Pyeongtaek cockle restaurant, easy weekday lunch parking: Kkomak Manse

I was looking for a place in Pyeongtaek that really does cockle dishes properly, so I visited Kkomak Manse (꼬막만세) Pyeongtaek Manse-ro Main Branch on Manse-ro.

I love cockles, so I'd wondered whether I'd have to go all the way to Beolgyo or Gangneung. Then I heard there's a place in Pyeongtaek that serves fresh cockles, so here I was. In this post I'll review mainly the dishes I ordered.

What kind of cockles does Kkomak Manse use?

Kkomak Manse is known as a Pyeongtaek cockle spot because it uses fresh cockles, not frozen ones.

They say the cockles come straight from Beolgyo every day and are prepared in the restaurant. Cockle season runs roughly from October to March, so if you go then, you may get plumper ones.

Kkomak Manse Manse-ro Main Branch: location, parking and hours

The restaurant is at 1728 Manse-ro, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, on the first floor, in the Jukbaek-dong area, so it's easy to reach if you're looking for cockle bibimbap in Jukbaek-dong. There are lots of restaurants and cafés around, and the parking lot is big, so coming by car was no problem.

I went at weekday lunchtime and there were still plenty of parking spaces, so I parked and walked in easily.

• Hours: Mon–Sat 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Break time: weekdays 3 p.m.–4:30 p.m. (better to avoid this time)
• Last order: Mon–Sat 9 p.m., Sunday 8 p.m.

What are the interior and seating like?

The dining room was quite spacious.

There's room between tables and the chairs are cushioned, so sitting for a long time wasn't uncomfortable. There's also group seating, so it should work for family gatherings or company dinners.

Ordering was easy too, done on a tablet. Now let me go through the dishes I ordered one by one.

Soy cockle bibimbap: light and nutty

First up is the soy cockle bibimbap (간장꼬막비빔밥, rice mixed with soy-seasoned cockles).

It's a different style from the spicy one, centered on a light, nutty flavor. It feels like it lets the fresh cockle itself shine, so I think it suits people who don't like strong flavors.

I ordered one spicy and one soy and ate them back and forth, so I never got tired of them and finished everything. If it's your first time having Pyeongtaek cockle bibimbap, ordering both to compare seems like a good choice.

How spicy is the spicy cockle bibimbap?

Next is the spicy cockle bibimbap (양념꼬막비빔밥).

Cockles aged in a special sauce are mixed with rice, and the sweet-and-spicy sauce went well with the rice.

Unless you really can't handle spice, the heat was nothing to worry about.

Adding the seaweed and flying fish roe that come with it brings extra texture, so the bowl never felt bland.

Cockle pancake: crispy and not greasy

I ordered the cockle pancake (꼬막전) too.

It's pan-fried Beolgyo style, crispy outside with cockles inside, so there was a nice chew.

It wasn't greasy, so alternating it with the bibimbap felt light, and if you like Korean pancakes it's worth ordering on its own. It's a good side to share if you come with others, so I recommend adding it.

What do the cockle dumplings taste like?

Last are the cockle dumplings (꼬막만두).

I was curious how dumplings with cockles would taste, and the distinct cockle aroma comes through subtly, so they felt a little different from ordinary dumplings.

The texture was definitely chewy and the filling was packed, so personally I thought they were far better than store-bought meat dumplings. If you want to try cockles in several ways, they're worth adding.

Is Kkomak Manse Manse-ro Main Branch worth visiting?

All in all, I felt Kkomak Manse is worth a visit if you're looking for a place in Pyeongtaek that handles fresh cockles.

It's a good reference if you're after cockle bibimbap in Jukbaek-dong, or if Beolgyo feels too far but you're craving cockles. Going in season may raise your satisfaction a bit, so keep that in mind. Just check the break time and last order before you go, and you won't make the trip for nothing.