to-eat pieces, so I picked one up right away — it had a nice mix of lean meat and chewy parts, and it was delicious.

Wrapping the jokbal in lettuce with garlic and the side dishes really is the way to eat it. I also ate it plain sometimes, and other times dipped in salted shrimp sauce or the accompanying sauce, switching things up. Since it was extra-large, the portion was generous enough that even eating slowly, I never felt short on food.

Is the free makguksu at Gwihan Jokbal any good?

At Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch, the makguksu comes free, and I ate it alongside the jokbal. Makguksu is one of those things you'd miss if it weren't there with jokbal — mixing the noodles evenly with the sauce gave it a tangy, spicy kick that paired really well with the jokbal.

Eating jokbal nonstop can get a little greasy, but having makguksu in between refreshed my palate each time. One bite of jokbal, one bite of noodles — I kept reaching for more.

Verdict: extra-large jokbal with makguksu and soy sauce egg rice

Between the extra-large jokbal, the makguksu, and the added soy sauce egg rice, I ended up truly stuffed. Having the makguksu come free made it easy to alternate bites with the jokbal, and with the egg rice on top, it more than covered a full meal.

Maybe because it had been a while since I'd had jokbal, it tasted even better than usual. Next time, I'd like to try bossam or one of the other jokbal varieties instead. If you're near Nowon Station and craving jokbal, Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is worth a visit. This time I went with the extra-large jokbal, makguksu, and soy sauce egg rice combo, and personally, it was a satisfying meal.