Godeok, Pyeongtaek dakgalbi set better than Chuncheon's: Semo Dakgalbi

Today I visited Semo Dakgalbi (세모닭갈비) at Urban Grove Mall in Godeok, Pyeongtaek!

Dakgalbi, with its spicy sauce and all kinds of ingredients to eat together, is something I crave now and then. This time I had a hearty meal of dakgalbi, mul makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles in broth) and potato pancake at Semo Dakgalbi. I enjoyed everything from the side dishes to the main, so I'm introducing it to anyone looking for a meal in Godeok, Pyeongtaek. 💕

Semo Dakgalbi Godeok: location, hours and parking

Semo Dakgalbi Godeok is at 2228, 2F Urban Grove Mall, 99 Godeokgukje-daero, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, and it's open Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00–23:00. Break time is 15:00–17:00, and it's closed every Monday. For parking, use the basement level 1 lot at Urban Grove Mall.

Urban Grove Mall is pretty big, so on a first visit it might be a little confusing to find the restaurant. But as soon as you get off the elevator, the way to the restaurant is marked on the floor and walls, so it was easier to find than I expected! It's right next to Ashley, so using Ashley as your landmark makes it easy. 😊

What are Semo Dakgalbi's dining room and outdoor terrace like?

The inside of Semo Dakgalbi Godeok is neat and tidy, with about 8 indoor tables and about 5 terrace tables, so there's plenty of space.

When we went in, the interior was neatly arranged. There were about 8 tables indoors and about 5 on the outdoor terrace, so it felt roomy.

The weather was really nice the day we visited, and there were guests eating on the outdoor terrace as well as inside. 🌿 The terrace is appealing because you can eat with a street-pub (yajang) vibe. I hear pets are allowed on the terrace in the evening. It can get hot during the day, though, so it's best to check availability before you go.

It looked good for a family meal or a date, and on a nice day for a relaxed meal outdoors. They also reportedly provide baby chairs and mini tables for kids for free, so it seems like a good choice for families with children. 🧸

What comes in the Semo Dakgalbi set?

The Semo Dakgalbi set consists of dakgalbi for two, mul makguksu and potato pancake. This set is what we ordered.

• Semo Dakgalbi for 2
• Mul makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles)
• Potato pancake

Dakgalbi alone felt like not enough and I wanted to enjoy a variety of dishes, so I liked that it came as a set. I hear the dakgalbi uses domestic Harim chilled chicken thigh, cooked with a special sauce made from fruit and vegetables. They also reportedly prep the ingredients in the restaurant every day and cook to order, which made me look forward to it even more.

Semo Dakgalbi side dishes that won over my home-cook husband

Side dishes such as steamed egg, macaroni salad and oi-tangtangi (smashed cucumber) came out before the main menu, and there's a self-serve bar too. The side dishes were ready before the food arrived, and each one was delicious! 😍

In our house, my husband is the one who usually cooks, and even he praised the owner's cooking while eating the side dishes. The ssamjang (dipping paste for wraps) especially stood out. It was a little different from the usual kind, yet really good. I was already satisfied with the side dishes before the main dish.

Crispy shredded potato pancake

The first dish out from the Semo Dakgalbi set was the potato pancake. After a short wait, it arrived!

I always love crispy food, and this potato pancake was exactly my taste. 🥔 The nutty flavor of the potato and the crispy texture went together so well that I kept reaching for more.

Eaten with the pickled onions that came with it, it had an added tang and was even better. Having the potato pancake before the dakgalbi also whetted my appetite. Being able to enjoy potato pancake as well as dakgalbi and makguksu is another plus of the set. If you like crispy pancakes, you'll probably enjoy this one. 😊

What goes into Semo Dakgalbi's dakgalbi?

Along with chicken, the dakgalbi had cheese rice cakes, sweet potato, bunmoja (flat starch noodles), cabbage and more. The main dish finally arrived, and I liked that besides chicken you can pick from many different ingredients.

I especially loved the cheese rice cakes! 🧀 Their chewy texture with the dakgalbi sauce kept me going back for more. Sweet potato and cabbage were in there too, so there were lots of different textures.

How spicy is Semo Dakgalbi?

We ordered the spice level at medium and got a pleasantly spicy dakgalbi. I hear the spice level can be adjusted to taste if you like it hotter, so keep that in mind. The dakgalbi reportedly uses domestic chilled chicken thigh and a special sauce made with fruit and vegetables. With so many ingredients in it, it felt rich and full. Spicy dakgalbi with chewy cheese rice cakes made for a satisfying meal. 💛

Is the mul makguksu in the set a small portion?

The mul makguksu in the Semo Dakgalbi set was generous, like a single standalone dish, and plenty for two. While we were eating the dakgalbi, the mul makguksu came out too!

Since it's part of a set, I figured the portion would be a bit small. But when it arrived, there was way more than I expected. It felt less like a side dish in a set and more like one full standalone dish. It was enough for the two of us, which made me even happier.

The mul makguksu was cold and delicious. 😋 Taking a bite of the cold noodles in between spicy dakgalbi really refreshed my mouth. Dakgalbi and makguksu clearly go well together. I liked being able to enjoy dakgalbi, potato pancake and mul makguksu all in one set.

Dakgalbi fried rice, worth it even when full

After finishing the Semo Dakgalbi set, we ordered fried rice to finish. After the dakgalbi, potato pancake and mul makguksu we were really full. But as Koreans, we couldn't skip fried rice, our "K-dessert." 😂 So we ordered the fried rice too!

Finishing dakgalbi with fried rice is a must. Even though we said we were full, we happily polished it off. With dakgalbi, it only feels like a proper meal once you've had the fried rice. Haha. Adding fried rice to the set made it a really filling meal.

Why Semo Dakgalbi beats Chuncheon for dakgalbi in Godeok, Pyeongtaek

At Semo Dakgalbi Pyeongtaek Godeok Urban Grove Mall Branch, I was satisfied with everything from the side dishes to the main and the sides. The tidy restaurant and the spacious underground parking made it easy to visit, and with the outdoor terrace as well as indoor seating, it's great for a meal on a nice day.

Above all, the side dishes left an impression. Even my husband, who enjoys cooking, praised the owner's cooking. The combination of crispy potato pancake, dakgalbi with chewy cheese rice cakes, and cold mul makguksu was really good. I thought the set would be small, but it was more generous than expected, and the two of us ate until we were full.

Personally, I was so satisfied that I felt it was tastier than the dakgalbi I had in Chuncheon! 🥰 It's a place I'd like to visit again whenever I crave dakgalbi. If you're looking for a good dakgalbi spot in Godeok, Pyeongtaek, or a place for a family meal or date, give Semo Dakgalbi a try! You can enjoy delicious dakgalbi along with makguksu and potato pancake. 💕