Gangseo Korean restaurant with mango cream shrimp: Hwarodam

My daughters love lamb skewers! It had been ages since our last lamb-skewer fix, and they kept pestering me to go because a friend had recommended a delicious place, so we decided to visit together this time, haha.

I went in with high expectations after hearing that this was a place for juicy lamb skewers without any gamey smell. Once I tried them, I immediately understood why...🫢 From the thick lamb skewers made with fresh lamb under one year old, with no off smell and wonderful flavor, to guobaorou (sweet-and-sour fried pork) with that crisp-outside, chewy-inside charm, mango cream shrimp with a bouncy, chewy texture and sweet nuttiness, and warm noodle soup with rich, steaming broth! Every single menu item was satisfying, and I instantly understood why we had been told we absolutely had to visit.

Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok: location and parking

Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok (화로담양꼬치 마곡) is on the second floor of Queens Park 10 near Magok Station, so it is easy to find, and its exterior looks quite upscale. Basement levels 1 and 2 get very busy, so parking on basement level 3 is more convenient.

Spacious tables and private rooms

The interior was noticeably upscale and stylish—I actually thought, “Is this really a lamb-skewer restaurant?” The tables are well spaced, and partitions divide the space nicely, making for a cozy, comfortable meal.

I took a seat at a spacious table.

Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok, a great spot for company dinners in Magok, also has neat private rooms that accommodate from 6 to more than 20 people. It looked ideal not only for family meals but also for all kinds of gatherings and work dinners.

Young lamb and what we ordered

Only carefully selected lamb under one year old is used here, after a secret aging process! Hwarodam Yang Kkochi Magok has a substantial selection of grilled items, including lamb ribs (French rack and shoulder rack), fresh lamb sirloin, lamb flower-rib meat, lamb sirloin skewers, thick lamb skewers, and intercostal lamb skewers. There are also dishes such as mango cream shrimp, guobaorou, crispy fried eggplant, mapo tofu, and stir-fried tomato and egg. There is also a generous lunch-special set menu (11:30–13:30) to fill up office workers in Magok and Balsan, so keep that in mind.

• Thick lamb skewers (250g) ₩18,000 × 2
• Mango cream shrimp ₩19,000 × 2
• Guobaorou (medium) ₩19,000
• Warm noodle soup ₩8,000

First, the high-heat charcoal grill arrived.

Gungchae (stem lettuce), white kimchi, and Hwarodam's three special sauces came out too: chive-flower sauce, secret soy sauce, and seasoning sauce.

The thick lamb skewers made their entrance right away too.

Can you see how thick these lamb skewers are? This was my first time seeing lamb skewers this thick 😎 Even after aging and par-grilling the thick fresh meat, they were still so~~~ thick.

Guobaorou and mango cream shrimp

The dishes started arriving too, along with seasoned shredded radish, which was a wonderful match for the lamb skewers.

Here are the beautifully colored guobaorou and mango cream shrimp.

The warm noodle soup was filling, with chewy noodles and rich broth. Since the lamb skewers came par-grilled, all we had to do was grill them until golden. Even the wait was so happy!

While the lamb skewers rolled around and cooked deliciously, shall we start with the dishes? 😌😌

We cut the large guobaorou into easy-to-eat pieces. Personally, I do not like guobaorou sauce when it is too sour, so I worried it might be overly tart as I tried a piece. But the sweet-and-sour balance was just right, and it was wonderfully sticky and chewy—really delicious.

Mango cream shrimp had every single thing I love in it, so I will not even bother saying more!~ I will just say this: we finished it and ordered another plate~~~ haha. Seriously, the plump fried shrimp and sweet-and-tangy sauce clung so perfectly to the palate that we practically washed the plate clean...

The lamb skewers were taking on that charcoal aroma, giving off a nutty scent~ They were turning beautifully golden and looking so delicious that my mouth was watering.

Moist, thick lamb skewers without any gamey smell

Now then, time to taste them! After trying a piece each, my daughters were delighted, saying there was none of that characteristic lamb smell, while the outside was crisp and the inside moist, with savory juices bursting out~

With the three special sauces, the savory flavor of the lamb became even deeper and more refined. These delicious sauces truly did their job as secret sauces! My family especially loved the secret soy sauce, saying its spiciness really woke up their appetites~ They called these their best-ever lamb skewers...

It was a day of properly enjoying lamb skewers with an upscale flavor for the first time in a while ✨ The reason for using only young lamb was crystal clear: there was absolutely none of lamb's characteristic gamey smell, while the tender bite and abundant juices were truly impressive. Add the three special sauces, each with its own appeal, and it was fun to enjoy the lamb in different ways depending on your taste!