Yangju galbi house for a heatwave summer-break lunch: Manpo Garden

The ultimate good-value set in Yangju: the handmade galbi lunch special

Heatwave, summer vacation: why we picked Manpo Garden's galbi set

It was a weekday in the middle of the kids' summer vacation, with a heatwave on top, so instead of cooking we went to Manpo Garden (만포가든) in Yangju for the lunch special handmade galbi set. The weather lately is just suffocating, isn't it? How are you all getting through this heat? With the kids home on vacation, making three meals a day is no small job, and just standing in a hot kitchen feels like a huge chore.

Still, I didn't want to feed a growing kid just anything. I wanted them to eat well, so we headed to Manpo Garden, a Yangju spot with generous portions for the price :) It uses only top-grade hanwoo (Korean beef) and hanbon (Korean pork) that have passed the livestock cooperative's traceability checks, and it's a real galbi place in Yangju.

Manpo Garden location, hours and parking

Manpo Garden is at 28-37 Godeok-ro 355beon-gil, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, on the first floor, and it's open daily 11:00–22:00. Groups, high chairs, takeout, reservations and parking are all available.

There are large lots in front of and behind the restaurant, and parking is free.

Manpo Garden's atmosphere and private rooms

The restaurant is clean and spacious, with separate rooms if you want a private meal. Even at weekday lunchtime it was already full of customers and the smell of good galbi. I could see why: it's kept so tidy and comfortable, and with the private rooms it's perfect for family meals, gatherings and company dinners too. The staff were also really kind, and I felt looked after from the moment we walked in.

The banchan (side dishes) come out generously, and there's also a self-serve bar where you can grab more of whatever you need.

What's in the ₩19,000 handmade galbi set?

We ordered Manpo Garden's lunch special handmade galbi set, ₩19,000 per person. Just looking at the spread made us gasp.

• Handmade galbi
• Brisket doenjang sulbap (soybean-paste rice pot)
• House-made cold noodles (naengmyeon)

All three mains in one spread! In these days of high prices, that kind of value and generosity is rare. It's aimed right at Korean tastes, since just meat can feel like it's missing something, so you get savory doenjang sulbap and refreshing Hamheung-style naengmyeon like a full course. Really well planned :)

What banchan comes with the meal at Manpo Garden?

The basic banchan includes yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), freshly pan-fried yukjeon (beef pancake), salad, and lettuce geotjeori (fresh-tossed salad). Once you order, the sides are set out on the table one after another, and they weren't the usual filler dishes just to pad the count. Each one was made with real care, like a proper dish.

I was amazed that fresh yukhoe and piping-hot yukjeon come as basic sides. There was also a crisp, fresh salad to wake up the appetite, spicy-tangy lettuce geotjeori that goes perfectly with meat, and other neatly plated dishes. They're homemade, not harsh, and full of care, so our chopsticks wouldn't stop before the main meat was even grilled 🥢

How is Manpo Garden's hanbon handmade galbi?

There's a phrase on the table about the restaurant's philosophy of galbi.

The meat itself must be excellent and always consistent, the marinade must not mask the meat's natural flavor, and it must touch charcoal to take on a smoky aroma.

Reading this on the table, I could feel the whole philosophy of this Yangju galbi restaurant.

The handmade marinated galbi in front of us used 100% real pork galbi, and the fresh pink color of the raw meat proved the quality even to the eye. They say they insist on fresh meat from top brands certified by the livestock cooperative. The marinade is made with plenty of fruit instead of artificial chemical seasoning or sugar, so it wasn't artificially sweet or salty, just a subtle, savory depth 🥩

When the meat went onto the strong, top-grade charcoal, the smoky aroma began soaking deep into the tender galbi. The moment I put a nicely grilled piece in my mouth, the melting texture and the fruit marinade were just the best together. Deep flavor without covering the meat's own taste: the textbook of Yangju galbi!

Manpo Garden's savory brisket doenjang sulbap is packed with brisket, so the broth is rich and filling, a real rice thief.

How is Manpo Garden's house-made naengmyeon made?

They say the naengmyeon dough is made by hand every morning and the noodles are pulled from the machine the moment you order. After enjoying the galbi, the cold noodles arrive as the finale! Manpo Garden's naengmyeon is no ordinary store-bought kind. The noodles are pulled to order for a chewy texture, and it's made with the confidence of using good meat for deep flavor instead of seasoning powder. One bite and the springiness and chew were on another level, and the clean yet deep broth washed away all the richness of the meat.

Manpo Garden's dessert corner: iced coffee and "ppeongseukrim"

Near the entrance there's a dessert corner with iced coffee, puffed-rice crackers (ppeongtwigi) and ice cream. The delight continues all the way out the door. There's cool iced coffee, crunchy puffed crackers and soft ice cream 🍦 We combined ice cream and crackers into "ppeongseukrim" (puffed-cracker ice cream) and had fun eating it, and we cleansed our palates with iced Americanos. Thanks to the owner's generosity, even dessert was covered, and the whole family finished the meal happy.

Verdict: Manpo Garden's galbi set as a summer family lunch

On a heatwave summer day when you're worn out, Manpo Garden, the Yangju galbi restaurant, gave us a meal like a care-filled health food. From the top-grade handmade galbi to the freshly pulled cold noodles, nothing was lacking. Hope you get through the rest of the summer healthy with a proper, filling meal 🩵