Hwaseong BBQ with non-alcoholic yuzu highball, sofa seats: Morakmorak

A review after visiting with a discount — Hwaseong City Hall favorite 'Morakmorak Jeongyuk Sikdang,' the Namyang Hwaseong City Hall main branch.

This time a friend couple came to visit, so since they'd come all the way to Hwaseong, I wanted to treat them properly — I took them to Morakmorak, a place I visit often myself. The taste is always satisfying so I could bring them with confidence, but that day I felt the popularity all over again starting from the parking lot haha.

Parking at Morakmorak: full lot, but the back alley had spots

Morakmorak Jeongyuk Sikdang Namyang Hwaseong City Hall Main Branch has its own parking lot, but that day it was nearly full. In all my previous visits the lot had never been full, but this time it really was almost packed! I figured it must be properly famous by now. Luckily the back alley right behind the restaurant still had plenty of open spots, so we managed to park there safely and head in.

Picking meat from the showcase: premium marbled pork neck and fresh pork belly

True to its butcher-shop style, the entrance has meat displayed by type. Further inside, a refrigerated showcase holds a mouthwatering variety of beef and pork, and it's fun to pick out your own cuts.

We looked around and settled on premium marbled pork neck and fresh pork belly! Both are cuts we usually love, so the choice was easy again. Especially the premium marbled pork neck — I remembered it being delicious from before, so I really wanted my friends to try it too.

How big is Morakmorak, and where are the sofa seats?

After choosing the meat, you step into a spacious, clean dining area. The tables are well spaced and the restaurant is large overall, so it didn't feel cramped even during busy hours.

There are seats set up for groups, and I saw a lot of families too — and the seat we ended up at this time had a small change from before.

It used to be a U-shaped table area made of two tables pushed together, but this time one table had been removed and a sofa put in its place. That left more open space on one side of the table, which looked great for visiting with a kid — good for a preschooler to sit and rest for a bit, or to set down bags when visiting with a baby. Personally, I really liked this change.

What's at the self-bar: wrap greens, sauces and tortillas

One side of the restaurant has a self-bar set up. You can grab whatever side dishes or wrap greens you need yourself, and it's nice being able to comfortably grab more without feeling awkward about it.

From plates and utensils to various sauces, seasonings, and wrap greens, everything you need is neatly laid out, so it's easy to grab what suits your taste while eating meat.

And another thing Morakmorak wouldn't be complete without — the tortillas! The meat is great wrapped in greens alone, but you can also make it into something like a taco with the tortillas and various ingredients.

On one side you can also check the menu and usage guide, and ordering is done via the tablet at the table. You can order whatever you need right away without calling a staff member over, which made adding more items mid-meal really convenient.

Pre-grilled and cut tableside: why Morakmorak is easy with a group

And finally, the meat we picked shows up! The premium marbled pork neck and fresh pork belly come pre-grilled by the staff. Since it arrives already partly cooked, there's no need to wait a long time at the table — you just brown the surface and eat right away. That day the staff also cut the pre-grilled meat into bite-sized pieces right in front of us.

Watching the thick, pre-grilled meat get sliced into easy-to-eat pieces on the grill made my mouth water just from looking at it haha. Being pre-grilled cuts down grilling time and there's no need to cut it yourself — perfect when visiting with a group.

Now finished off golden brown, the real meat feast begins~!

Basic table setting: yukhoe, scallion salad, acorn jelly soup

Before grilling, we checked out the basic table setting one by one. It comes with yukhoe (beef tartare), scallion salad, and mukbap (jelly noodle soup) as standard, so there's plenty to nibble on even before the meat starts. Yukhoe in particular is something I enjoy every single time I come here haha.

The scallion salad had a nice tangy flavor that went well with the meat, and the mukbap was cool and clean, refreshing the palate in between bites.

Non-alcoholic yuzu highball for the designated driver

Since I was driving that day, I ordered a non-alcoholic yuzu highball instead of alcohol. The glass came pretty large, full of ice and yuzu aroma, refreshing to drink — nice that I could still get into the mood even on a day I couldn't drink haha.

How did the pork neck and pork belly taste?

And then the real grilling began! The pre-grilled premium marbled pork neck and fresh pork belly went on the grill to finish browning. With doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) placed alongside the meat, the table filled up into a proper full spread.

I picked up a well-cooked piece and ate it with grilled vegetables first. The pork neck had just the right amount of marbling so the lean part wasn't dry at all — it was moist and tender, with a savory juiciness that came through more the more I chewed.

The meat is delicious plain, but for me the best bite was this wild garlic leaf wrap with wasabi haha.

Adding pork jowl at Morakmorak

After having plenty of pork neck and pork belly, we still wanted a bit more meat, so we ended up ordering an extra dish haha. This time we added pork jowl. It had just the right chewiness without being tough, with a rich savory flavor — I was glad we added meat till the very end.

Finishing with bone-broth ramen from the self-bar

After eating our fill of meat, of course we had to finish with carbs haha. We boiled ramen in the bone broth from the self-bar. The broth itself was rich and savory, so once the ramen was cooked, the soup gained even deeper umami.

This time I visited with a friend couple, and everything from the meat to the basic table setting to the self-bar was satisfying overall — most of all, seeing them enjoy the meal made me glad I brought them to a place I visit often. With spacious seating, easy parking, and a good fit for family visits, it's a great place to return to whenever you want to eat good meat with a group!

70 Yeokgol-jungang-ro, Namyang-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea