Shabu spot near Buramsan, monkfish hotter than Shin Ramyun: Onjeongban

Why we went to Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu in Byeollae on a chilly day

Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu Namyangju Byeollae Main Branch (온정반 샤브칼국수 남양주별내본점) is a Byeollae hotspot where you get shabu kalguksu, suyuk and seafood stew, three courses, at a reasonable price. Isn't the weather so fickle these days? T_T Even though it's April, it's scorching like midsummer in the daytime, then suddenly rain and wind make it chilly again, and it's really hard to dress for it.

With the temperature dropping like that, my husband said he was desperate for kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) in hot broth?? So after a frantic search, we found Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu! Woohoo~~~~~

Onjeongban in Byeollae looked clean and stylish from the outside, just like its name, which carries the idea of warmth and affection.

How much is the Onjeongban shabu, suyuk and monkfish set?

Onjeongban's signature set, shabu + suyuk + boneless monkfish (seafood stew), was ₩38,000. Inside was a pleasant, spacious hall, and ordering was easy with the tablet at every table.

At a shabu place you usually get meat and kalguksu and that's it, but Onjeongban's lineup is seriously lavish. Three dishes for just ₩38,000? Is the owner's name Hyeja or something...? (Hyeja is Korean slang for a great-value deal.)

There are also little fun extras like a receipt review event and a roulette event, so the wait for the food wasn't boring at all haha

The unlimited gondre rice self-serve bar

The deciding reason we chose Onjeongban Byeollae was the 'unlimited gondre rice' self-serve bar! Geotjeori and salad are refillable at the self-serve bar too.

Gondre rice (rice with thistle greens) usually means going to a specialty restaurant and paying a high price, but at Onjeongban you can help yourself as much as you like without feeling awkward.

The nutty gondre aroma that wafts out the moment you open the rice cooker! Add the special soy sauce seasoning, then tip the sesame or perilla oil on the side and drizzle it generously... you honestly don't need any other side dish!!!

The geotjeori and salad, which they say are tossed three times a day, are unlimited too!!

Before the real meal, let's go over the manual again haha

How were the shabu-shabu and suyuk?

The shabu and suyuk came out first. The monkfish hadn't even arrived yet and the table was already packed hahaha

Fresh minari (water dropwort) and vegetables came piled up like a mountain, and the bright red beef was excellent quality too. haha

The suyuk was boiled tender with no gamey smell at all, and with salted shrimp and dried radish strips it melted in my mouth.

Munching gondre rice while the shabu comes to a boil haha

Ahh, the shabu-shabu, what can I even say, JMT (insanely delicious)!!

How spicy is the Shin Ramyun-level boneless monkfish?

I ordered the Onjeongban boneless monkfish at Shin Ramyun spice level and it was pretty hot, it felt spicier than Shin Ramyun. Finally the boneless monkfish arrives!! Ah.. the portion for two was a bit.. no, a huge amount.

There's tons of plump boneless monkfish and roe. A well that never runs dry no matter how much you eat hahahaha

Especially when you pile the spicy monkfish and nutty roe on rice and mix it up, it totally becomes a rice thief (a dish so good you keep eating rice). I chose Shin Ramyun spice level and it was pretty hot. Felt spicier than Shin Ramyun.

When that happens, calm things down with the mild shabu-shabu again haha

Then wake up the appetite with the spicy, plump monkfish again

And calm down with shabu again, an infinite loop hahahaha So delicious!!

Finishing with kalguksu and nutritious porridge

Once you've fished all the meat and vegetables out of the shabu pot, it's carb time, right? Drop the chewy kalguksu noodles into the broth and let them bubble.

Top it with a bit of freshly tossed geotjeori and the chill from outside just disappears.

I was about to burst, but I couldn't skip the nutritious porridge! Add rice mixed with vegetables and seaweed flakes to the leftover broth, crack in an egg, and simmer, and you get a soft, nutty porridge that's outstanding.

With kimchi on the side, we scraped up every last spoonful.

Is the ₩38,000 set right for two people?

For ₩38,000 I assumed the three-course set would suit two people, but it actually felt like 3–4 servings. Wow, what a tough round, first in a while hahaha This is absolutely NOT a two-person portion hahahaha

My husband ate so well that he even says he'll come back with his coworkers.

What's in the Onjeongban dessert corner?

The dessert corner by the counter at Onjeongban Byeollae has a cool papaya & mango slush, coffee to refresh your mouth, and nostalgic rice puffs, barley gangjeong (crunchy barley candy) and sweet potato sticks. On the way out to pay after the meal, it was another touching moment hahaha

I only came for a simple shabu meal today and it turned into a full-on piggy party T_T I walked out with a paper cup piled with rice puffs and slush and felt like a kid again hahahahaha

I thought it couldn't get better as a place for a family meal! hahaha Onjeongban Byeollae, where the warm broth and generous course meal were so healing! If you're stuck on where to eat out, with great-value sets and menu items kids can enjoy, I highly recommend it!! hahaha

Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu Namyangju Byeollae Main Branch: store info

• Address: 1F, 14 Siksong 1-ro, Namyangju, Gyeonggi, South Korea (Byeollae-dong 1100)
• Hours: daily 10:30–21:30
• Last order: 20:30