Guwol-dong abalone course lunch: 13 dishes with parents, Jeonbokchon

It was my first time eating abalone as a full course, and not one of Jeonbokchon's 13 dishes was boring.

I booked this with my parents. Abalone course specialists are not common even in Guwol-dong, so it felt perfect for a special meal.

Where is Jeonbokchon and what are its hours?

Jeonbokchon is at 35 Yesul-ro 204beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon (Haeinbil Building, 1st floor). It is open Tue–Sat 11:30–21:30 and Sunday 11:30–21:00, with a break from 14:40 to 19:00, and closed on Mondays.

• Live Wando abalone delivered daily
• Abalone course specialist
• Private rooms for 4–8 and banquet rooms for 16–20
• Abalone available to buy

Getting there from Yesulhoegwan Station

It is about 371 m on foot from Exit 1 of Yesulhoegwan Station, 100 m ahead from the parking lot entrance of Homeplus Guwol. If you turn into the alley by the gomtang (beef bone soup) restaurant right in front of Jeonbokchon (Dongnamjip), there is a ground-level parking lot behind.

Is parking easy at Jeonbokchon?

The spots in front of the restaurant fill up quickly. There is a dedicated lot right across the street where you can park comfortably. We came on a weekday lunch and the front was already full. The parking situation alone told me how popular this place is.

Jeonbokchon exterior and room atmosphere

The exterior is quiet and wood-toned. You feel the calm, dignified mood from the outside, and it looks right for an in-law meeting or an important gathering.

We were taken straight to our reserved room. Inside, it was floor seating with a low floor and an open space under the table for your legs. I hadn't seen this setup in a while, and it felt nostalgic and homey.

There are private rooms for 4–8 and banquet rooms for 16–20, so you can book by party size. It suits in-law meetings, family gatherings and group events.

Jeonbokchon abalone set: price and what's included

We ordered three abalone sets. The set is ₩39,000 per person, and I noted the total for three as ₩118,000. Food started arriving right at opening time, 11:30.

A small serving of abalone innards porridge comes first as an appetizer, along with black sesame salad and white kimchi. Then the main dishes arrive one after another, and the lineup is quite generous.

The 13 main dishes of the abalone set

The Jeonbokchon abalone set ran through 13 dishes: nurungji-tang (scorched rice soup), rolls, abalone sushi, raw abalone, vinegar-dressed abalone, fried shrimp, steamed abalone, fried fish, abalone innards salad, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), cabbage and kodari (semi-dried pollack) salad, and beef bulgogi.

The most memorable dish: raw abalone

The raw abalone stood out most in the course. These are not the tiny pieces you find in the usual abalone porridge but big, plump abalone. The crunchy, springy texture was superb, and I had never eaten raw abalone like this before.

Even though the same ingredient kept coming, every dish tasted different, so I was never bored. The texture and flavor changed along the way, so I enjoyed it to the very end.

Meal and dessert: abalone seaweed soup and plum tea

About 20 minutes later, the meal comes: abalone seaweed soup with rice and 3 side dishes, and finally plum tea as dessert. It was a perfect flow for an abalone course.

Is the Jeonbokchon abalone set worth going back for?

I've had hanjeongsik (Korean full-course meals) before, but an abalone course was a first, which felt new and fun, and it was a great experience to taste so many abalone dishes at once. I was happy with both the space and the food, and I plan to book again next time.

Who I recommend it to

• Anyone wanting a special course meal in Guwol-dong
• Anyone looking for a dignified place for an in-law meeting
• Anyone wanting a special meal with their parents
• Anyone who wants to enjoy abalone in many different ways
• Anyone needing a space for group gatherings or banquets