Bupyeong weekday lunch special, chive-octopus stir-fry: Haemokjeong

A day for spicy octopus stir-fry in Bupyeong

#Hearty lunch special recommended for solo diners #Seafood-and-rib dishes with fresh seafood and ribs #Large restaurant great for family gatherings

Haemokjeong Bupyeong Branch 4 Hwarang-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 1st floor A-Building, Haemokjeong Bupyeong Branch 11:00 – 21:50 (daily)

There are so many lunch options in Bupyeong. But that day, I didn't need to think it over — I just wanted spicy octopus stir-fry. You know those days when you crave a dish with sauce that's deliciously spicy when eaten with rice? Haha. So this time I visited Haemokjeong Bupyeong Branch and tried the buchu nakji bokkeum (chive-octopus stir-fry).

I already had the impression that Haemokjeong is a great place for sauce-centered dishes like braised or stir-fried dishes, and the chive-octopus stir-fry I tried that day confirmed it — the sauce was what stuck with me most. The fact that they have a lunch special is also worth noting for anyone looking for a lunch spot.

Five minutes on foot from Baekun Station, with easy parking

Exterior of Haemokjeong Bupyeong Branch

Haemokjeong Bupyeong Branch is a 5-minute walk from Baekun Station and sits right on the corner of Sinchon intersection, so it's easy to find. Parking is convenient too, with a separate lot next to the building.

As soon as I stepped inside, the fresh fish tank immediately caught my eye!

It's a spacious large-scale restaurant, perfect for gatherings.

The clean, modern interior gives off a calm feel!

What's on the menu at Haemokjeong Bupyeong Branch

Haemokjeong is famous for its seafood-and-rib dishes. From the Haemokjeong Special, where you can enjoy meat and seafood together, to seafood rib jjim (braised dish) and abalone seafood hot pot

There's also boneless braised monkfish, spicy braised pork ribs, and chive duck stir-fry.

They also have the Haemokjeong Family Set, made up of a variety of dishes.

There's a wide range of other meal options and lunch specials too, so it's a great place to grab lunch.

On birthdays, they even serve birthday seaweed soup — that kind of touch is really touching. They also have guides on how to enjoy the food and the spice levels, so you can adjust to your taste~

There's also a Naver review event going on!

Ordering the weekday lunch special and what comes with it

Order details) Weekday lunch special: buchu nakji bokkeum (chive-octopus stir-fry) for two 30,000 (+fried shrimp)

The basic table setting comes with salad and 4 side dishes!

And then there's hot squid seaweed soup — the squid wasn't chewy at all, it was tender and delicious. The broth was amazing too!

Chive and octopus stir-fry for two: two octopuses and a spicy sauce

Buchu nakji bokkeum (chive-octopus stir-fry) for two ₩30,000

The chive-octopus stir-fry has arrived! The moment it came out, the first thing that caught my eye was that appetizing sauce color. The octopus was evenly coated in sauce, and with the chives mixed in, it looked mouthwatering even before the first bite.

That day, I wasn't in the mood for something mild — I wanted something a bit spicy that would really wake up my appetite. Octopus stir-fry is exactly the kind of dish that comes to mind then. Put spicy sauce-coated octopus on top of rice, and you'll finish a bowl in no time even without other side dishes.

Plump, fairly large pieces of octopus! There were 2 whole octopuses in the dish. Up close, you could see the sauce was soaked deep into the octopus — it looked spicy just from the sight of it.

When you pick up the octopus with chopsticks, the sauce comes along with it, and you naturally pick up chives together too. With the first bite, you get the chewy texture of the octopus along with the texture of the chives. The flavor is definitely centered on that spicy sauce. But it wasn't overwhelmingly spicy for the sake of it — it was a flavor that went well with rice, so my chopsticks kept going back for more. I especially loved the sauce that day.

Since it was the lunch special, a bowl of rice came along with it, plus 2 pieces of fried shrimp!

I grabbed some perilla leaves from the self-serve bar and wrapped the dish in them — the fragrant perilla leaf aroma went really well with the chive-octopus stir-fry.

True to its name, the chives in the chive-octopus stir-fry can't be left out either. Eating octopus alone gives you a mainly chewy texture, but adding chives brings a softer, more fragrant feel. Picking up a piece of octopus with chives and putting it on rice was a nice combination too.

Honest thoughts after the meal

After trying the chive-octopus stir-fry at Haemokjeong Bupyeong Branch, what stuck with me most was definitely that spicy, delicious sauce. The octopus had a nice chewy bite, the chives added good texture, and above all, the sauce flavor really came alive when eaten with rice, making it a satisfying meal.

Haemokjeong seems like it would suit anyone who enjoys sauce-centered dishes like braised or stir-fried food. If you're someone who likes spicy food, this is a good place to visit on a day when you're craving that kind of dish. And if you're like me and enjoy sauce dishes that come alive when eaten with rice, you'll be even more satisfied.

Who this lunch is best for

• Anyone craving octopus stir-fry in Bupyeong
• Anyone who loves spicy food
• Anyone looking for a sauce dish that pairs well with rice
• Anyone looking for a good lunch spot in Bupyeong
• Anyone looking for a restaurant with a lunch special
• Anyone who loves braised or stir-fried dishes
• Anyone who loves food with a delicious sauce

This place would especially suit those days when you think, "Today I want rice with something spicy."