Goyang restaurant for steamed beef and jjamppong rice: Pyeonbaekrim

I visited Pyeonbaekrim (편백림), located in KINTEX Plaza in Daehwa-dong, Ilsan, near Exit 2 of Daehwa Station. Parking support is also available after your meal, so it is an easy place to visit.

Pyeonbaekrim location and hours

• 1573 Jungang-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (KINTEX Plaza, 2F)
• 60 m from Exit 2 of Daehwa Station
• Monday–Saturday, 11:00 AM–10:00 PM
• Break time: 3:00 PM–5:00 PM
• Closed Sunday

At first, I thought this was a place that sold only steamed beef in a hinoki cypress box, but oh, I was surprised by how many different menu items there were.

They also had Iberico pork hinoki steam and king prawn hinoki steam, along with regular meal dishes such as kimchi stew. As someone who loves pork, I became curious about the Iberico pork hinoki steam.

They also sell sets pairing hinoki steam with meal-friendly dishes such as jjamppong rice, soy sauce shrimp rice, and beef rice bowls.

₩30,000 special beef hinoki steam and jjamppong rice for two

For some time now, Yeni has felt that eating all three meals in a day does not sit well, and with such a low activity level, two meals are enough. I visited right at the 11 AM opening time for brunch.

Special set menu (₩30,000 for two)

I ordered two servings of the special beef hinoki steam and jjamppong rice set, which is available for orders of two or more. I think ₩30,000 is really reasonable for two people to have a delicious lunch in a quiet, clean setting.

This set can be ordered from two people onward. Each person can choose and mix-and-match from jjamppong rice, soy sauce shrimp rice, beef rice bowl, bean sprout bibimbap, and soft tofu stew, so you can pick according to your own taste.

When you sit down, light side dishes, ssamjang (savory dipping paste), wasabi, garlic soy sauce, and perilla leaves are served as standard. For any extra side dishes, you can help yourself at the self-serve corner on one side of the restaurant.

What is at the self-serve side-dish corner?

The self-serve corner had crisp cucumber peppers, chilled cucumber soup, lettuce, and more, so I could bring back plenty of vegetables.

When I have jjamppong rice at a typical Chinese restaurant, I often feel there are not quite enough fresh vegetables. Here, though, I could have plenty of everything from cucumber peppers to wrap vegetables, which I loved—it somehow felt healthier and like it would be less fattening.

How long do you wait for the hinoki steam?

Once the hinoki steam arrives, the steamer is set up on your table and you need to wait about seven minutes.

When the time is up, a staff member comes over to let you know it is ready, so just wait without lifting the lid. Before long, the jjamppong rice arrived with the rice served separately, letting me adjust the amount to my liking.

The broth is fairly spicy, so anyone who likes a bright, spicy kick should enjoy it.

The nicely cooked beef brisket hinoki steam went wonderfully with the sweet-spicy garlic soy sauce, and having it with the jjamppong rice broth gave it a different flavor, too.

Tip for enjoying hinoki steam

My tip for making the hinoki steam even tastier is to mix just a little wasabi into the garlic soy sauce that comes with it.

That way, it tastes much cleaner while still having more depth.

Spacious seating and lunch specials

The restaurant is spacious overall, with generous space between tables, so I could eat comfortably. Another big plus is that a seat by the wide-open windows lets you enjoy a relaxed meal while looking outside.

Looking over the drinks and alcohol menu, I saw not only basic soju but also Saero, Cheongha, Hwayo, and Ilpum Jinro, among other options, so it looked nice for a casual evening drink as well.

For the lunch special, they also offer wrap-your-own kimchi stew as a meal for one.

It is kimchi stew with fresh Korean pork, served with lettuce and perilla leaves for an even more filling meal, and it made me want to try this one next time too.

If you are looking for a clean, easygoing place to eat in Daehwa-dong, this is worth stopping by. If you are in the area or visiting KINTEX, I recommend dropping in for a delicious meal. It is the kind of place that makes me want to come back now and then to try the other dishes one by one.

Menu and prices