Sunday evening cockle restaurant with free parking in Pyeongtaek

Kkomak Manse Pyeongtaek Manse-ro Main Branch 11:00–22:00 15:00–16:30 (break time) 21:00 (last order)

An early Sunday evening at a Jukbaek-dong cockle restaurant

My partner loves cockle dishes so much that I'd had my eye on this place for a while, but I kept hearing it gets packed at lunchtime. I wanted to go on a weekday evening but could never find the time, so I ended up visiting on an early Sunday evening instead.

I timed it for a slightly quieter hour so I could get some photos for the blog comfortably, but a lot of people were already seated and eating by the time I arrived. Because of that I couldn't get detailed shots of every corner inside.

Plenty of parking and a pleasant dining room

Having to hunt for parking is always a reason to hesitate when picking a restaurant, so it was a relief that this Jukbaek-dong branch of Kkomak Manse has a wide private lot right in front. Even right before the Sunday evening peak, there were plenty of spots, so I could park without any stress.

Inside, the interior looked clean and uncluttered, like a place that had opened not too long ago. The tables were spaced generously apart, which made things comfortable, and partitions meant we could eat without being bothered by the next table over. The staff were friendly and moved briskly from the moment we walked in.

A Family Set generous enough for 2-3 people

Wanting to taste a bit of everything, we ordered the Family Set (2-3 people). It comes with 3 pieces of cockle pancake, seasoned cockles Manse-style, one cockle bibimbap, and a basic soup.

• Order: Family Set (cockle pancake + seasoned cockles Manse-style + cockle bibimbap + basic fish cake soup)

Since bibimbap was already included, we didn't need to add extra rice. It said the set was for 2-3 people, but the portion turned out to be quite generous once it arrived — enough, I thought, for three adults, especially since the salad bar gives out rice for free.

The basic fish cake soup was set on the burner as soon as we sat down, which made for a nice warm-up before the main event. There must have been a bit of cheongyang chili in the broth, because it wasn't bland at all — it had a surprisingly spicy, refreshing kick.

Banchan I kept reaching for

At most restaurants specializing in cockles or octopus, the basic banchan (side dishes) are usually just there for the sake of appearances. Here, though, every single side dish had me reaching back for more.

• Seaweed salad: mixed with cucumber, giving two textures — crisp and slightly chewy — that worked well together.
• Garlic scape and dried radish: spicy-sweet with a satisfying crunch, again playing two textures off each other nicely.
• Baek-kimchi (white kimchi): not too salty and refreshingly cool, which cleaned the palate after the cockles' spiciness.

Dubu-kimchi (tofu with stir-fried kimchi): the stir-fried kimchi was well made. Dubu-kimchi isn't actually on the self-serve bar, but the staff brought us a freshly plated portion without us even asking — much appreciated.

Cockle pancake

The cockle pancake came out golden brown, crisp on the outside with plenty of chewy cockle meat inside. It had a nutty flavor without being greasy. I ate this one first, before it cooled down — pancakes are always best piping hot.

Seasoned cockles Manse-style

The dish I'd been most looking forward to, the seasoned cockles, arrived with plump cockle meat topped generously with a savory sauce and flying fish roe. Wrapping the cockles and roe in a perilla leaf with a bit of gim (seaweed) filled my mouth with nutty, salty flavor. Whenever I try making seasoned cockles or cockle dishes at home, no matter how carefully I clean them, I always end up with a bit of grit or mud that ruins a bite or two — but these were perfectly de-sanded.

Cockle bibimbap

The cockle bibimbap that came with the set also had plenty of cockles and vegetables, making it satisfying to mix and eat. By the time we'd worked through the pancake, the seasoned cockles, and the bibimbap, we were so full we could barely eat anything else.

A salad bar with unlimited rice and banchan

In the middle of the restaurant was a neatly arranged self-serve salad bar. You can freely help yourself to more of the basic banchan, and the large rice cooker offers unlimited rice. If your portion feels a bit large or you're sharing a set among several people, grabbing extra rice from the salad bar to mix with the sauce would make for a very filling meal. We were already full from the set itself, so we didn't end up getting more rice.

A dessert corner that even has ice ready

Right by the entrance, on the way out after finishing our meal, there was a dessert corner set up. Next to the hot drip coffee machine sat an ice fridge (ice maker), so you can make yourself a cold iced coffee after your meal. Beside that was a cool beverage dispenser as well.

For when you want a proper cockle spread near Sosabeol or Jukbaek-dong

Between the spacious parking, the pleasant dining room, and the hardworking staff, we walked out having had a comfortable dinner. Thanks to the well-prepared banchan and the substantial Family Set, my cockle-loving partner left satisfied too. This is a Pyeongtaek restaurant worth seeking out if you're near Sosabeol or Jukbaek-dong and want a proper cockle spread.