Gangnam Korean BBQ pork belly with basil pesto: Hwaseol

I was trying to figure out where to get good meat in Gangnam, and this time I ended up at Hwaseol Gangnam. There are so many restaurants around Gangnam Station or Sinnonhyeon Station that it's never easy to pick when I'm meeting someone there, but that day I really wanted proper meat, so I went with a Korean BBQ place~~~

Where Hwaseol Gangnam Direct Branch is and what the room feels like

Hwaseol Gangnam is between Gangnam Station Exit 10 and Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 7, so it was easy to find! It really wasn't a bad walk even from Gangnam Station itself.

Once inside, the vibe felt a bit different from your average Korean BBQ spot haha. The wood interior has a slightly exotic feel, so even though I came for meat, it kind of felt like they cared about the atmosphere too?! The tables also had decent spacing, so it didn't feel too cramped next to the neighboring table~~

Hwaseol Gangnam menu and pork belly prices

You order through a kiosk, and there's a review event going on, so if you visit, try joining! The menu has pork belly, pork neck, and more, and on the Hwaseol menu there's 'Korean pork belly ribs,' listed at ₩17,000 for 150g. We ordered 2 servings~~~

There were a lot of side dishes and add-on menu items too.

They even had wine among the alcohol options, so it seemed perfect for a company dinner or group gathering.

Banchan and the sauce lineup at Hwaseol

The banchan (side dishes) were done in a current style — white kimchi, green onion kimchi, salad, and so on — and with salt, salted seafood, basil pesto, wasabi and more, there was real fun in mixing and matching combinations!

Grilling the Korean pork belly ribs under the table hood

The pork belly finally arrived! It looked pretty thick, so I got excited! Pork belly always stirs up the appetite the moment it hits the grill haha. As it sizzled and cooked, that savory smell started rising, and by then I was already hungry ㅠ

One thing I liked about Hwaseol was how comfortable the grilling process was! At most BBQ places, you're constantly flipping and tending the meat yourself, and the conversation kind of stalls while you fuss over it — but this time I could focus on the meal more comfortably (of course, I still grilled it myself lol). Watching the meat turn golden brown and eating it at just the right timing made the whole thing feel a lot more relaxed!

The meat cooking away nicely,,,

One thing that always bugs me at BBQ places is how much your clothes end up smelling like meat afterward, but Hwaseol has a hood installed at every table, so (as long as it's positioned right) the smoke and smell weren't too bothersome during the meal! That's definitely a plus on a day when you want to eat cleanly.

Salt, wasabi or basil pesto: which pairing was best?

I first tried the well-cooked pork belly dipped lightly in salt, and honestly, I felt like the basic combo is still the tastiest for pork belly!!! The outside was browned and the inside stayed juicy, so it was great for tasting the meat itself haha. Next I tried it topped with wasabi and pickled onion, and personally I liked this combo too! The sharp kick of the wasabi cut through the pork belly's rich, savory fattiness so cleanly that I kept reaching for more~~

And the combo that surprised me a bit was the basil pesto! At first I wondered whether basil pesto would even go with pork belly, but once I actually tried it together, it was better than expected? It had a flavor quite different from the usual ssamjang or salt, so it was nice to reach for whenever I wanted something a little different in between bites. Of course, the pickled onion is a must 👍

And you really can't skip eating pork belly alongside kimchi or radish salad either~~~ Switching up the side dish with each bite of meat made the same pork belly taste different every time!!

Two servings for two: is Hwaseol good for a company dinner?

More than anything, this was a day where I felt like I really focused on and properly enjoyed two servings of pork belly!!! Hwaseol also sells a wide range of Korean beef and wagyu dishes, but their pork menu is pretty well put together too?! There's a Korean pork combo set with both pork belly and pork neck! Personally, coming as a twosome and just eating pork belly like this worked out well!!! Rather than ordering a bunch of different dishes, picking the meat you actually want and eating it slowly ended up being way more satisfying, good good.

I also felt like Hwaseol Gangnam isn't just a place to eat meat — it's a place to enjoy the atmosphere along with it! It works for a meal with friends or a date near Gangnam Station, and since the space is large with room-style seating available, it seems to get a lot of use for company dinners and group gatherings too haha. In actual visitor reviews, people often mention the spacious seating and private rooms as perks!

Overall, this visit to Hwaseol Gangnam felt like a solid choice for eating pork belly comfortably in a clean atmosphere! If you're looking for something a bit cleaner and more relaxed than the typical noisy Korean BBQ scene near Gangnam Station, this should suit you well~~~ Even though we only ordered two servings of pork belly, we still got to fully enjoy the meat's flavor along with the variety of sides — and I liked that you can choose anything from basic combos like salt and wasabi to something different like basil pesto, depending on your taste~~~ The restroom is indoors too, and I'd recommend it!