Weeknight jjukkumi dinner for two in Cheonan: Bulnaneun Jjukkumi

On a weeknight I was craving spicy jjukkumi (webfoot octopus) stir-fry, so my sister and I headed to Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch, a well-known spot in Baekseok-dong, Cheonan. Even though we ordered the mild spice level, it was delicious, so here's my review.

Where is Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch? Parking and hours

Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch is on Handeul 2-ro in Seobuk-gu, Cheonan, open daily from 11:00 to 21:30 with last order at 20:40. It sits about midway in a building shared by several restaurants.

There's room for about two cars right in front, plus more parking space just beyond that. It's a lot shared with the neighboring restaurants, but it's spacious, so parking is easy. If it's full, there also seemed to be an empty lot next door to park in.

Inside Bulnaneun Jjukkumi: seating and atmosphere

The interior of Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch is done up in black and wood tones for a calm mood, and the whole place felt clean and tidy. With around 15 to 20 four-person tables, it's a good-sized space, and looked like a great fit for group gatherings or family dinners.

Menu, the 4 spice levels, and what the two sisters ordered

• Jjukkumi stir-fry + pot rice + fried shrimp (lunch) — ₩17,000
• Jjukkumi stir-fry + perilla noodle soup + rice — ₩16,000
• Jjukkumi stir-fry + pot rice — ₩13,000
• Jjukkumi pork belly — ₩17,000

You order through the table-order system. There's a variety of menus to pick from — a set meal with jjukkumi stir-fry and perilla noodle soup, jjukkumi stir-fry with pot rice, jjukkumi with pork belly, and more — so you can choose based on your taste.

The jjukkumi stir-fry comes in four spice levels: mild, medium-mild, original, and spicy. My sister and I went with the jjukkumi stir-fry + pot rice for two at ₩13,000, ordered mild.

The 5 side dishes served with the meal

Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch serves five basic side dishes in total: cabbage salad, lettuce, spicy radish salad, bean sprouts, and cold cucumber soup. The lettuce, radish salad, and bean sprouts are meant to be mixed into the rice along with the jjukkumi stir-fry.

The bean sprouts weren't too heavily seasoned, so they mixed well with the jjukkumi, and the radish salad was sweet and tangy — really good.

The cold cucumber soup was slightly tangy and perked up the appetite, and sipping it between bites of spicy jjukkumi was great for cleansing the palate.

Want more side dishes? The self-serve corner

Whatever's missing, you can grab from the self-serve bar.

Soft tofu and soy sauce aren't served automatically — you have to grab those yourself from the self-serve bar. When the jjukkumi gets spicy, adding soft tofu seems like a good way to tone the heat down.

Is the mild jjukkumi stir-fry really not spicy?

The jjukkumi stir-fry arrived within about 10 minutes of ordering. It looked bright red and spicy-looking, but the mild version wasn't spicy at all — just slightly tingly — so my sister and I, who can't handle spicy food well, could eat it without any worry.

Even at mild spice, the smoky wok flavor really came through.

There was plenty of cabbage and a generous amount of octopus, trimmed into bite-sized pieces with a nicely bouncy, chewy texture.

The sauce soaked into the rice beautifully when mixed together — it was the kind of dish that makes you eat way more rice than planned, the spicy flavor kept pulling me back in until the bowl was gone.

Glossy pot rice and nutty scorched-rice tea

When the lid came off the pot rice, the rice inside was glossy and glistening. We first scooped the rice into a bowl to mix with the jjukkumi, then finished with the scorched rice at the bottom of the pot.

We even got to finish with warm, nutty scorched-rice tea — a satisfying, hearty dinner.

Final verdict on Bulnaneun Jjukkumi Main Branch

A Baekseok-dong, Cheonan spot worth knowing for bouncy jjukkumi stir-fry with real smoky wok flavor, glossy pot rice, and nutty scorched rice to finish.

With 4 spice levels to choose from, the mild option wasn't spicy at all, just a touch tingly, so even people who can't handle spicy food can enjoy it without worry.

With a spacious dining room, plenty of parking, and a self-serve bar, it seems like a great choice for family meals or group gatherings too.