Yeoju chicken restaurant: two flavors at Seorak Makguksu

On a day trip to Yeoju, I was craving meat grilled over charcoal for dinner, so I went to Seorak Makguksu Chuncheon Dakgalbi Yeoju IC Branch (설악막국수 춘천닭갈비 여주IC점). Unlike dakgalbi stir-fried on a hot plate, this restaurant grills it directly over charcoal. I ordered one serving each of charcoal-grilled dakgalbi and soy-sauce dakgalbi, along with bibim makguksu and doenjang jjigae.

Is it easy to reach from Yeoju IC, and is parking available?

The restaurant is at 483 Sejong-ro, Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do. It was easy to reach by car because it is close to Yeoju IC. The hours listed in the original post are 11:30–21:30, with a break from 15:30–16:30 and last order at 20:30. The regular closing day is Tuesday.

There is free parking directly in front of the restaurant, so I did not need to look for a separate parking lot nearby. The space was fairly roomy, and I thought it would be convenient for several people arriving by car.

Is it suitable for a family meal or a larger group?

The interior was more spacious and clean than I expected. I had been concerned about smoke and smells because it is a charcoal-grill restaurant, but it felt comfortable overall during my visit. There were plenty of tables, so it seemed suitable for a family meal or for several people dining together during an outing in Yeoju. I could take as much of the basic side dishes as needed from the self-service bar.

What did I order, and how much did it cost?

I wanted to compare the two marinades, so I ordered one serving each of charcoal-grilled dakgalbi and soy-sauce dakgalbi. The dishes I ordered and the prices listed in the original post were as follows.

• Charcoal-grilled dakgalbi, 250 g: ₩16,000
• Soy-sauce dakgalbi, 250 g: ₩16,000
• Bibim makguksu: ₩10,000
• Doenjang jjigae: ₩5,000
• Saero: ₩5,000

The basic side dishes included ssam vegetables such as lettuce and perilla leaves, kimchi varieties, shredded cabbage, and dongchimi. When the seasoning or smoky charcoal flavor of the dakgalbi felt strong, the cool dongchimi was refreshing alongside it. The cabbage also went well with the meat.

Do you have to grill the dakgalbi yourself?

During my visit, a staff member placed both types of dakgalbi on the charcoal grill and cooked them for us. They turned the pieces over periodically and cut them into bite-sized pieces, so I could wait without worrying about the right grilling time. They grilled the rice cakes alongside the chicken, too.

The staff kept an eye on the meat so the marinade would not burn, leaving the dakgalbi nicely browned on the outside and moist inside. I liked being able to eat comfortably and talk without having to stay busy grilling the meat myself.

How different were the charcoal-grilled and soy-sauce dakgalbi?

The charcoal-grilled dakgalbi combined a spicy marinade with a subtle charcoal aroma. The inside was fairly moist rather than dry. The soy-sauce dakgalbi was savory and sweet without tasting too intense. Alternating between the two kept the meal from feeling repetitive, and the rice cakes grilled alongside them were pleasantly chewy.

Did the doenjang jjigae and bibim makguksu go well with the dakgalbi?

The doenjang jjigae came in a hot earthenware pot with tofu, green onion, and mushrooms. Its savory, mildly spicy broth was good to sip between bites of dakgalbi.

I also tried placing a piece of charcoal-grilled dakgalbi and some side dishes over rice. The spicy marinade was well balanced with the rice, and I could taste the smoky charcoal aroma as well.

The bibim makguksu arrived in a large bowl with buckwheat noodles, spicy sauce, seaweed flakes, cucumber, and vegetables. Once mixed, it was tangy and spicy, making it a good way to refresh my palate after eating the dakgalbi.

I especially liked placing a piece of dakgalbi on the makguksu. The chewy noodles and tangy-spicy sauce worked well with the charcoal aroma of the chicken. If I stop by Yeoju again, I would like to have the charcoal-grilled dakgalbi and bibim makguksu together again.