Namwirye Station weekday lunch shabu-shabu, 17,900 won: Dadam

With the mornings and evenings turning noticeably cooler, I've been craving a clear, deep broth to warm me up from the inside. So for this weekday lunch, my siblings and I unanimously chose shabu-shabu. Parking in a busy downtown area is usually a headache, but here parking was easy and the restaurant was spacious, so we had a warm, satisfying meal together.

Looking around the restaurant, I noticed they even had dedicated seating for wheelchairs and strollers. It was so good that this place immediately became my top pick for the next 'family gathering' with my parents and nieces and nephews all together.

Where is Dadam Shabu Shabu Wirye Branch, and what about parking and hours?

Dadam Shabu Shabu & Wolnamssam Wirye Branch is located at 45 Wirye-gwangjang-ro, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, G&G Plaza 3F Unit 305. It's about a 500m walk from Exit 3 of Namwirye Station (Line 8), and if you're driving, you can use the underground parking at G&G Plaza.

• Address: 45 Wirye-gwangjang-ro, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, G&G Plaza 3F Unit 305
• Transit: About 500m walk from Exit 3 of Namwirye Station (Line 8)
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:00 / weekday lunch last order 14:50)
• Break time: Weekdays 16:00–17:00 (no break time on Saturdays or Sundays)
• Parking: G&G Plaza underground parking

If you're driving, the entrance can be a little confusing, so getting familiar with the exterior of G&G Plaza in the photo above first will help you get in without wandering around.

There's plenty of parking space on the basement level of the building, so you can start your meal without any parking stress.

Take the elevator up to the 3rd floor and you'll see the clean exterior of Dadam Shabu Shabu Wirye Branch. The business hours are posted clearly at the entrance, easy to check at a glance. There's a break time on weekdays, but on weekends there's no break time at all, so it's a great spot for a relaxed family visit whenever suits you.

Wheelchair and stroller group tables: why Dadam suits family gatherings

Inside Dadam Shabu Shabu Wirye Branch there are about 10 tables for 4, and along the open windows there are 6–7 spacious seats combining tables for 4 and group tables for 6. Even though it was a weekday lunch, quite a lot of people were already dining.

As I mentioned, there's a separate sign for the wheelchair- and stroller-accessible group seating, and that kind of thoughtful attention to detail really impressed me. The place is clean and comfortable, a great atmosphere to bring your parents to.

Ordering is simple through the tablet at each table. We visited during weekday lunch time and ordered three servings of the basic clear broth (adult lunch, 17,900 won). The dining time limit is 2 hours. That's generous, but if you're chatting away with family while eating, it can fly by, so it's worth keeping a light eye on the clock.

What's on the self-bar: sliced beef brisket, beef chuck and wolnamssam ingredients

With our order in, it's time to attack the self-bar. The freezer was fully stocked with what looked like very fresh beef brisket and beef chuck. Vegetables like napa cabbage, bok choy and minari (water dropwort) also stayed fresh and crisp, likely thanks to a high turnover rate.

There's a pretty wide range of ingredients for wolnamssam (Vietnamese-style rice paper wraps) too. Thinly julienned carrots, red cabbage, pineapple and more — you can pick and choose whatever you like. The shared sauce corner nearby was also managed hygienically, with no stickiness at all, which added to my trust in the place.

How to enjoy the clear-broth shabu-shabu and wolnamssam wraps

Now we load the light, clear broth with plenty of the vegetables and meat we brought back and let it simmer. The savory flavor from the good-quality meat mixes with the sweetness of the vegetables, and the broth gets deeper and richer as it cooks. Being all-you-can-eat, you can enjoy as much meat as you want without holding back, which is a big draw of this Namwirye Station favorite.

Here's one of my own tips. When eating wolnamssam, grab some of the minced cheongyang chili from the sauce corner and mix it generously into the peanut sauce. Wow, that one spicy, nutty touch completely elevates the flavor of the wraps! It cuts through the richness so well that you keep eating even when you're full.

And when you visit Dadam Shabu Shabu, don't forget to grab plenty of these shrimp balls too. They get reached for almost as often as the meat — the bouncy texture and the savory flavor that spreads with each bite are really excellent.

And of course, the finish has to be the slow-simmered nutritious porridge. With plenty of meat and vegetables cooked into it for a long time, the broth itself is already a perfect, rich stock. Add rice and dried seaweed flakes and simmer, and you get a savory, comforting porridge.

Dessert ice cream, coffee and takeout at Dadam Shabu Shabu

No matter how full you are, it would be a shame to skip the dessert. There's a dessert corner in one corner of the restaurant with cool, sweet soft-serve and a coffee machine. We had somewhere to be right after the meal, so we only had the ice cream, but if you have time, be sure to grab a coffee here too after your meal. Café prices these days aren't cheap, so being able to get quality dessert and coffee included in your meal price makes this one of the best-value spots in Wirye.

On the way out after paying, I noticed they also run a takeout service so you can enjoy that same in-store taste at home. With a reasonable minimum order of 7,900 won (a basic sauce + broth set for 3,000 won, plus whatever ingredients you want added), this would be really handy for camping trips or a relaxed meal at home.

If you're craving a warm broth now that the weather has turned chilly, I recommend Dadam Shabu Shabu Wirye Branch — easy parking, a clean restaurant, fresh ingredients, and coffee to finish it all off.