Hand-cut chadolbagi at an Ingye-dong beef restaurant, Suwon: Yeongpo

I'm not usually a huge meat person. Yeah, I know, weird thing to say at the start of a barbecue post, but what I mean is that unless the meat is really, really good, it's just a side dish to me. When it IS really good, though, I go all in. And this time!? I found a hanwoo (Korean beef) spot in Ingye-dong, Suwon so good it made me go "this meat is insane."

Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch: why you should book ahead

I booked a table for two in advance. Just give your reservation name and they'll show you to your seat. But honestly, I'd recommend reserving ahead rather than walking in — there are private rooms too. If you're looking for a room-style restaurant in Ingye-dong, book in advance. Even on a weekday evening, there were barely any empty tables. If you're planning to visit, please, please make a reservation.

The banchan spread, served in brass bowls

Here's the banchan (side dish) lineup. The scallion salad was tossed fresh right at the table, and we also got kimchi, cucumber and radish pickles, roasted salt, wasabi ssamjang (dipping sauce), and cheongyang chili with garlic. Plenty of myeong-i namul (mountain garlic leaves) too. What really got me was that everything came in gorgeous, spotless brass bowls with brass spoons — it made the whole meal feel like being treated to something special.

Not just a name — an actual charcoal brazier

This is a genuine charcoal brazier. The restaurant's name is Yeongpo Hwa-ro ("hwa-ro" means brazier), and it's not just a name — they bring out a real, honest-to-goodness brazier. And the grill plate matched it so well that they didn't even need to swap it out during the meal.

What we ordered and how much it cost

Here's what we ordered at Yeongpo Hwa-ro, the hanwoo restaurant everyone raves about in Ingye-dong. Both my friend and I have small appetites, so we figured we'd order light and add more if needed.

• Hanwoo platter (1 serving) 49,000 won
• Hand-cut chadolbagi (brisket, 1 serving) 35,000 won
• Non-meat menu: cold noodles, stews and more

Hand-cut chadolbagi (brisket)

Here's the chadolbagi. The visual alone was moving. You know how truly good chadol (thinly sliced beef brisket) has lots of white marbling? That's the sign of the good stuff. What sets Yeongpo Hwa-ro's chadolbagi apart is that it's hand-cut, so it's slightly thicker than the machine-sliced kind you usually see.

After that came outside skirt, brisket point, and various other prime cuts — whatever's best that day. The color of the meat was just insane. Sure, you might think, "it's hanwoo, of course it looks great," but honestly, once we tasted it, we were completely blown away.

You know the sizzle sound chadol makes on the grill? That satisfying sizzle-sizzle-pop. I had mine with the scallion salad, and it wasn't greasy at all — it was so good that I ended up eating the chadol plain, just dipped lightly in salt. Honestly, I don't think I've ever had chadolbagi with such a chewy, nutty texture in my life. You absolutely, absolutely have to order the chadolbagi. Order it. Order it twice!!

Doenjang stew with a jjang-like punch

The doenjang (soybean paste) stew arrived. Both of us are total rice people, and this doenjang stew was exactly my style — not that watery, mild kind, but with a deep flavor and aroma closer to makjang (a stronger fermented paste). Totally my style! Totally Korean-style. I fished out the tofu and ate it happily. The seasoning was perfectly balanced for my taste too.

Grilling over the charcoal brazier made it easy even for grilling beginners like us to cook the meat well.

The moment my friend and I locked eyes over the hanwoo platter's juices

The moment we popped a piece in our mouths, we were both so shocked we just looked at each other with wide eyes. How can something be this juicy? Even someone who doesn't know what "meat juice" is supposed to taste like would notice it — it was like biting into a melon or watermelon, juices bursting everywhere in your mouth. My friend said it was the best beef she'd had in a long time, and that at this price, it didn't even make sense — total value for money. I completely agreed.

Yeongpo Hwa-ro does sell hanwoo along with Korean pork (handon), but you really, really need to get the hanwoo.

My friend grilled the mushrooms perfectly too!! I'll confess — I had two bowls of rice. Hahahaha.

Kodari cold noodles and a free bingsu

Here's the kodari (dried pollock) cold noodles. Even the bowl the noodles came in was pretty!! The kodari muchim (spicy seasoned pollock) had amazing umami. The noodle broth was bursting with umami too — if you're into that deep savory flavor, you have to try it. I thought I was too full to eat any more...

But we had leftover meat, so I put a little on top of the noodles, and it was the perfect refreshing finish. I finished all the noodles!! My friend, full as she was, left a bit — next time at Yeongpo Hwa-ro I'll have to snag her leftover noodles in advance haha. I'm the kind of person who could handle the double-size portion...

We were sitting there patting our full bellies when they brought out bingsu (shaved ice dessert) for free. And bingsu happens to be another weakness of mine ㅠ For anyone heading to Yeongpo Hwa-ro in Ingye-dong, Suwon for the hanwoo — save room for bingsu at the end. It's genuinely delicious, and since it's not even on the menu, you absolutely have to try it. Hahaha.

Overall thoughts

You know that classic, deeply satisfying flavor and richness you expect from hanwoo? This went beyond even that. Whether it's the charcoal brazier, how well the meat was aged, or the grade of the beef... my friend and I were genuinely shocked by how good it was. If you're a beef fanatic, you absolutely, absolutely, absolutely have to visit Yeongpo Hwa-ro.

Location

Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch is located at 14-5 Hyowon-ro 291beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.