Bucheon Korean restaurant octopus stir-fry: Kim Myeongju

I met up with a friend I’ve known for 20 years for the first time in ages. She lives all the way in Gumi, but she said she was in Bucheon for work. Well, then we absolutely had to meet, haha. She had errands in Jungdong, so I headed over around the time she would finish. Our lunch spot for this long-overdue catch-up was Kim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang (김명주뜰안채밥상), Jungdong Branch. I visited while looking for a Korean restaurant in Jungdong, Bucheon, where we could have a hearty meal.

Parking and a spacious restaurant near Sinjung-dong Station

Kim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang, Jungdong Branch

It is close to Exit 3 of Sinjung-dong Station, so it is convenient by public transit too, but we drove. Parking can be a surprisingly important consideration when looking for restaurants in Bucheon, and the lot here was quite large, with a parking attendant as well.

Is it good for gatherings, with private rooms too?

A spacious restaurant with private rooms, great for gatherings

Once inside, I found the restaurant was quite large. We visited a little after 2 p.m. on a weekday, so perhaps because the peak rush had passed, it was relatively quiet. That let us have a relaxed meal while catching up on all sorts of things.

At a Korean set-meal restaurant, lots of side dishes arrive at once, so a small table can be subtly inconvenient. Here, though, the tables themselves were generously sized, so even when the whole spread was laid out, it did not feel cramped. There are separate rooms too, so it looked ideal for a meal with parents or a Korean set-meal gathering when you have plans in Bucheon.

We visited without kids that day, but there were plenty of high chairs and separate utensils for little ones. I thought it would be comfortable for a family meal with children too.

Our order: two basic table settings plus octopus stir-fry

What did we order? Two Tteuranchae table settings + octopus stir-fry

The basic Tteuranchae table setting costs ₩13,000 per person. There were also set meals including main dishes such as barley corvina, soy-marinated raw crab, charcoal-grilled pork, octopus stir-fry, seasoned cockles, and grilled mackerel, but we ordered the basic setting. When ordering the basic setting, you need to add one à la carte dish. (Based on four people.)

Honestly, the soy-marinated raw crab set meal caught my eye first! But my friend cannot eat soy-marinated crab 🥲 So we picked octopus! Since I usually order around my child’s tastes, it is hard to eat things like this often, so I have to have them when my child is not around, haha. I debated the octopus set meal, but thought it might be too much food, so we ordered two Tteuranchae table settings plus an à la carte octopus stir-fry. In the end, it was an excellent choice—I think we would have had lots left over with the set meal!

Twelve side dishes, cheonggukjang, and yellow-rice pot rice

A generous 12 side dishes, plus cheonggukjang and yellow-rice pot rice!

The basic spread alone comes with no fewer than 12 side dishes. If we ran short, we could freely get more at the self bar, and cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) came as part of the meal too—the broth was excellent. You can request a cheonggukjang refill through the table-order system.

Once the pot rice cooked with yellow rice and the à la carte octopus stir-fry arrived, even that wide table filled up in no time. So that is why the table was so big, haha.

Octopus stir-fry that was manageable even for someone sensitive to spice

Octopus stir-fry: fine even if you cannot handle much spice

The à la carte octopus stir-fry was more generous than I expected. I am sensitive to spicy food, so I cannot handle very spicy dishes well (my stomach starts burning if I eat them...), but this was not too spicy, which I liked. That does not mean the flavor was bland, though. It was not overly sweet and had just the right amount of heat, so it went well alongside the other side dishes. How do they make it taste like this without being overpowering? The octopus was plump, and there was plenty of sauce too.

We both have big appetites, so when ordering, I wondered, “Will one à la carte dish be enough?” But it was needless worry. After the 12 side dishes, cheonggukjang, pot rice, and nurungji (scorched rice), we actually had a little octopus stir-fry left. For two people, the basic table setting plus one à la carte dish should be quite filling.

Can you get more rice and side dishes at the self bar?

Unlimited rice and side-dish refills at the self bar

If you run short while eating, you can get as many more side dishes as you want from the self bar. Yellow rice and barley rice are prepared separately too, so you can have more rice as well.

We were definitely already quite full, but I could not just pass by the barley rice, haha. In the end, I added side dishes and octopus to the barley rice and even made bibimbap (mixed rice). We each properly had a bowl of barley rice and nurungji sungnyung (scorched-rice tea), then on our way to pay, I noticed that they were selling rice and side dishes.

They sold the yellow rice we had eaten separately too, and apparently it was freshly milled. No wonder the rice was so good, haha. Once I finish the rice at home, should I buy some here? They also sold side dishes next to it, and farther back I could see an assortment of snacks and information on special reservation-only dishes.

An easy flow from meal to café

A Jungdong, Bucheon restaurant with a separate café space too

Go out through the entrance behind the counter and down the stairs, and there is a separate café space where you can enjoy coffee right after your meal. You can take the restaurant’s free coffee there to drink, or use the machine in the café. The café machine does cost extra, though. But it is only ₩1,000, and the owner said the coffee downstairs tastes a little better, haha. Still, our timing was a bit awkward for having coffee there tooㅠ so we decided to have it near home and left right away. The café space connects to the parking lot, so getting around is easy.

A generous Korean meal that works well for two

Kim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang, Jungdong Branch was where I came out wonderfully full after finally meeting my friend again. With 12 side dishes, cheonggukjang, and yellow-rice pot rice included, plus extra side dishes and rice available at the self bar, it was a good place when you want a generous Korean set meal in Bucheon.

We added only one octopus stir-fry to two basic table settings, yet there was enough that we were full and still had a little left. Unless two people are exceptionally huge eaters, I think the basic setting plus one à la carte dish you want would be plenty rather than two full set meals. The parking lot and restaurant are spacious, there are private rooms, and the third floor has a large group hall, so it looked suitable for everything from family meals and small gatherings to large group dining. Next time, I want to try the soy-marinated crab I missed this time and buy some of that delicious yellow rice too, haha.