Fire-show Korean BBQ in Namyangju on a drive date: 2002 Witch's

A tomato-sauce pork belly place we found on a drive to Namyangju with my husband

2002 Witch's Arpeggio (2002 마녀의 아르페지오) is a tomato-sauce pork belly restaurant near Myojeoksa Valley in Wabu-eup, Namyangju. I went because the pork is aged 48 hours in clay jars in a special tomato sauce, and they even do a fire show. The weather was cool that weekend and I wanted a change of mood, so my husband and I took the car out to Namyangju.

I wanted to get out of the stuffy city and eat something different while listening to a cool valley stream. After looking around, I found this spot near Myojeoksa Valley in Wabu-eup. The place we went to is 2002 Witch's Arpeggio.

Is parking easy at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio?

There's a spacious private lot right in front of the restaurant that fits 100+ cars, so coming by car is easy. The address is 218-2 Wolmun-ri, Wabu-eup, Namyangju, Gyeonggi. The road up is a slightly winding valley mountain road, but driving my husband's car there, parking was completely stress-free.

Valley-view terrace seating and a roomy indoor hall

2002 Witch's Arpeggio has terrace seating where you eat looking straight down at Myojeoksa Valley, plus a wide, comfortable indoor area. After parking, I walked toward the entrance and the clear, cool valley water was trickling right beside it. I felt healed from the moment I walked in.

The tables aren't crammed together either. They're spaced out, which was perfect for chatting quietly with my husband and getting that drive-date feeling.

The staff greeted us kindly, and every table has a kiosk, so we could look through the menu carefully and order at our own pace.

Side dishes from tomato kimchi to acorn crepes

The basic sides include japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), ssam vegetables, pickles, ssammu (pickled radish wraps) and seaweed, plus house-made tomato kimchi and acorn crepes. They were set out right after we ordered, and the lineup felt unusual and generous. I especially liked the warm, glossy japchae, but what stood out most were the original tomato kimchi and acorn crepes.

I'd never had tomato kimchi before. It was crunchy, not overly sweet, with a clean seasoning that cut right through the richness of the pork belly. Add the nutty acorn crepes, great for wrapping with grilled meat, and the side lineup was excellent. Sides other than the pork belly were happily refilled for us, which made the meal even nicer.

Fire show and cheese: Witch's cheese tomato pork belly (₩25,000 x 2)

The signature Witch's cheese tomato-sauce pork belly is ₩50,000 for 2 servings, and it comes on the grill piled with bean sprouts, scallion strips and mushrooms. It's pork aged 48 hours in clay jars in a tomato sauce blended fresh every day instead of gochujang (red chili paste), so I was really curious how it would taste.

When do they do the torch fire show?

Once the meat was cooked just right, a staff member came over and put on a dramatic fire show with a powerful torch! Watching the smoky flame flavor sear onto the surface right in front of me made my appetite explode. After the show they pile chewy, nutty mozzarella over the grill, and it looked incredible.

When the cheese had melted, I picked up a piece of pork belly with some bean sprouts. It wasn't sweet like ketchup. The deep savory flavor, the smoky char and the nuttiness of the cheese came together wonderfully. Wrapping it in an acorn crepe was a real treat too. My husband said it wasn't greasy at all and ate it up happily.

Crispy outside, chewy inside: mini potato pancakes

The mini potato pancakes were a good size for two people eating pork belly, at a reasonable price. I'd ordered them to enjoy alongside the meat, and they arrived midway through.

As the name says, the outside was fried crisp like a snack, while the inside kept the nutty, chewy taste of potato. Taking a bite of the sweet-and-spicy tomato pork belly and then a piece of potato pancake gave a fantastic sweet-salty, nutty combination. If you visit, I'd really recommend adding the potato pancakes.

Finishing with roe scorched-rice cauldron fried rice (₩5,000)

The roe-packed scorched-rice cauldron fried rice is ₩5,000, stir-fried in a heavy cauldron pan with special seasoning, roe, seaweed flakes and nutty sesame oil. No matter how full you are, you can't skip fried rice after meat! I asked for it to finish the meal.

I scooped up a big spoonful, and the salty roe popped in my mouth, mixing with the texture of the nutty scorched rice stuck to the bottom of the pan. It was a perfect finish. Eaten wrapped in a little seaweed, I couldn't put the spoon down even though I was full, and scraped the pan clean. At ₩5,000 the portion was generous too, so the value was very satisfying.

A few small tips for visiting 2002 Witch's Arpeggio

• Location and parking: It's at 218-2 Wolmun-ri, Wabu-eup, Namyangju, Gyeonggi, with a large private lot for 100+ cars in front, so driving there is very easy.
• Recommended combo: I strongly recommend 2 servings of the Witch's cheese tomato pork belly, with the mini potato pancakes and the roe scorched-rice cauldron fried rice.
• Valley tip: The clear, cool Myojeoksa Valley runs right below the restaurant, so it's a perfect route for dipping your feet in and relaxing before or after the meal.

Verdict: a very satisfying Namyangju drive date

Our weekend meal at 2002 Witch's Arpeggio, a drive date to Namyangju with my husband, was a big success. Listening to Myojeoksa Valley flowing, with 48-hour-aged tomato pork belly, a flashy fire show, nutty mini potato pancakes and popping roe scorched-rice fried rice, it was a perfect spread with nothing to complain about.

The place feels tidy and parking is easy, so I think my husband and I will come back often when we crave valley terrace vibes or unusual pork belly. If you're looking for a tomato-sauce pork belly place with great atmosphere and special flavor near Wabu-eup or Myojeoksa Valley in Namyangju, do visit 2002 Witch's Arpeggio!