Korean restaurant in Cheomdan, Gwangju: Grandma's Table set, Bohyangmi

Why I went looking for grilled fish in Cheomdan, Gwangju

I found Bohyangmi while searching for a Korean set-meal restaurant in Cheomdan, and it ticked every box: parking, taste, portions and price. I really wanted grilled fish, but I just can't bring myself to cook it at home. The smell, cleaning up the oil... the fishy smell lingers for 2–3 days, right?

I also needed a place in Cheomdan with parking. Reviews said parking is free and the lot is big, so I thought, you're the one!

Bohyangmi location, hours and parking

Bohyangmi is at 41 Cheomdanjungang-ro 124beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju (1st floor). It is open 11:30–21:00 with a break from 15:00 to 17:00. There is parking, and Onnuri vouchers are accepted.

The parking lot is big and right across from the restaurant. It looked shared with other businesses, but it was spacious, so parking wasn't hard.

Bohyangmi exterior and set menus

Even the outside has a clean feel, and with so many sets you can order whatever combination you like. Even two people could each order a different set.

Inside: waiting and Onnuri vouchers

Bohyangmi takes Onnuri vouchers (Korean traditional-market gift vouchers)! If you use them, I recommend it even more. There may be a wait at lunch and late dinner, but you can wait inside, so you aren't stuck outside in the winter cold or summer heat. That seemed nice.

Dessert ice cream and a coffee machine

On top of that, Bohyangmi has all kinds of ice cream for dessert.

Blueberry yogurt, Oreo, vanilla, so much variety. It wins over everyone from little kids to adults. I'll eat after the meal. I wanted some right away, but I'm an adult... And there's even a coffee machine. Meal plus dessert, totally perfect.

Ice cream for the kids, ice cream and coffee for the adults. The dessert is so complete that you don't need to go to a café after the meal.

Tables and private rooms: good for group gatherings?

The restaurant is huge and has private rooms, so it's good for family gatherings, and I hear companies often hold lunch get-togethers these days. I highly recommend it for a work lunch outing too. With rooms and a menu everyone can enjoy, it's a good pick for group meetings.

Menu and order: Grandma's Table for 2 + extra bossam

I liked that you can order right at your seat. The menu is huge and I struggled to choose, but we went with Grandma's Table for 2, which includes grilled fish and bossam (boiled pork wraps). My friend said the meat might not be enough, so we added extra bossam.

Banchan self-serve bar: refill without the awkwardness?

Bohyangmi has a separate self-serve bar where you can get more banchan (side dishes). At Korean set-meal restaurants, the sides are varied but come in small portions, and the first one or two refills are fine, but after a few times you start to feel a bit awkward. Me, anyway, T_T

Here, with a separate self-serve bar, I could take more without worrying. Other places sometimes charge extra for bossam kimchi, but here it's already on the bar, so I added more with no extra charge and peace of mind. For sides not on the bar, you can ask the staff and they'll bring more.

Grandma's Table, a full spread

A full table! I was amazed by the self-serve bar sides, but the banchan were so generous I didn't know what to eat first, haha.

Japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), bossam, fish. This is exactly what I wanted!

Pot rice and induction doenjang soup

It said that for two people you get one 2-person pot of rice, and for three people it's split into a 2-person pot and a 1-person pot. Steam rising! Scoop out the rice, pour in sungnyung (scorched rice tea) and make nurungji (scorched rice). I'll check it after finishing the meal.

The doenjang (soybean paste) soup that came with it can be boiled on the induction burner on the table, so it stayed hot through the whole meal. The flavor was really clean and mild, the kind that makes you finish a bowl of rice in no time.

How is the grilled fish?

I really wanted grilled fish.

Pick the flesh off the grilled fish and eat it in one bite. So nutty, salty and mild!

Bossam pork and bossam kimchi

The boiled pork was tender, soft and thick with no gamey smell at all, so the meat quality was good. Bossam comes as one plate per person, so we got plenty full.

The bossam kimchi that came with it was neither too spicy nor too sweet. My friend said it was so good that they went back for it twice. A sign at the entrance says they sell kimchi too, and kimchi that a restaurant sells is usually good, they say.

Tip: Naver receipt review event for a free yellow croaker

It seemed that Bohyangmi gives one gulbi (salted dried yellow croaker) if you join the Naver receipt review event. We ordered a set that already has fish, so we didn't write a review, but the rest of you, get that gulbi for free!

Why Bohyangmi works for family meals with parents and kids

Maybe because there are high chairs and kids' tableware, many families came with kids and parents. A high chair makes eating easier, so good! There are also options that little kids can eat, which probably adds to it.

• The large space seems to turn tables over quickly
• Spacious rooms are perfect for group gatherings
• A parking lot you can use in Cheomdan, where parking is hard
• Solid set composition and a varied banchan lineup
• All this for under ₩20,000

It was also good for bringing parents. And then, ice cream for dessert, quick!

Secret: I piled two scoops of Oreo. Don't forget to have dessert after the meal, okay?