Barley rice hanjeongsik by Gyeongan Stream in Chowol, Gwangju: Bomseol

On my way to Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi, I stopped by Bomseol, a hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) restaurant in Chowol-eup, Gwangju, Gyeonggi. There's also a Bomseol location in Osan that I'd wanted to try, so I was happy to finally visit one in Gwangju this time. 🤗

Where is Bomseol? Right in front of Gyeongan Stream in Chowol, Gwangju

Bomseol, in Chowol-eup, Gwangju, was a bit of a drive from downtown Gwangju, but Gyeongan Stream flows right in front, giving the outdoor seating a nice atmosphere. I found out about the outdoor seats too late and ended up eating indoors, but I imagine the view of the stream from here in the evening would be lovely.

What Bomseol looks like inside and by the stream

From the entrance, it had a warm, countryside-restaurant feel.

There were plenty of tables, and even though there were no partitions, there was still a space where you could eat quietly.

Bomseol menu and prices

Bomseol's basic offering is the Bomseol Set (₩15,000), which includes hot-stone rice, banchan (side dishes), braised kodari (dried pollack), cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), and unlimited barley rice.

Beyond that, the à la carte menu had soy-marinated crab, gulbi (dried croaker), cockle salad, stir-fried pork, grilled mackerel, and more. I liked that you could order a single serving from the à la carte menu. It's also great that when dining with kids, you don't have to order them a full adult portion — you can just add a stone-pot rice instead. 😄

What comes with the 15,000 won Bomseol Set

I ordered the Bomseol Set. The stone-pot rice takes a bit of time to cook, so while I waited I checked out the buffet-style banchan. 🤭

Before visiting, I'd seen that they served barley bibimbap and assumed this was a place where you just mix barley rice with assorted namul (seasoned vegetables). But in person, there were all kinds of side dishes beyond just namul.

While I was looking around, my Bomseol banchan arrived. Seasoned eggplant, lotus root, seasoned chili peppers, japchae, yeolmu kimchi, jangajji (pickled vegetables) — all lined up.

Then a huge braised kodari was added, and the table became a really hearty hanjeongsik spread.

I was so happy that this much came out for ₩15,000. Best of all, every single side dish was tasty without being salty. 👍👍👍

The seasoned eggplant in particular had a texture like it had been lightly fried, but it wasn't greasy at all. The chili peppers in doenjang (soybean paste), which I don't usually eat much of, weren't spicy so I ate them happily too. The lotus root was crunchy and paired well with a nutty sauce, and the cheonggukjang was especially delicious — I finished every bit of it.

With the braised kodari, the sauce had soaked all the way through. I can't handle very spicy food well, but this sauce wasn't spicy, so I finished it all. 😄

They give you a basic stone-pot rice, but mixing the extra barley rice with yeolmu kimchi, sesame oil, and gochujang was the perfect way to finish the meal.

Why the scorched rice in Bomseol's stone pot stays hot to the last bite

Usually, by the time you finish a bowl of stone-pot rice these days, the scorched rice at the bottom isn't very hot anymore — but Bomseol's pot must be the real deal. The rice inside was boiling hot enough to bubble. I really love freshly cooked food, and it's not easy to get scorched rice this hot, so I was very satisfied.

Banchan to take home and Bomseol's waiting room

On my way out, I noticed they sell packs of assorted banchan for ₩5,000 each, and the portion looked quite generous.

They also sell seaweed, roasted corn, and scorched rice.

Across from the dining area was a waiting room — or a spot to chat after your meal.

Warm roasted corn tea and coffee were set out, so it was nice to rest a bit after eating.

The country-of-origin labeling was also clearly posted.

If you're looking for a great hanjeongsik or barley rice restaurant in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, I recommend giving Bomseol a try. 🤗