Ganghwa duck restaurant with crispy cheese fried rice: Deok Ori

While my wife and I were figuring out what to eat on our Ganghwa trip, we spontaneously stopped by Deok Ori Jumulleok (덕오리주물럭) Ganghwa Main Branch after seeing its great Naver reviews!

Deok Ori Jumulleok Ganghwa Main Branch, found during our Ganghwa trip

It was easy to get there with navigation, and the exterior had exactly that long-running local-restaurant feel. The moment I saw it, I somehow felt sure it would be good, haha.

For parking, use the large lot across from the restaurant!

We arrived right when the break time ended! I naturally assumed we would be the only ones there, but two other groups were already waiting!

The interior was neat, with about six tables. It had also already been featured on TV several times!

Ordering two portions of duck jumulleok and fried rice

As you would expect from a duck specialty restaurant, duck jumulleok and duck roseu (plain sliced duck) are the main dishes! I heard the potato pancake is famous too, but... we held back on sides so we could finish with fried rice, haha.

• 2 portions of duck jumulleok
• Fried rice with added cheese

While waiting after ordering, I looked around the restaurant and learned that Deok Ori Jumulleok Ganghwa Main Branch does not use MSG and par-grills its duck over charcoal itself!

Water was self-service, and if you need more of the basic side dishes, just ask for a refill at the kitchen counter! They bring more right away!

The owner personally brought out about six kinds of banchan (Korean side dishes), and every single one tasted really good! You could tell there was a great homemade touch. I also liked that parchment paper covered the grill, so the meat did not touch the griddle directly!

Ssam-mu (pickled radish wraps) and dongchimi (radish water kimchi) were also set out for self-service, so you can take only as much as you want!

Duck jumulleok par-grilled over charcoal

As we waited, a delicious smell drifted over from somewhere. Curious, I stepped outside for a moment and found the owner personally par-grilling duck jumulleok over charcoal!

I asked permission and took a photo too. Watching it cook over the fire already had my mouth watering, haha.

Once the par-grilling is done, the duck jumulleok goes straight onto the table grill!

Then it gets piled high with perilla leaves!

The owner told us to wait around five minutes, until the vegetables had wilted a little, before eating! We were hungry, so we kept poking and turning it now and then... It looked so delicious as it gradually cooked, right?!

Finally, it was cooked through, so I made a wrap and took the first bite! I also tried it with onion, and it was wonderfully clean-tasting and delicious. Maybe because they do not use MSG, it did not have that aggressively punchy flavor; instead, the ingredients came through naturally, which I personally liked even more! The charcoal par-grill also gave it a smoky fire-kissed flavor!

A cheese fried rice tip: save some meat

After we had eaten a fair amount, here is the first tip before ordering fried rice! The owner told us it would taste better if we did not finish all the meat and instead left some to stir-fry with the rice, so we requested fried rice with a little meat left over!

The fried rice came out quickly, and of course we had to finish with cheese fried rice! There was a generous amount too, so we were happy, haha.

After spreading out the fried rice, my wife made a cute heart, haha.

And here came the owner's second tip! Rather than constantly stir-frying the rice, spread it widely across the grill and leave it alone so the bottom turns crispy like nurungji (scorched rice). We waited as instructed, then scraped up the edges first, and it was really delicious! The bottom was crisp, cheese topped it all off, and we properly enjoyed every last bite of fried rice!

Ganghwa rice fields after the meal

When we came outside after eating our fill, wide rice fields stretched around Deok Ori Jumulleok Ganghwa Main Branch! Maybe because it is scenery you do not easily see in Seoul, I really loved this relaxed atmosphere, haha. A gentle breeze was blowing, and after such a satisfying meal, it truly felt like we were on a Ganghwa trip! It was so delicious that I recommended it to friends after returning. If we visit Ganghwa again, I think we will go back to eat there. Officially a great restaurant!

Hours

• Tue–Fri 11:00–20:30 / break time 15:00–17:00 / last order 19:30
• Weekends 11:00–21:00 / break time 15:00–17:00 / last order 20:00
• Closed every Monday