Suwon barley rice restaurant: deboned mackerel, doenjang stew, Boriook

What is Boriook Main Branch in Suwon like?

Boriook Main Branch (보리옥 본점) is a barley rice Korean set-meal restaurant in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, where you can eat unlimited namul (seasoned vegetables), japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) and fritters. I came to Suwon today on errands, so I visited Boriook, a well-known Suwon Korean set-meal spot, for lunch.

When I don't have anything particular in mind, I usually head to a Korean buffet. Boriook lets you eat unlimited namul, japchae and fritters too, so that's why I picked it.

Boriook Main Branch hours and parking

• Address: 99 Yeongtong-ro 200beon-gil, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: 10:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:30
• Last order: 20:30
• Parking: free in the restaurant's lot in front

What's on the Boriook menu and how much is it?

At Boriook, ordering one set meal per person gives you unlimited self-bar access. The barley rice set is ₩13,000, the pork set ₩16,000 and the mackerel set ₩15,000. Pork or mackerel can also be ordered separately à la carte.

I ordered the soy pork set and the mackerel, and the mackerel was especially good. The self-bar is stocked with really generous side dishes, so even the basic barley rice set looks like plenty for a full meal.

Is Boriook good for eating with kids?

Boriook works well with kids because there are so many things they can eat. There were grilled mackerel, soy pork and pajeon (scallion pancake), and even the basic self-bar has japchae, bean sprouts, chamnamul (a mild wild green), mushrooms and lots more that kids can eat.

My kid loves grilled fish and I often grill mackerel at home, so if we come together I think they could polish off a whole fish alone. There's nurungji (scorched rice) for after the meal, and if you run short of barley rice, extra rice pots on the self-bar let you refill as much as you want.

Soy pork, chosen with a kid's taste in mind

Boriook's soy pork (ganjang jeyuk) is classic sweet-and-salty stir-fried pork with a nice smoky grill flavor. I normally like the regular spicy pork, but I tried the soy version to prepare for coming back with my kid. Once you become a dad, your life's priorities are always focused on your child, haha.

What should you definitely eat at Boriook?

The dish I'd tell you to try at Boriook is the doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) that comes with the set meal. It was really rich and delicious.

It has a taste a bit like cheonggukjang (strong fermented soybean stew), and it's really good. At first I mixed namul into my rice, but I liked it so much that I finished by pouring rice into the stew and eating even more.

How does the Boriook self-bar work?

When you sit down at Boriook, you get a large round brass bowl plate, and you use it to serve yourself as much namul as you like from the self-bar. There are many kinds, so you can pick the side dishes you want.

I got a round plate too and took a little of each thing I wanted, but with so many kinds, even small amounts filled the plate. I hate wasting food, so I took a little and went back for more, yet I still ended up really full.

Is Boriook's grilled mackerel fishy?

Boriook's mackerel wasn't fishy at all and came crisply baked in the oven. Both the mackerel and the pork were cooked fresh and served straight to the table, and the mackerel had its big bones removed beforehand, so it was easy to handle.

Dessert corner and atmosphere

After the meal, Boriook's dessert corner has drip coffee, instant coffee and maesil-cheong (plum syrup drink), plus light puffed-grain snacks, and lots of people finished their meal there with dessert. The staff don't hint that you should hurry out either, so you can linger comfortably.

I enjoyed the meal so much that I had no room even for coffee, so I skipped dessert. The setup is so good, though, that next time I'll pace my eating and go for dessert too.