Gangnam Chinese restaurant with braised eel: Bobo Sikdang

I visited Bobo Sikdang, the place that was so hot it was difficult to book!

A striking red exterior and a modern Chinese restaurant atmosphere

The exterior was a bold, weighty red—practically announcing, “This is a Chinese restaurant!”—while still feeling sleek and modern. The owner-chef, from Gwangju in Jeolla-do, presents original fusion Chinese cuisine at a fine-dining level.

It is a bona fide Apgujeong hot spot, already praised on Choi Jaro and in all kinds of food communities, and a consecutive Blue Ribbon winner. The buzz became even hotter after Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars Season 2 aired, so people have kept streaming in.

The dining hall, private rooms, and an open kitchen right before your eyes

There was a spacious, open dining hall. Green tones and dark wood created a comfortable yet richly luxurious mood, while the soft lighting made it feel even more like an upscale restaurant. Even at weekday lunch, it was full of office workers and groups. There are all sorts of seating options, from small and large tables to intimate private rooms and larger rooms for group bookings, so you can choose what suits the occasion.

The showstopper is the wide-open kitchen in the middle of the hall. You can watch the chefs handle flames, toss their woks, and prep ingredients with busy hands right in front of you. With the delicious aromas and even the performance(?) to enjoy with all five senses, simply sitting there felt like watching a show, haha. My anticipation and trust in the food shot straight up!

Chef-recommended dongpo pork and braised eel

There are signature lunch sets, dinner courses, and chef-recommended dishes. The Bobo-style jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) is ₩15,000 and the abalone three-seafood jajangmyeon is ₩25,000, and I was curious how different they would be.

But since we had come all this way, we ordered the chef-recommended braised eel and the most famous dongpo pork. There was also an extensive alcohol menu.

Dongpo pork wrapped in flower buns

The dongpo pork I had really wanted to try at Bobo Sikdang! 🥢 Priced at ₩42,000, it was one of the restaurant’s signature dishes and the first to arrive.

A whole, very thick and appetizing piece of five-layer pork belly came out. Bright green bok choy wrapped prettily around the meat. Cute, plump flower buns, shredded scallion, and cucumber came alongside, so you fill the bun with vegetables and wrap it around the dongpo pork.

The plump, adorable flower buns look a bit like clams, don’t they? Hahaha.

After you take photos, a staff member cuts it with scissors like this. It looked so soft and springy just from looking at it, haha. The pork had been gently cooked for a long time, and its tender texture was striking—the meat came apart softly at the touch of chopsticks.

Braised eel with sesame sauce

🥢 Braised eel (₩45,000)

The plating was neat and elegant, and the plump eel looked so appetizing. It was topped with hongso sauce—a rich, reddish sauce based on soy sauce and oyster sauce with the distinctive savoriness of Chinese cuisine—and its glossy sheen was a work of art. The braised eel came with sesame sauce for dipping.

Such a prettily arranged spread. Even the dishes were so cute that I wanted them.

The deep, glossy hongso sauce coated the surface of the plump eel generously. I topped it with ginger and had a bite with the house sauce.

A big bite of dongpo pork!

A big bite of braised eel!!

A lunch where the accompaniments balanced the richness

Since dongpo pork is pork belly and eel is naturally rich too, the richness did build up a little as I ate. But the scallions, cucumber, and fluffy flower buns that came with the dongpo pork made the flavors feel much more balanced; with the braised eel, the house sauce and pungent ginger kept it from becoming cloying, too.

Having a relaxed lunch in the bright, sun-filled space somehow made the whole day feel better. From the spotless, orderly open kitchen to each beautifully plated dish, it was a place with visual pleasures beyond just the food.

The food especially felt touched by a certified chef’s careful hand, making this a great place for a day when you want a more proper Chinese meal. With the atmosphere to match, I would recommend it if you are looking for an elegant Chinese restaurant for a meeting in Apgujeong—you can enjoy both the meal and the space. Delicious food plus a lovely atmosphere made for a very happy ending to this lunch. 🤍