Aewol black pork lunch set for 2: 400g & kelp rice, Nopo Dwaeji

Whenever you visit Jeju, you end up eating black pork at least once. This time I went to Nopo Dwaeji Aewol (노포돼지 애월) in Aewol. It's known to be popular with locals as well as tourists, so I went in with high hopes. I visited at lunchtime and ordered the 2-person lunch special, and it was a hearty meal. Let me walk you through the location, the menu and how the food was.

Where is Nopo Dwaeji Aewol, and is there parking?

Nopo Dwaeji Aewol is a black pork restaurant in Gwakji, Aewol-eup, Jeju, and it has parking. It's not far from the Aewol coastal road, so it's easy to stop by as part of your itinerary. If you're planning a trip around western Jeju, it's worth considering as a place to eat.

The parking spaces make it convenient for travelers with rental cars, and the restaurant is fairly large, so it looked fine for groups or a family meal too. If you're hunting for a good Aewol restaurant or a Jeju black pork place, it's worth a visit.

Atmosphere at Nopo Dwaeji Aewol

True to its name ("nopo" means an old, long-established restaurant), the exterior had a clean, old-school feel, and the inside was much bigger and more pleasant than I expected. You can tell it's a black pork specialist at a glance, and the large sign made it easy to find.

The tables are spaced generously, so nothing felt cramped while eating. Best of all, it lacked that stuffy feeling barbecue restaurants often have. There were families, couples and groups of friends, and I was impressed that guests kept coming in steadily even at lunchtime.

The well-kept interior made it feel like a comfortable place to eat during a Jeju trip.

What's in the 2-person lunch special at Nopo Dwaeji Aewol?

The 2-person lunch special at Nopo Dwaeji Aewol comes with 400g of black pork geun-gogi (thick-cut pork), doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) and 2 kelp rice dishes. This is what we ordered.

• 400g black pork geun-gogi
• Doenjang stew
• 2 kelp rice dishes

With black pork as the star and meal dishes included, the value felt great. At Jeju black pork restaurants, ordering just the meat usually costs quite a bit, so being able to finish a whole meal with the lunch special was very satisfying.

On a trip especially, the cost can add up when you keep ordering extras, and the lunch special takes that worry away.

How was the 400g black pork geun-gogi?

The 400g black pork was thick-cut, with a clear ratio of fat to lean meat, and it was juicy and rich. The side dishes were neatly set out, then the meat arrived, and just watching it cook on the grill got me excited.

Once well cooked, the black pork had a deep, nutty flavor. The lean meat was tender and chewy, and the fat wasn't overly greasy, which I appreciated. Overall, I got the impression that the quality of the meat is good.

Lunch special doenjang stew

The doenjang stew that came with the lunch special had a real earthy, savory taste and paired well with the black pork. It wasn't harsh or salty, so it was nice to sip alongside the meal.

The kelp rice I remember most

The dish that stood out most in the lunch special was the kelp rice. The subtle umami of kelp had soaked naturally into the rice, so it went really well with the black pork, and when I put a piece of meat on top, the flavor came alive even more.

The portion was generous too, so two of us ate our fill, and it made for a very satisfying meal on a trip.

Verdict: Nopo Dwaeji Aewol for an Aewol black pork lunch

If you're looking for a good black pork restaurant in Aewol, Nopo Dwaeji Aewol is a satisfying choice. The 2-person lunch special (400g black pork geun-gogi + doenjang stew + 2 kelp rice dishes) was good value for the price, and the quality of the pork was good too.

A clean restaurant, a hearty set, juicy black pork, savory doenjang stew and umami-rich kelp rice: the balance of the whole meal was excellent. If you want a filling Jeju black pork meal on your trip, especially a good-value black pork spread at lunchtime, keep Nopo Dwaeji Aewol on your radar.