Hwaseong Korean restaurant for a parents’ bori-gulbi meal: Hwadamga

A grilled-fish Korean set meal in Bongdam with my parents

I’d like to introduce Hwadamga, a great grilled-fish restaurant in Bongdam, Hwaseong :) With its generously stocked self-serve bar, it felt like great value, and my parents really loved it!

The exterior and parking lot

The huge Hwadamga sign was easy to spot even from afar, and the clean white exterior made an impression! It had the neat, unfussy feel of a Korean set-meal restaurant overall, and the orderly pots of plants by the entrance made it feel even tidier :)

There was a large dedicated parking area right in front of the restaurant, so parking was easy :) It had plenty of spaces for several cars at once and connected directly to the restaurant, which made heading in for a meal convenient. Since it is easy to visit by car, it seems like a comfortable option for family dinners or group gatherings, too!

Partitioned tables and private rooms

When I walked inside, the first thing I noticed was the phrase, “Giving sincerity, holding heart.” :) The wood-toned interior and warm lighting created a clean yet comfortable atmosphere!

Stacks of Suhyangmi rice bags filled one side of the restaurant! I could see that Hwadamga uses Suhyangmi, a rice known for its good flavor, so I was already looking forward to the rice before the meal :)

Each table had tall partitions, giving diners some separation from other guests! The tables were also comfortably spaced, so it felt less crowded, and the whole space was orderly enough to enjoy a relaxed meal :) There were also private rooms with doors, which looked great for family meals, gatherings, or company dinners!

Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) and sesame oil were set out on one side of the table so we could mix our barley rice however we liked!

Ordering wood-fired hairtail and bori-gulbi sets

Hwadamga has a T-order tablet at every table, so we could browse the menu slowly and order right from our seats :) Beyond set meals, there were bori-gulbi (dried yellow corvina), grilled mackerel, grilled hairtail, spicy stir-fried pork, and boiled pork, plus Korean beef, Korean pork, seafood, and side dishes such as naengmyeon (cold noodles) and potato pancakes. The set meals in particular let you bring as many side dishes as you wanted from the self-serve bar, making for a generous full-table spread. Meat dishes were also available separately, so they would be nice alongside a set meal!

After some deliberation, we ordered one wood-fired grilled hairtail set for ₩21,000 and one wood-fired bori-gulbi set for ₩27,000! We ordered one of each fish so we could share and try both :)

A self-serve bar with side dishes, rice, and soup

A separate self-serve bar was set up on one side of the restaurant, so we could comfortably bring back as many side dishes as we wanted :)

There were plenty of basic sides, from wrap vegetables such as lettuce and perilla leaves to kimchi and seasoned vegetables, and everything was kept neatly :) I especially liked that there was such variety, so we could simply take as much as we needed of whatever ran low!

Rice and soup were also available at the self-serve bar, so it was easy to have a generous meal! Since I had seen the Suhyangmi rice earlier, I was somehow looking forward to it even more, and I loved that the set meal offered plenty of everything, from side dishes to rice and soup :)

A full spread of barley rice and grilled fish

When you order a set meal, barley rice and doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) come as standard! The barley rice had a nice chewy bite and was perfect for mixing with the gochujang and sesame oil at the table :) The stew was also savory and hot, with plenty of tofu and vegetables, so it paired nicely with the grilled fish!

The bori-gulbi main came as one large whole fish! It was beautifully golden from the grill, and a staff member even prepared it for us so it was much easier to eat :)

The hairtail came cut into thick, easy-to-eat pieces! Its golden grilled surface and silvery skin looked so appetizing :) Served in generous pieces on one plate, it already looked like quite a feast!

Once everything was laid out, the bori-gulbi and grilled hairtail were joined by barley rice, doenjang-jjigae, and all the different side dishes from the self-serve bar, making for a truly abundant spread :) There was so much variety that the table was completely full—it looked filling just to see it!

I picked out the side dishes I wanted from the self-serve bar and piled plenty of seasoned vegetables and greens onto the barley rice :) With all those colorful vegetables filling the bowl, it looked generous and appetizing! I also loved being able to make my own barley-rice bowl exactly to my taste. Then just add the gochujang and sesame oil from the table and mix it all up :)

With bori-gulbi, grilled hairtail, and assorted seasoned vegetables and banchan (Korean side dishes) all covering the table, it was truly generous :) The neatly arranged side dishes in brass bowls and golden grilled fish came together for a proper, polished Korean set-meal spread!

The bori-gulbi had thick flesh, so even one piece was substantial! The outside was golden while the flesh stayed moist and pleasantly chewy, and its signature salty, savory flavor went wonderfully with barley rice :) I especially enjoyed pouring cool green-tea water over the barley rice and topping it with a piece of bori-gulbi—the tea water neatly balanced the fish’s saltiness, so I kept reaching for more. This really is the best way to eat bori-gulbi!

The hairtail was also well cooked, with white, thick flesh. I placed a big piece of its soft, easily separated meat over the barley rice, and it was light and nutty! I also topped barley rice mixed with vegetables, gochujang, and sesame oil with a large piece of hairtail. The textures of the vegetables, nutty barley rice, and mild hairtail made for a filling meal :)

The doenjang-jjigae had lots of tofu, onion, zucchini, scallion, and other ingredients! Its deep, savory soybean-paste flavor was joined by the refreshing taste drawn from the vegetables, so it was lovely with the grilled fish and also worked well mixed into the barley rice :)

The dessert corner after the meal

After finishing our meal, we could also use the dessert corner set up to one side! Along with a coffee machine, there were mango and omija (Korean five-flavor berry) drinks to choose from. After such a hearty grilled-fish set meal, a cold drink or coffee made for a clean finish :)

My overall thoughts on dining at Hwadamga with my parents

• Golden grilled fish cooked in a wood-fired oven
• A self-serve bar where you can freely enjoy assorted seasoned vegetables and side dishes
• The fun of mixing barley rice with lots of vegetables
• A clean restaurant with spacious parking, great for family meals
• Coffee, mango juice, and omija juice ready as a satisfying post-meal treat

Would I visit again? ★★★★★ (5/5)

I visited Hwadamga when I was craving a hearty Korean meal in Bongdam! We ordered the wood-fired grilled hairtail and bori-gulbi one each, and I was happy that we got to taste both kinds of fish :) A set meal includes barley rice and doenjang-jjigae, while the seasoned vegetables and all sorts of banchan can be brought over from the self-serve bar in whatever amount you want. In particular, mixing lots of vegetables into the barley rice with gochujang and sesame oil, then topping it with grilled fish, made for a really filling meal!

The restaurant was clean and the parking was spacious, so it seemed like a good place to bring parents for a meal or have a family dinner. Coffee, mango juice, and omija juice were also ready after the meal, so we could enjoy a full dessert finish :) If you are looking for a clean, generous grilled-fish Korean set meal in Bongdam, this is a place I would recommend!