Korean set meal with mom in Chowol, Gwangju: soy crab at Bomseol

Don't you sometimes just want to be treated to a full, hearty table? Freshly made, steaming stone-pot rice, soy-marinated crab that is a total rice thief, spicy pork, fresh namul (seasoned greens)... Yesterday I went on a date with my mom to Bomseol, a healthy-meal spot in Gwangju, Gyeonggi that's her regular place (and she's picky!) ❤️ The neat master-made banchan (side dishes) are prepared fresh every day, and there's even an unlimited self-serve barley rice buffet, so we came away properly refreshed. Let me tell you all about it!

Where is Bomseol, and what are the hours and parking?

Bomseol is at 51 Hyeonsan-ro 385beon-gil, Chowol-eup, Gwangju, Gyeonggi. It's open 11:00-20:30, with a break from 16:00 to 17:00. You can park in front of the restaurant.

Even in the Gwangju area, Bomseol has a relaxed, nature-filled feel and serves tidy, home-style meals, so it's a hanjeongsik place that family outings or parents will be really happy with 👍 There's also a big open lot in front, so you can park with no worries and walk right in. Love that 👏

Who runs Bomseol? Korean food grandmaster certificate and medals

Inside Bomseol, a Korean food grandmaster certificate, medals and awards are on display. The moment I walked in, the owner's impressive résumé caught my eye!! 🤩 Certificates, shiny medals, and tons of awards all lined up! 👏 This is a Korean restaurant where a master with that demanding title makes every dish fresh each day and serves it with care, so I understood right away why my mom became a regular 😉

When is Bomseol busy? The early dinner atmosphere

We went a little before dinner time and it was quiet, but as soon as dinner time hit, it filled up with group customers. My mom usually comes at lunch, and apparently it's super popular as a lunch spot in Gwangju, Gyeonggi too!

Ordering the master soy crab set and bulbeombeok at Bomseol

Mom and I ordered the master soy-marinated crab set and the bulbeombeok (spicy fire-flavored pork stir-fry). Because the stone-pot rice is cooked to order, the food came out about 15 minutes later. We went for the patented soy crab set, the ultimate rice thief, and the spicy, smoky bulbeombeok 😍 The soy crab and the barley gulbi (dried, salted croaker) are the signatures here, made with Bomseol's own patented method, which got me even more excited 😋

The table was set with so many master banchan and main dishes that it looked ready to collapse, and I gasped at the sight 😭👍 Neatly plated japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), seasoned radish, lotus root salad, fried eggplant, assorted namul, and freshly cooked stone-pot rice... just looking at it made me happy 💕

First, scoop the rice out of the stone pot and pour in water to make hot sungnyung (scorched rice tea). It's the best way to finish a meal, right? 😋

How does Bomseol's soy crab taste? No fishy smell, not salty

Maybe thanks to the patented method, Bomseol's master soy crab had zero fishy smell. The crab was packed with meat, and the not-too-salty, deeply savory special soy sauce had soaked in, so it was a true rice thief 👏 Mixed into hot rice, it was insanely good!

How spicy is Bomseol's bulbeombeok (spicy pork stir-fry)?

Bomseol's bulbeombeok had a lovely smoky grill aroma, with tender pork stir-fried in a sweet-and-spicy sauce, and it was just perfect with plain white rice 🥹🥹 The sauce was bursting with savory flavor, and mom and I kept exclaiming as we wolfed it down ❤️

Bomseol banchan refills: mushroom tangsuyuk and japchae, twice more

Of the banchan at Bomseol, I refilled the mushroom tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried mushrooms) and the japchae twice more ✨️ As you'd expect from a Korean food grandmaster, you can taste depth in every single side dish 🥹

Cheonggukjang and the barley rice self-serve buffet at Bomseol

The deep, rich cheonggukjang that comes as standard at Bomseol is also self-serve, so you can refill as much as you like!

At Bomseol's barley rice self-serve buffet corner, I piled on plenty of fresh seasonal namul and made barley rice bibimbap, and I felt like I had the whole world 🥄

Bomseol's homemade banchan to go and annex coffee

Bomseol also sells homemade banchan at the entrance. It's ₩5,000 per pack, a really reasonable price ✨️

In the annex next to Bomseol, you can enjoy coffee along with warm ppeongtwigi (puffed grain snacks), as much as you like ❤️

Bomseol with mom: final verdict

From the carefully made daily master banchan to the deep flavor of the patented soy crab and barley gulbi, the unlimited barley rice buffet, and the convenience of the big open parking lot, this Gwangju hanjeongsik place was just about perfect! If you want a relaxed drive near Gwangju, Gyeonggi with your parents, or want to enjoy patented soy crab, smoky pork and a barley rice buffet at a place moms swear by, I totally recommend Bomseol 👍