Changwon Korean restaurant for suyuk baekban: Myeongin Dwaeji Gukbap

Wanting a hot bowl of soup, I went to Myeongin Dwaeji Gukbap (명인돼지국밥) in Buk-myeon, Changwon. I debated between lean-meat gukbap and suyuk baekban (boiled pork set meal), then had suyuk baekban for dinner so I could enjoy both pork and soup.

Where is the restaurant, and is parking convenient?

The address is 897 Cheonju-ro, Buk-myeon, Uichang-gu, Changwon, Gyeongnam, South Korea. The parking lot in front of the restaurant was large, so parking was easy. The hours listed in the original post are 9:10 AM to 8:50 PM daily.

I arrived at 8:10 PM that day. I worried that ordering might already be closed, but there were diners eating, and more guests came in afterward. We ordered and ate comfortably. I liked that the tables were large and well spaced apart.

Why did I choose suyuk baekban instead of gukbap?

There were many kinds of gukbap, including pork, lean meat, sundae, all-sundae, offal, and mixed. There were also small side portions of sundae and suyuk. I considered the lean-meat gukbap before choosing suyuk baekban.

The price difference noted in the original post was about ₩3,000 more than gukbap. Since suyuk baekban came with soup as well as the pork, I liked feeling as though I was having two dishes together.

What came with the meal and was at the self-service bar?

The side dishes included fresh kimchi, kimchi, kkakdugi, dried shredded radish, and somyeon (thin wheat noodles). Pickled onions also came with the meal, though I was not sure whether they were specifically served with the suyuk baekban. Among the basic sides, the lettuce and house-made gan doenjang (thick fermented soybean paste) stood out. The gan doenjang was not too strong for me, so it went well with the pork or in lettuce wraps.

Extra side dishes were available from the self-service bar.

The self-service bar had fresh kimchi, kimchi, dried shredded radish, onions, and more, so I could refill any side dishes I needed.

Before the food arrived, I tried dipping a chili pepper in the gan doenjang. Its flavor was different from ordinary ssamjang, so I kept reaching for it, but the Cheongyang chili was very spicy for me.

How much pork was there, and what was it like?

We ordered suyuk baekban for two, and the portion of pork felt generous. When it first arrived, it looked as though we had ordered the suyuk separately.

The suyuk was warm, with a good balance of fat and lean meat. The meat was softly boiled, so it tasted good even on its own without other side dishes.

I made lettuce wraps with suyuk, gan doenjang, and chewy dried shredded radish. The texture of the radish worked well with the tender meat.

I also liked having the suyuk with only dried shredded radish, without making a wrap.

The gan doenjang was tasty even with rice alone, without the suyuk. Although we ordered one menu item, we could eat it in different ways: pork on its own, in lettuce wraps, or with gan doenjang added to rice.

How did I eat the soup that came with the meal?

Suyuk baekban also came with soup. I added the provided somyeon, loosened it in the soup, and ate it with kimchi.

I could add pepper, buchu geotjeori (fresh chive salad), and dadaegi (spicy seasoning paste) to suit my taste.

The kimchi and kkakdugi also went well with the soup. The kkakdugi in particular was nicely fermented and good to eat alongside it.

What stayed with me after the meal?

On the way out, I saw that cold coffee was available. It seemed as though it would be nice after the hot soup, but I was too full to try it myself.

At the time of my visit, there was also an event offering a drink for taking part in a review. That day, the generous suyuk and gan doenjang left me full, and the owner and staff were kind. Parking was easy, and I could enjoy the pork in several combinations, so I would like to stop by again.