Family duck barbecue in Goyang with a baby: Seokgi Sidae

It had been a while since I’d craved duck bulgogi with a deep, well-soaked marinade, so my husband, our baby, and I went out for a meal in Ilsan. This time, we visited Seokgi Sidae (석기시대) in Ilsan, where you can try both duck bulgogi and duck soup 💛

Not only was the parking lot spacious, but the restaurant itself felt roomy too, making it easy to visit with a child. With high chairs available, we could enjoy a comfortable meal 🥹 Especially nice was that ordering duck bulgogi also came with duck soup, and there was a good spot upstairs for coffee after the meal, so it seemed like a decent place for a family gathering too.

Seokgi Sidae exterior and parking lot

It’s in Ilsan, but also close to Paju 📍 As we headed in, we found a house-style building with a lush green yard and a large garden. The first floor was Seokgi Sidae, while the second floor was run as a café ✨

There was a parking lot in front of the restaurant with room for several cars. We visited around lunchtime on a weekend, yet there were still plenty of open spaces 🚘

A spacious interior that was easy to sit in with a child

Once inside, there were group tables on both sides. Other guests happened to be having a group gathering, so I couldn’t take photos, but the seating was generous enough for more than 10 people. It looked like a good option for a company dinner or family gathering too 🤩

Further inside, there were four- and six-person tables as well as tables that worked well for larger groups. Overall, it felt spacious enough that even with a child, it didn’t feel cramped at all ‼️

There were also several high chairs set out on one side, ready to use whenever needed 🙌

Seokgi Sidae menu

The menu had a wide selection, including duck bulgogi, charcoal-grilled duck, duck baeksuk (whole duck soup), seafood pajeon (Korean scallion pancake), and dumplings. For drinks, they had soju, beer, makgeolli, and more 🍶🍺

Side dishes and duck soup

Not long after we ordered, the side dishes began arriving. From seasoned vegetables and kimchi to pickled onions and seasoned zucchini, the table was filled with all sorts of banchan (Korean side dishes) 😋

On top of that, salad, wrap vegetables, pickled radish wraps, napa cabbage kimchi, and duck soup were all included 🤭

The duck soup arrived piping hot in an earthenware pot, making it nice to spoon up some broth now and then. My husband said he should have had drinks the night before 😂 He loved it, saying it was perfect for a hangover 👍 When I tried a spoonful, it felt hot yet refreshing. It was generously filled with bean sprouts, minari (water parsley), and duck meat.

So that our little one, Bbanggeut, could eat it, we put some broth into a separate bowl, added a little water, and mixed it with rice. Bbanggeut seemed to like it and ate quite well ☺️ When eating out with a child, it’s easy to think only about the adults’ food, but having a soup dish we could serve with rice made this meal much easier for us too 🙌

Well-marinated duck bulgogi

While we waited and ate the side dishes, the duck bulgogi arrived quickly. It came piled generously with scallions, vegetables, mushrooms, and marinated duck meat ‼️ Cooking it ourselves on the grill, even the sizzling sight looked delicious 😋

I first tried the meat on its own, and the marinade had soaked evenly into it while the duck’s distinctive nutty flavor still came through. Paired with the mushrooms and vegetables, the textures were even more varied and delicious ✨

Fried rice made with the leftover meat

Since I love wrapping food in ssam (leaf wraps), I put seasoned vegetable side dishes and thick pieces of meat on a wrap and took a bite. The crisp vegetables went so well with the marinated meat. We had driven there, so I couldn’t have soju that day, but it tasted good with rice and seemed like it would be a great drinking snack too 😂

No matter how full you are, you can’t give up fried rice, right? We saved a little meat and had it stir-fried with the rice, so the meat and marinade naturally came together. I especially liked the seasoned vegetable side dishes, so I made sure to put some on top of my fried rice. I loved that the varied side dishes let us enjoy so many different combinations 🤩

The second-floor café after the meal

After finishing our meal, we went up to the second-floor café. The interior was cozy, and besides coffee, they had bakery items too, making it a nice place to rest with a cup of tea after eating ☕️ It was also convenient that we could have both a meal and café time in the same building without having to move somewhere else. I thought it would be really nice to visit with my parents too ☺️

There were foods that were easy to share with a child, high chairs were available, and above all, the food was delicious and the staff were kind, so it was a pleasant meal for the first time in a while. It’s close to our home, so I’m planning to return with my parents next time. If you’re looking for a restaurant in Ilsan to visit with a baby or a place for a family gathering near Paju, I think it’s worth considering 💛