Yeongjong shabu-shabu with tomato and mala broths: Pyeonbaek Hoegwan

A Yeongjong meal from cypress steam to shabu-shabu

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch (편백회관 본점) is where I often go when I’m craving Vietnamese spring rolls or shabu-shabu! Today, I wanted to load up on meat in hot, warming mala broth, so I visited with Harry.

You can park in the building’s basement parking lot. If it is full, they said they also support parking at the JINRO Mart in the building next door.

Take the elevator up to the second floor and Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch is right there, with chairs outside for waiting. The restrooms are outside the restaurant and separated by gender.

Inside the restaurant: seating and a playroom

There were so many kinds of tables, from two-person seats to group tables. On one side was a salad bar you could help yourself to, along with a playroom for kids; it looked clean and safe.

Shabu-shabu broths and weekday lunch discounts

There are four shabu-shabu combinations per person: katsuo (bonito, the basic broth) plus spicy mushroom for ₩20,900; katsuo plus doenjang chicken for ₩21,900; katsuo plus beef-bone mala for ₩21,900; and katsuo plus beef-bone tomato for ₩21,900. I also liked that the “choose any two broths” option is ₩22,900. Visit before 15:00 for weekday lunch and you get ₩3,000 off.

You can order extra kalguksu (knife-cut noodle) portions at the kiosk, too.

They had alcohol and drinks, from kids’ beverages and sodas to non-carbonated sikhye (sweet rice drink), which I thought was such a thoughtful touch. The Wi-Fi details were listed at the very end, too.

A self-service bar with meat, vegetables, and snacks

One side of the self-service bar at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch had extra meat and vegetables, while the other had rice and eggs for making juk (rice porridge).

There was also bread and ready-to-eat food.

There were spaghetti and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) soup, too. At the far end were disposable aprons, plus stations for getting and discarding hot water for Vietnamese spring rolls.

How to eat the cypress steam and Vietnamese spring rolls

Each table had instructions for enjoying everything deliciously.

The vegetable tray they bring after you order even says what to put on it, so I don’t think first-timers would get lost.

After you order, they first bring the cypress-steamed dish. When the alarm goes off, a staff member opens the lid for you.

There were ponzu, peanut, and chili sauces, pepper, and paper cups right at the table, which was great because I didn’t have to go back to the self-service bar for them. Squeeze out a little of every sauce.

Bring over rice paper, arrange the vegetables, and pick up a few other things at the self-service bar—and the cypress steam is complete!

Mmm, delicious meat, kabocha squash, shrimp, napa cabbage, bok choy, and mushrooms!

Let’s really dig in. Soften the rice paper in hot water, and here’s a tip! Wet your small plate a little first so it won’t stick and you can roll it easily.

Dip whichever vegetables and meat you want in sauce, then take a big bite. I recommend wrapping it in bite-sized portions rather than stuffing in too much.

And here’s tip number two. Apparently these days people mix all the vegetables together in a big bowl and put them straight onto the rice paper, so I tried it. If you’re not picky and eat everything well, I recommend it because it’s easy!

Two broths: beef-bone tomato and beef-bone mala

Once you have finished the cypress steam: kiosk > call staff > remove cypress steam.

Then they bring out the shabu-shabu broths you ordered. I chose the customizable beef-bone tomato and beef-bone mala broths. The tomato broth comes with tomato paste already mixed in like this, while for the mala, you add the mala seasoning they bring separately once it boils. I wanted it spicy, so I added a little more mala to the tomato broth, too.

Bring over meat and vegetables, cut up the big pieces, and carefully put them in. Scissors and tongs are both at the self-service bar. Toss in the small vegetables in a big heap~~

Once it boils, you can wrap the shabu-shabu in Vietnamese spring rolls or simply dip it in ponzu, and both are delicious. The beef-bone mala was, need I even say it, so good with its rich beef-bone base and mala. The beef-bone tomato was a slightly tangy tomato soup that made me want to cook tomato egg; it may be divisive, but I was fine with it.

Finish with juk made from the remaining broth

The finale of shabu-shabu is juk! Scoop some broth to one side, add lots of rice, gim flakes, and sesame oil, then pour it in. When it has reduced a little, crack in an egg. Chop up the leftover Vietnamese spring roll vegetables, corn, and kimchi and add them too—the texture is so much better.

Sprinkle on one more round of gim flakes at the end, and the delicious juk is done!

From cypress steam and Vietnamese spring rolls to shabu-shabu, kalguksu, and juk! I loved being able to visit once and enjoy such a variety of foods, eat as much meat and vegetables as I wanted in my favorite broth, and try broths that are not so common. I also recommend it for family meals because of the high chairs and indoor playroom. The owner was constantly moving around, tidying the self-service bar and serving us kindly, which I really, really liked.

Tips to know before visiting

• If the parking lot is full, free parking support is also available at the JINRO Mart next door. Visit for weekday lunch to get ₩3,000 off.
• If you love cypress-steamed food, tell a staff member before it steams so you can add more vegetables or meat from the self-service bar.
• Gather the Vietnamese spring roll vegetables in one place and mix them in advance for easier eating.
• For better texture and flavor, chop leftover Vietnamese spring roll vegetables, corn, and kimchi into the juk.