Gimpo Korean set-meal restaurant with braised pollock: Bomseol Gimpo

[Bomseol Gimpo] Written/photographed/filmed by Yeni Select

Let me introduce a restaurant in Gimpo that's great to visit with family, a partner, or friends — the Gimpo hanjeongsik (Korean set-meal) spot 'Bomseol Gimpo'.

Where is Bomseol Gimpo, and what are its hours?

• Main menu: Korean food / pork belly / pork ribs
• 910 Geomdan-ro, Unit 102, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Open daily
• 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM
• Break time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
• Last order: 8:30 PM
• Parking: 3 hours available with registration

This is a review from my visit to Bomseol Gimpo, where I got a real taste of a master Korean chef's cooking! It's a Korean restaurant where you can enjoy neat, refined hanjeongsik and charcoal-grilled meat full of smoky aroma at the same time.

Bomseol Gimpo's two signature set tables

Bomseol Gimpo's representative signature menus are split into just two options: the Bomseol Table and the Mountain of Scallion Bulgogi. Both require orders of 2 or more, so keep that in mind when you visit.

Bomseol Table: 18,000 won per person

This is the most basic yet satisfying menu. The main dishes are spicy-sweet stir-fried pork (jeyuk bokkeum) and savory braised codfish (kodari jorim), served together.

On top of that, there's a variety of carefully prepared Korean side dishes to whet your appetite, like fresh salad and crispy fried items.

And with warm, glossy freshly-made stone pot rice and hearty cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) served in earthenware bowls, it's a table that makes you feel full just looking at it.

Mountain of Scallions Bulgogi: 20,000 won per person

True to its name, this table stands out for the perfect match of fresh scallion strands piled up like a mountain and sweet-salty bulgogi.

Just like the Bomseol Table, it comes with a variety of Korean side dishes including salad and fried items, plus warm stone pot rice as standard, so you can eat really heartily.

What do the à la carte add-ons cost?

Bomseol Gimpo is set up so that, after ordering one of the basic signature tables, you can pick and add whatever à la carte dishes you want more of.

• Spicy braised codfish: ₩11,000
• Grilled mackerel: ₩13,000
• Spicy stir-fried pork overload: ₩15,000
• Kids' pork cutlet: ₩11,000 (kids' menu)
• Seasoned cockles: ₩17,000
• Add scallion bulgogi: ₩18,000
• Soy-marinated raw crab: ₩20,000
• Dried and seasoned yellow corvina: ₩21,000
• Pork loin yukjeon (pan-fried beef-style meat): ₩22,000
• Grilled king hairtail: ₩34,000

Set menus for groups of 3 to 5

If you're visiting with a family of 3 to 5, ordering one of the set menus without adding anything extra is also a great choice.

Gahwamansaseong Set: 3 people, 87,000 won

Basic table for 3 + soy-marinated raw crab (3 crabs) + stir-fried pork + braised codfish + grilled mackerel

Mansumugang Set: 4 people, 140,000 won

Basic table for 4 + soy-marinated raw crab (4 crabs) + grilled king hairtail + stir-fried pork + braised codfish + dried yellow corvina + seasoned cockles

A family of 3 happened to be seated at the table next to me, and watching them lay out everything from the soy crab to the grilled mackerel from their set, the table looked absolutely packed and abundant.

Charcoal-grilled pork at Bomseol Gimpo: worth the price?

Bomseol Gimpo isn't just about hanjeongsik — the quality of its charcoal-grilled meat is excellent too.

Among the charcoal grill items, the whole-garlic fresh pork belly uses domestic raw pork. It's quite reasonably priced at ₩45,000 for a full plate (500g) and ₩23,000 for a half plate (250g).

Besides pork belly, there's a diverse lineup of meat menus including chewy gabrisal (skirt meat), hangjeongsal (pork jowl), and sweet charcoal-grilled marinated meat, so if you love meat, I'd recommend going for the charcoal grill too.

Inside the dining room and the side dish corner

At Bomseol Gimpo, the tables aren't packed too tightly together — there's plenty of space between them, so you can eat comfortably.

Self-serve side dishes: dongchimi, kimchi jjim and more

When you run low on side dishes, you don't need to call a staff member — you can just help yourself to as much as you want, which was really convenient. Everything's there, from cool dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth with a thin layer of ice, to kimchi jjim, cucumber kimchi, radish salad, and the appealing gotgubaengi (bitter greens kimchi).

On top of that, there's gochujang, doenjang, and even fragrant sesame and perilla oils, all set up perfectly for mixing into your rice.

Final verdict on Bomseol Gimpo

It had been a long time since I'd had braised codfish, and taking a bite at Bomseol this time, it tasted amazing after such a long gap. It really lived up to the title of a master Korean chef, with a full, skillful flavor. On a day when you're craving neat, hearty Korean food done right, I hope you'll stop by Bomseol Gimpo and fill up on that satisfying, good-mood fullness.