Gwacheon Korean restaurant for tteokgalbi lunch: Bibisam

I stopped by Bibisam Gwacheon Main Branch near Gwacheon Hillstate for lunch. The restaurant was full, and we had bibimbap and roe rice with pork and Korean beef tteokgalbi respectively.

What are the parking, seating, and self-service bar like?

I could use the public parking lot. The rate listed in the original post was ₩900 for the first 30 minutes, then ₩400 per 10 minutes. There were four two-person tables and six four-person tables.

The self-service bar had soup where I could add as many enoki mushrooms as I wanted, white kimchi, sesame oil, scissors, and tongs. Aprons, an ice-water dispenser, dental floss, and disposable mouthwash were also available.

How much were the bibimbap and tteokgalbi sets?

We ordered sets pairing Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap (bibimbap with seasoned raw beef) with Korean beef tteokgalbi, and stone-pot roe rice with pork tteokgalbi. The prices below were current when I visited.

• Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap + Korean beef tteokgalbi set: ₩15,500
• Stone-pot roe rice + pork tteokgalbi set: ₩13,500
• Pepsi: ₩2,000; zero-sugar cola was also available.
• Single meals: vegetable bibimbap ₩9,000, stone-pot roe rice ₩10,000, Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap ₩11,000
• Single tteokgalbi: pork ₩5,500, Korean beef ₩6,500

The sets were ₩2,000 cheaper than ordering a meal and tteokgalbi separately. They came with pork tteokgalbi by default, or I could change it to Korean beef tteokgalbi for ₩1,000 more.

When the pad notification appeared, I collected the food myself.

How were the seasoning and texture of the yukhoe bibimbap?

I tried the Korean beef yukhoe bibimbap first. I was told the yukhoe uses round cut. It had no unpleasant meat smell, and I liked its pleasantly chewy texture.

It was topped with shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, and other vegetables, so I could not see the rice at first. It was called to-ryeom bibimbap, with already-mixed rice underneath the vegetables.

The original post introduced it as a low-sodium bibimbap, and it tasted mild and not overly seasoned to me as well. I wanted a stronger flavor, though, so I asked for extra gochujang (Korean red chili paste).

The extra gochujang reminded me of yakgochujang, a seasoned chili paste with several ingredients. Its spiciness and savory depth suited my taste better.

A table note suggested placing small amounts of yukhoe on the bibimbap instead of mixing it all in. Eating it that way let me taste the yukhoe itself more clearly.

Did the stone-pot roe rice stay warm to the end?

The stone-pot roe rice came in a crock-like bowl slightly smaller than the bibimbap bowl. It stayed hot until the end of the meal, and the rice touching the bowl turned crisp. It was seasoned just right, too.

I thought it would be even better in winter. The bowl was hot, though, so I would tell children not to touch it with their hands.

What was the difference between pork and Korean beef tteokgalbi?

The tteokgalbi came topped with a soft-fried egg. Ordering both types together made the difference in size and thickness immediately clear.

The pork tteokgalbi was larger and flatter than the Korean beef version. It was soft enough to cut with a spoon in one go, and it tasted sweet from the first bite.

The Korean beef tteokgalbi was a little smaller but thicker. It had a richer meat flavor and more chew than the pork version. For me, it was easier to enjoy with rice without tiring of it.

I think the pork version would suit someone who wants a soft, sweet flavor, while the Korean beef version would suit someone who wants more meat flavor and chew. If two people visit, ordering one of each and sharing them as we did could be a good option.

How was it for eating alone or with family?

With several ingredients and generally mild flavors, it was a meal that felt easy on my stomach afterward. The two-person tables also made it feel comfortable to come alone for lunch.

I thought it would be fine to bring children or nieces and nephews who are studying. The mild flavor stayed with me, and I would like to return with my parents or grandparents next time.

How were the lunchtime wait and post-meal process?

After finishing, I took my dishes to the return station beside the counter. We arrived around lunchtime, wrote our names on the waiting list, and waited outside for about 10 minutes. There was hardly any wait after we went in.

Tables were cleared quickly after diners left. The owner greeted people in a loud voice and chatted cheerfully with customers. The kind service stood out to me as much as the meal.