Goyang bossam dinner: large half-and-half set at Park Man-bae Arirang

Hi, this is Bangi. I was trying to figure out what to eat for dinner in Wonheung and ended up craving bossam. There are actually more restaurants around Wonheung Station than you'd expect, but whenever it comes time to actually pick a dinner spot, I keep ending up choosing the same kind of thing. This time I wanted a hearty meal with meat, so I looked around and went to Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Station Branch.

It's a bossam place, but I heard they serve gabrisal bossam, which is a bit different from the usual bossam, so I was curious.

Why Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam is an easy dinner near Wonheung Station

Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Station Branch is close to Wonheung Station, so it's easy to find. Once I walked in, the interior was bigger than I expected, and the tables had plenty of space between them.

I visited during dinner hours, and there were quite a few customers eating, including some family tables. It seemed like a fine spot to grab dinner after work near Wonheung Station, and also comfortable enough for eating with family or friends.

We weren't there to drink that day either — we went to have a solid dinner, and it was a comfortable place to eat.

What's on the menu at Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam

When you think of a bossam place, you usually just picture meat and kimchi, but this branch has a slightly wider menu, which seemed nice for a group where people can pick what suits their taste.

Above all, I was pretty hungry that day, so from the start I ordered the large half-and-half bossam.

I liked that there were various vegetable side dishes like geotjeori (fresh kimchi) and salad in the basic side-dish spread.

Fish cake, chives, and garlic and chili to go alongside also came out well.

Large half-and-half bossam with kalguksu: how it tasted

After ordering and waiting a bit, the half-and-half bossam arrived. Being 'half-and-half' meant we weren't stuck eating it just one way — we could pair it with either kimchi or cabbage and share it.

They said the meat is gabrisal, and the texture was noticeably different from the bossam I usually eat.

It was moderately chewy without being too tough, and it went really well with the kimchi. When I eat bossam, I think the kimchi you pair it with matters just as much as the meat itself, and putting kimchi on top of the meat confirmed once again that this combination really is what bossam is about.

Wrapping the meat in cabbage along with kimchi was also good. Ordering half-and-half meant we could switch up how we ate it partway through, so we didn't get tired of one single flavor too quickly.

You can also choose between makguksu (buckwheat noodles) and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) as a side, and we picked kalguksu.

I've had makguksu with bossam a lot before, so this time the warm broth of kalguksu was more appealing.

Eating the meat and then sipping the kalguksu broth every so often worked really well together, and finishing with the noodles at the end made for a satisfying way to wrap up the meal. If we'd chosen makguksu, I think we would've had a tangier bossam experience, but personally I was glad I picked kalguksu this time. Eating just bossam on its own can get a little greasy, but having warm broth in between made it feel lighter. The large size came with plenty of meat, so it seemed like a good fit for a group meal too.

Is bossam worth it for dinner in Goyang?

After this visit, I'd say Park Man-bae Arirang Bossam, Wonheung Station Branch is worth considering when you want a hearty dinner in Wonheung. It seems especially good if you're looking for a place to eat with family near Wonheung Station, or want a meat-based meal after work. Ordering half-and-half bossam like we did lets you alternate between kimchi and cabbage, and you can also choose between makguksu and kalguksu for the side, so you can match the combination to whatever you're in the mood for that day. I chose kalguksu this time, and eating bossam together with warm broth was more filling than I expected.

There are so many restaurants in Wonheung that it can be hard to decide where to go, but on days like this, when you want meat but aren't in the mood for samgyeopsal or galbi, bossam seems like a solid choice. The fact that it's made with gabrisal also set it apart a bit from typical bossam.

Personally, this felt more suited to going for a proper dinner of bossam and kalguksu than as a drinking snack. If you're searching for good food or a restaurant in Wonheung and you like bossam, this might be worth keeping in mind. Next time I go back, I think I'll try it with makguksu instead. Even with the same bossam, I imagine the whole experience feels pretty different depending on whether you choose kalguksu or makguksu, so I'd like to try the other combination next time.