Jokbal near Myeongil Station on a Friday, honey pizza: Iseon Hwaduk

A wood-fired jokbal place in Myeongil on a Friday night with my husband

Iseon Hwaduk Jokbal Bossam Myeongil Branch (이선화덕족발보쌈 명일역점) is a wood-fired jokbal (braised pig's trotters) and bossam (boiled pork wraps) restaurant near Myeongil Station in Gangdong. It was Friday, so my husband and I decided to eat out in the neighborhood right after work and then head home, and what we craved was jokbal. I'd walked past this place several times, and wood-fired jokbal, not just regular jokbal? Just thinking about it sounded chewy and different, so we rushed over this time.

Where is Iseon Hwaduk Myeongil Branch, and what about parking?

Come out of Exit 2 of Myeongil Station and walk to near Olive Young, and you'll spot it quickly. Parking in front of the shop was possible, and there's also an underground parking lot below the building.

We went right after work at around 6:30 p.m. on a weekday, and about 4 tables were already enjoying jokbal and bossam with a casual drink. It felt like a neighborhood hangout people come to often. With parking available, if you're not drinking, you can drop by anytime for jokbal or bossam without any hassle.

Indoor seating that works for group gatherings

Inside Iseon Hwaduk Myeongil Branch, there looked to be room for about 6 four-person tables, plus a separate area that can be used for group seating. You don't have to go out to Cheonho, Hanam or Jamsil; Myeongil seems like a fine place for a group get-together. There's even a terrace. Oh! And there's a restroom inside the shop too.

Menu for two: what should you order?

The menu had plenty of main dishes, including wood-fired jokbal, whole jokbal plating, bossam and naengchae (a cold chilled salad). You can also swap the front leg, add extra dishes and pick sides, and I liked how wide the choice was.

I debated between a set menu and a half-and-half menu and went with half-and-half: a medium of wood-fired jokbal and spicy jokbal. For a side, we also ordered a small makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles). It was really plenty for two.

Taste and portion of the medium half-and-half wood-fired and spicy jokbal

As soon as we ordered the half-and-half jokbal, the staff set out the side dishes. Three dipping sauces and several kinds of wraps and fillings were laid out.

The makguksu came out before the jokbal. We'd ordered the small size, and with the medium half-and-half for two people, adding makguksu was just right. We didn't leave anything behind and enjoyed it at a nice, comfortable pace.

I peeked around the shop a little and saw the wood-fire oven machine. They said they grill it deliciously.

While eating, my husband and I kept asking each other which one was better, and every time we ate, the ranking of wood-fired jokbal and spicy jokbal changed. Both were really appealing and delicious.

It was good wrapped in a leaf, good on its own, good dipped in the sauces. However we ate it, it was tasty with no gamey smell.

There was plenty of fatty skin, and the chewy texture was great. The portion isn't bad either; if the two of us had gotten the large size, I wonder if we'd have left some, haha.

Review-event wood-fired pizza and stew

Iseon Hwaduk Myeongil Branch also gives you a wood-fired pizza for a review event. A pizza straight out of childhood memories. Dipped in honey, it was great to alternate between the pizza and the jokbal. The combination with the hot stew was good too. It looks good for a meal, for a casual drink, and for a group get-together with friends.

Extra banchan is self-serve: would I go back?

At Iseon Hwaduk Myeongil Branch, the remaining extra side dishes (banchan) were self-serve. Each side dish was pretty tasty, so I thought about getting more, but the dishes we ordered alone were filling enough, and with the free pizza and a stew meal on top, I had no room left for more banchan.

You don't have to travel toward Hanam or Jamsil; it seems like a decent spot to find for a gathering in the neighborhood. It has parking and it's local, and it looks good for a first round or a second round. If you like jokbal and bossam, Iseon Hwaduk Myeongil Branch near Exit 2 of Myeongil Station could be a good option. I'd go back.