Unlimited rice and ramen self-bar at Gorae Budae Jjigae, Cheongju

For anyone in Cheongju or Ochang hunting for a budae jjigae (army stew) restaurant that uses handmade ham, or just trying to decide what to have for lunch, here's how my visit to Handmade Ham Gorae Budae Jjigae Ochang Main Branch went.

Parking and exterior at Gorae Budae Jjigae Ochang

A clean-looking exterior. We arrived for a holiday lunch and were able to park right in front of the restaurant — there's also a dedicated lot around the back, apparently. This seems like a comfortable spot for families eating out or office workers nearby grabbing lunch.

Today's spot: Handmade Ham Gorae Budae Jjigae Ochang Main Branch

• Address ; 13 Jungsimsangeop2-ro, Ochang-eup, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea
• Hours ; Mon–Sun 10:30–21:00 / Break time 16:00–17:00 / Last order 20:40
• Chuseok closed ; Sept 25 / Sept 26
• Notes ; Takeout, delivery, separate men's/women's restrooms, groups welcome, WiFi, reservations
• Parking ; Dedicated lot available behind the restaurant

There's a budae jjigae takeout event too — subscribe to their Kakao Channel for a buy-2-get-1 deal on takeout orders. Worth noting. There's also a detailed sign about how to fully enjoy their premium handmade ham.

The origin of the ingredients used in Gorae Budae Jjigae's handmade ham stew.

Unlimited rice and ramen self-bar and the restaurant atmosphere

There's a large electric rice cooker next to the self-bar in the middle of the restaurant, so you can help yourself to extra rice or side dishes. That generous unlimited-refill policy has apparently been in place since 2011 — rice and ramen noodle add-ons are always free to enjoy as much as you like.

We arrived right after break time, so this photo shows the dining room before other guests came in. The place was much bigger and cleaner inside than it looked from outside.

Radish salad (musaengchae) and white kimchi.

Handmade Ham Gorae Budae Jjigae's special sauce.

Gorae Daewang Flower Beef Bulgogi (small), for 2 — ₩35,000

Made under a "3 without, 1 low" principle — no preservatives, no artificial coloring, no starch, and low sodium — Gorae's ham felt different from typical ham. The handmade ham sits arranged like flower petals on top of the beef bulgogi, with onion, bean sprouts, scallions and glass noodles underneath — generous and gorgeous from the first look. Truly a beautifully plated dish, the Gorae Daewang Flower Beef Bulgogi!

Ordered ; Gorae Daewang Flower Beef Bulgogi (small), for 2 / ₩35,000

Torn between the beef bulgogi and the budae jjigae, I'd already had a delicious budae jjigae here before, so this time I decided to try what seemed to be a newer item — the flower beef bulgogi. Just looking at the freshness of the beef, bean sprouts and mushrooms got my hopes up.

Broth, shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and bean sprouts go on the hot plate first, then beef bulgogi and scallions on top — once the meat cooks, you're ready to eat. The owner demonstrated it for us first.

You need to lay the meat so it doesn't block the hole in the middle of the hot plate. Underneath, where the glass noodles and mushrooms sit, is a handmade broth made with real sangwhang mushroom and shiitake, apparently. It tastes different from a typical bulgogi broth — not an overpowering mushroom flavor, but not bland either — deep, clean, and mild enough for anyone, of any age, to enjoy!!

How to enjoy Gorae Daewang Flower Beef Bulgogi

• Spread the beef bulgogi wide on the heated stone plate. Cook the bean sprouts, mushrooms and vegetables together in the broth around the edges.
• Flip the meat once it's slightly cooked. Move the cooked pieces down and out of the way so they don't burn, then dip them along with the vegetables in Gorae's signature sauce for extra flavor.
• Fish out the chewy glass noodles first. Ask for more broth if it reduces too much, and finish by mixing rice into the leftover broth for an even more filling meal.

I first tried the well-cooked meat together with the bean sprouts — the crunchy sprouts and tender beef made for a great texture, and I kept reaching back for more. Dipped lightly in the special sauce, the savory flavor paired really well with the beef. Unlike regular bulgogi, it wasn't too sweet, so it was delicious even plain.

The owner showing us how it's done.

I also tried the glass noodles sitting in the shallow broth at the bottom — soft yet chewy, and so good. Seeing the meat swimming in broth made me crave rice, so I tried it with rice too, and it turned out to be a really filling meal.

Eaten hot-pot style, the Gorae Daewang Flower Beef Bulgogi pairs nicely with the clean basic side dishes, and dipping it in the special sauce was a real treat.

The beef budae jjigae came with shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and bean sprouts, all delicious together with the shallow broth.

A portion too big for two to finish

The portion of Gorae Daewang Flower Beef Bulgogi was quite substantial. The meat, bean sprouts, onion and glass noodles came together so well that the two of us struggled to finish it, even after adding a half bowl of rice. At first the meat alone was delicious enough before the broth reduced, but once it thickened up a bit, it was even better mixed with rice — though sadly I lost the photo of that part, haha.

The glass noodles, soaked in plenty of broth, had soaked up so much flavor — paired with the beef bulgogi, this is a dish kids especially would love.

Another satisfying lunch at Handmade Ham Gorae Budae Jjigae Ochang Main Branch — thanks for the meal today.

Coffee machine and ice cream machine after the meal

After finishing our meal, we headed to the coffee machine by the entrance, scooped ice into a cup, and enjoyed an iced americano.

Next to it was a pink ice cream machine — I only got a photo of it this time. If you're visiting with family, kids would love the ice cream, and if you're into affogato, you could make one of those too.

I had a happy time eating delicious beef bulgogi at Ochang's only handmade ham budae jjigae restaurant in Chungbuk. If you're craving something as satisfying as a tonic — the Gorae Daewang Flower Beef Bulgogi — I'd recommend Handmade Ham Gorae Budae Jjigae Ochang Main Branch.