Yeongdeungpo lamb buffet date, grilled eggplant: Yangnam Yanghwa

🐑 A review and menu tips for Yangnam Yanghwa, a newly opened premium lamb rib restaurant in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo.

How did I find out about Yangnam Yanghwa?

Yangnam Yanghwa (양남양화) is an all-you-can-eat lamb restaurant near Mullae that has been going around on social media. I regularly browse SNS for good restaurants and cafés, and I thought I already knew every decent place around Mullae and Yeongdeungpo, where my girlfriend and I mostly hang out. I figured I had checked out nearly all the ones that appealed to me.

But what's this? A place caught my eye recently. Premium lamb ribs grilled for you at a price that doesn't hurt, and the meat looked exceptional! Just the photos on SNS, with that standout color and mouthwatering look, made me drool.

"Wait, there's a place like this in Mullae?"

As a lamb maniac, I couldn't possibly walk past it. Was the real taste and quality as good as it looked on screen? Let me tell you! It's all-you-can-eat, even with premium cuts! In a luxurious setting, all you have to do is keep eating the meat they grill for you.

Where is Yangnam Yanghwa, and what about parking?

Yangnam Yanghwa is in Yangpyeong-dong 1-ga, Seoul, between Mullae and Yeongdeungpo. It's right at the midpoint between Mullae Station (Line 2) and Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station (Line 5), 5–7 minutes on foot from both, so it's easy to reach from anywhere.

Parking isn't a worry either. There are plenty of public parking lots nearby, and apart from the designated spots in front of the shop, you can park along the line across the street. In the evening, the whole hardware-store street around it becomes easy parking too. The navigation address is Yangpyeong-dong 1-ga 9-19.

Walking down the street, a small wood-toned house-shaped shop with bright outdoor lighting welcomes you. That's Yangnam Yanghwa.

How do you book Yangnam Yanghwa?

Yangnam Yanghwa isn't on Catch Table yet, so I recommend booking through Naver. I heard it was created by remodeling a ground-floor house in an alley, and maybe that's why it feels so settled and comfortable.

It hasn't been open long, but word has spread so much that even though we came late on a weekday, it was full! If we'd been unlucky, we might have had to wait.

Seating and atmosphere inside Yangnam Yanghwa

The inside is all counter (dajji) seating. In the central hall, the staff carefully grill the meat for you.

Another zone, the central lounge, has an impressive view of a nicely decorated garden. With soft lighting and well-done plant décor, it's a perfect photo spot!

There's also a separate annex, which looked ideal for groups or anyone wanting a private setting.

Yangnam Yanghwa event: a free drink or highball

The events here are generous too: register one of Naver receipt review, Talk Talk alerts or following the shop, and you get a drink or a highball.

Do they grill the lamb ribs for you at Yangnam Yanghwa?

As soon as you sit down, they set out the basic sauces and side dishes. You can try several cuts with all sorts of sauces, so there's no time to get bored.

Once everything is set, the staff grill the meat with practiced skill. They plate it on your small dish and tell you which cut it is and which sauce goes best with it, which made it taste even better!

I've had lamb at many places in Seoul, but I think Yangnam Yanghwa was the most luxurious. The meat was wonderfully tender, and above all, because an expert grills it over charcoal, there was no gamey smell at all.

Side menu picks at Yangnam Yanghwa: garlic rice, grilled eggplant, bibim-myeon, seafood ramyeon

The garlic rice side with the lamb ribs was excellent too. The subtly spreading, nutty flavor of garlic blended with the rich meaty aroma of the lamb, and each lifted the other.

The grilled eggplant, which I love, came out too, and I was thrilled! The golden-grilled eggplant is chewy yet moist inside, with a wonderfully soft texture, and eaten alongside the lamb ribs the harmony in your mouth is considerable.

The sides at Yangnam Yanghwa are cheap and seemed like they'd pair well with the mains, so I kept ordering them. And meat with bibim-myeon, need I say more? It's already a proven combo!

The seafood ramyeon was also perfect for cleanly soothing the lingering highball I'd been sipping with the meat. I suggest filling up on meat first and having it in small bites with the meat toward the end.

Dessert and overall verdict on Yangnam Yanghwa

For dessert I even tried the hallabong sherbet, and left with a full belly. Yeongdeungpo and Mullae have so many restaurants with different concepts, but Yangnam Yanghwa's concept of an all-you-can-eat lamb rib restaurant was appealing in itself.

The lamb, atmosphere, service, menu, parking and transport access: nothing is missing, so it's good for dates and plenty of other occasions. Keep an eye on it!

Who I recommend Yangnam Yanghwa to

• Lamb maniacs who want to enjoy lamb ribs freely without worrying about the bill
• Beginners at grilling meat who want a comfortable meal with the grilling done for them
• Big eaters who want a hearty all-you-can-eat feast of premium lamb ribs
• Value-minded foodies who weigh meat quality, price and menu together
• Anyone who enjoys a variety of sides like garlic rice, bibim-myeon and seafood ramyeon
• Couples planning a date course combining Mullae's distinctive vibe and lamb
• Hotspot hunters who track down unusual restaurants that got buzz on SNS

It's newly opened, so go before it blows up in popularity 😚