Weeknight date BBQ in Gajeong, Incheon: ₩62,000 pork set, Heukdwaeji

If you're looking for a BBQ place in Ruwon City, Seo-gu, Incheon, check out Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch (흑돼지형제들 가정루원시티본점)! I went while looking for a weekday dinner date spot, and not only do they grill the meat for you, the aged black pork quality was better than I expected. I'd especially recommend it for group dinners or family meals in Ruwon City.

Where is Heukdwaeji Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch, and what about parking?

Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch is a 6-minute walk from Exit 6 of Gajeong Station. For parking, you use the building's lot, and they cover a whole 3 hours. (Amazing!)

I visited around 8pm on a Tuesday, a little past the dinner peak, so I got in right away with no wait. Still, the place was already full of diners, which made me feel it's a well-known spot by word of mouth in Ruwon City.

The tables are wide, so eating was comfortable. With 3 hours of parking, you could even go to a café after your meal and still have time, so it's especially handy if you drive. And if you're planning a visit, I recommend reserving first. You get a dessert naengmyeon (cold noodles) coupon when you do, haha.

Heukdwaeji menu and prices: how much food do two people get?

We ordered the aged Jirisan black pork raw set! It combines pork neck and pork belly, comes as 3 servings, and cost ₩62,000. It's enough for two people to get full, and on top of that they gave us muksabal (acorn jelly soup) and steamed egg as free service. These days you usually have to order steamed egg separately at BBQ places, so getting it free was amazing.

On the menu, gochujang stew and doenjang sulbap (soybean paste stew with rice) looked like popular items, and our pick was the doenjang sulbap! With so many dishes that go well with meat, I thought it'd be a good place for a group dinner too.

Pre-seared aged black pork: how did it taste?

Heukdwaeji had a wide range of side dishes to go with the meat. The mushroom wasabi and myeongi namul (wild garlic-chive pickles) stood out.

The pre-seared meat is gently kept warm again over a briquette fire, so you can enjoy tasty meat for a long time without it burning. I also thought the pre-searing would take a long time, but it was ready faster than expected. Best of all, you can see the owner pre-searing the meat in an open space, which made me trust the place.

The owner puts the pre-seared meat on the grill for you and lets you eat it at the best moment. At BBQ places the conversation often stops because you're busy grilling, but at Heukdwaeji there's none of that hassle, so I get why it's good for group dinners.

Aged pork neck that tastes like beef

The first thing I tried was the pork neck. The owner put a piece on my plate and said it tastes like beef, and honestly I thought that was a bit of an exaggeration? But wow... dipped lightly in coarse sea salt, it was really juicy and tender, and it did feel like beef. My companion also hates pork neck for being dry, but said this one was so tender it really felt like beef. The pork belly was satisfying too.

I happily alternated between the pork belly with its nutty fat layer and the tender pork neck.

Not-too-salty homemade meljeot and side combos

The homemade meljeot (salted anchovy dipping sauce) especially stays in my memory. Meljeot is usually so salty that you only dip a little, but Heukdwaeji's has great savory depth without being overly salty. So I dunked the meat right in. Haha.

Put meljeot on a lettuce wrap and add ssamjang (dipping paste) too, and it still wasn't salty and tasted great.

The mushroom sauce and wasabi combo? Need I say more~

With the myeongi namul too, there's no time to get sick of it, the meat just vanishes like magic, haha.

Finishing the meal with doenjang sulbap

The doenjang sulbap I ordered to finish the meal was satisfying too.

Heukdwaeji's doenjang sulbap isn't just a broth-only doenjang stew, it comes with rice in it, so it's a hearty finish! Next time I thought I'd definitely try the gochujang stew that so many people recommend.

The free steamed egg and muksabal were real treats too, so I finished them all!

Who is Heukdwaeji Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch good for?

If you're looking for a BBQ place in Ruwon City, I think Heukdwaeji is worth a visit at least once. With grilled-for-you aged black pork, clean side dishes and roomy parking, I recommend it for family meals and group dinners! The best part is, of course, that they grill it for you! If you want to enjoy meat at a relaxed pace, go go!