Guro jokbal restaurant with half spicy pork hocks: The Jokbal

I visited around 8 PM because I was craving jokbal (braised pig’s trotters), and there were quite a few customers even at that late hour. After trying it myself, I could see why this is a Sindorim jokbal spot that locals keep coming back to.

Storefront and the evening atmosphere inside

The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch (더족발 신도림본점) is on the first floor of the Sindorim 3rd Prugio Apartment shopping arcade. Located between Guro and Sindorim stations, it felt like a convenient spot for a Sindorim group dinner or evening meal.

Even though I arrived around 8 PM, many of the tables were full. There were also customers stopping by for jokbal and a drink on a weekday evening, which made it feel like a place already well known in the neighborhood.

Half-and-half jokbal menu and price

We ordered the half-and-half jokbal, which lets you have regular jokbal and spicy jokbal at once. The spicy half-and-half jokbal was ₩49,000, a nice setup for when choosing just one feels like a shame.

There was also a separate lunch-special menu, so it looked like a worthwhile place to visit not only for dinner but when looking for lunch in Sindorim. I had only thought of it as a jokbal place for dinner, so the dedicated lunch options also caught my eye.

Half-and-half jokbal with mild and spicy flavors

Here was the half-and-half jokbal at last. One side was regular jokbal and the other was spicy jokbal coated in a red sauce, making it easy to alternate according to your mood.

The regular jokbal was tender and pleasantly chewy, with no unpleasant smell, and it had a clean, mild flavor that kept me reaching back for more.

The spicy jokbal had a delicious kick too, and alternating it with the regular jokbal meant I did not tire of it easily.

Wrap vegetables and side-dish pairings

The jokbal came with a generous variety of basic sides, including wrap vegetables, seasoned scallion salad, and bean sprout soup. In particular, the young napa cabbage and perilla leaves let me enjoy the same jokbal a little differently depending on how I wrapped it.

Putting jokbal and seasoned scallion salad on crisp young napa cabbage made for a great combination.

Eating the spicy jokbal with wrap vegetables softened the heat just enough and made it even more enjoyable. It was fun trying different combinations, wrapping it once in a perilla leaf and once in young napa cabbage.

If you are looking for jokbal in Sindorim, I would recommend trying the half-and-half jokbal for both flavors together.

Why jokbal and bean sprout soup worked so well

The jokbal was tasty, but I also liked how substantial the accompanying sides were. Having warm yet refreshing bean sprout soup in between bites cleansed my palate and went especially well with the spicy jokbal. The atmosphere also seemed well suited to visiting with a group for jokbal and drinks, so it looked like a good option for a Sindorim company dinner too.

Both the regular and spicy jokbal were satisfying. There were plenty of wrap options, so it was fun alternating between young napa cabbage and perilla leaves, and the refreshing bean sprout soup made the meal enjoyable to the last bite. With so many customers even at 8 PM, this is clearly a Sindorim jokbal restaurant locals have good reason to keep returning to.

If you do not want to give up either the regular or spicy flavor, this is a great Sindorim jokbal spot for half-and-half jokbal.