Nowon Korean BBQ for two: pork neck with breadcrumb dip, Moksam Hwaro

I went back to Moksam Hwaro, a place I remembered fondly after visiting with friends last year and loving the meat. This time I came for dinner with my husband, and the staff-grilled pork neck and all the side dishes were still just as satisfying.

Among Nowon Station restaurants, having the meat grilled for us made it easy to just sit and talk with my husband over dinner!! The table next to us happened to be a group having a company dinner, and I could see why this place gets picked as a Nowon Station group dinner spot — nobody had to keep worrying about the grill.

Where is Moksam Hwaro? A 3–5 minute walk from Nowon Station Exit 1

Moksam Hwaro is a pork neck and pork belly restaurant about a 3–5 minute walk from Nowon Station Exit 1. I remembered how good the pork neck was when I first came here with friends last year, so this time I came back for dinner with my husband.

It wasn't just a one-time visit for me — it's the kind of Nowon Station restaurant that stuck in my mind, so I was quietly excited to come back. Moksam Hwaro is apparently run by a team that has spent 10 years researching pork neck and pork belly.

From the raw meat itself to the amount of charcoal and the distance between the grill and the coals, they've kept fine-tuning the conditions for grilling meat well, they say — and tasting it in person made it clear why pork neck is their signature.

What the couple ordered at Moksam Hwaro and what it cost

• Special pork neck (2 servings) ₩34,000
• Seafood doenjang stew (fermented soybean paste stew) ₩6,000
• Stir-fried rice ₩5,000
• 2 canned drinks ₩4,000

What comes with the pork at Moksam Hwaro, from Maldon salt to breadcrumbs

Once you sit down at Moksam Hwaro, a pretty wide variety of side dishes come out to eat with the meat. There's Maldon salt and wasabi, plus salted shrimp (myeoljeot), myeong-i namul (wild garlic leaves), and pa-kimchi (scallion kimchi), so you can try the pork neck in several different combinations.

What was especially fun was the sauce-and-breadcrumb combo. Dipping the meat in sauce and then lightly coating it in breadcrumbs added a savory crunch, almost like eating donkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) — a real treat.

When I wanted something plainer, I went for Maldon salt or wasabi, and in between I'd switch to myeoljeot or pa-kimchi — the same pork neck tasted a little different each time.

On top of that, we got a complimentary cheese steamed egg (gyeranjjim) piled with cheese!!!!!! My husband and I got to take a spoonful each before the meat arrived, and the soft egg custard loaded with cheese gave us a hearty start before the meal even began.

Does the staff grill the meat for you? Searing to finished pork neck

We ordered two servings of pork neck at Moksam Hwaro. The staff pre-sear the meat and then grill it right at the table until it's ready to eat, so we didn't have to keep tending the grill ourselves.

When you're deep in conversation with your husband over dinner, one person usually ends up stuck grilling — but at Moksam Hwaro you can just hand that job off, which made the whole meal much more relaxed. When you're looking for a date spot or company dinner place among Nowon Station meat restaurants, this kind of detail matters more than you'd think.

The thick-cut pork neck came grilled to just the right doneness, perfect for eating piece by piece right away. I started with just a light dip in salt to taste the meat on its own, then alternated with wasabi, myeoljeot, and pa-kimchi. I came back because I still remembered the pork neck from last year, and this time again I left with no regrets.

How to finish the meal: stir-fried rice and seafood doenjang stew

Stopping after two servings of pork neck felt like leaving something unfinished, so we also ordered Moksam Hwaro's stir-fried rice (₩5,000) and seafood doenjang stew (₩6,000). Finishing off the meat with fried rice is a combo I just can't skip, haha.

Adding the warm seafood doenjang stew alongside was a nice way to cleanse the palate and wrap up the meal after all that meat. With the two of us taking our time from pork neck through to the final dishes, it made for a really filling dinner.

For anyone at this Nowon Station restaurant who wants more than just meat — fried rice or stew rounded out the meal really well!!

Where to park near Moksam Hwaro in Nowon

Moksam Hwaro doesn't have its own parking lot in the building, so if you're driving you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot. The closest one is the Sanggye 2-dong public parking lot, about a 5-minute walk from the restaurant after parking.

Since it's an easy walk from Nowon Station, if you're planning to have a drink with your dinner, taking public transit might be the more convenient option.

Why the pork neck is what stays with you on a return visit

Coming back to Moksam Hwaro this time with my husband, after first visiting with friends last year — the pork neck itself was delicious, but what really stuck with me was being able to hand off the pre-searing and grilling entirely, and having so many ways to eat it, from Maldon salt and wasabi to myeoljeot, sauce, and breadcrumbs, so you're never locked into just one way of eating it.

It was a comfortable place for the two of us to eat and talk, which made it a solid Nowon Station date spot too. And since you don't have to worry about grilling the meat yourself, I'd also recommend it as a Nowon Station spot for group company dinners! If you're looking for a charcoal-grilled meat restaurant among Nowon Station eateries, Moksam Hwaro is worth considering :)