Icheon beef BBQ restaurant: 850g special-cuts platter for two, Jowatso

Traveling around, there are moments when my DINK husband and I completely agree on what to eat. Today it was: let's eat beef! Deciding on the menu took no time at all... This time we went looking for a good Janghowon beef restaurant and ended up at Jowatso in Icheon. I went with my beef-loving husband, whom I affectionately call "Young Forty" (영포티), and to cut to the chase — once again, the two of us demolished 3-4 servings' worth! Well, I ate about one serving and the rest went to my husband, the pig... Today's observation of Young Forty Husband begins.

What Jowatso looks like inside, and what's on the self-bar

We came to Icheon on a trip and found our way to Jowatso as a Janghowon beef restaurant. At a beef place the menu matters, but I always end up checking out the atmosphere and the basic side dishes too. I especially love pairing lots of different things with my meat, so a varied spread of side dishes is always a welcome sight!

Inside, it had that comfortable, classic beef-restaurant vibe, and there was a separate self-bar too. Being able to grab more side dishes whenever you need them means no awkward staring-contest moments mid-meal, which I really appreciated.

Free beef hangover soup and ground beef to take home at Jowatso

Looking at all the touches inside the restaurant, the consideration for customers really stood out: of course they had baby chairs on hand! A fan so you don't get too hot while grilling! Tasty beef hangover soup, free!! And they even give you free ground beef to cook up a side dish at home!!! Like... is there anything left in it for them?

It's located in Janghowon-eup, Icheon-si — we visited after a trip to the Icheon Lotte Premium Outlets nearby.

Signature special-cuts platter: 850g for 89,000 won

Jowatso's main menu is all beef, and what we ordered was the signature special-cuts platter. At 850g for ₩89,000, it felt like great value. It's meant for 3-4 people, but since we have our mighty Young Forty on hand, the two of us were splitting it. Got a table, order placed~

My Young Forty husband, seriously waiting...

Huh? The meat's here — where did he go? Someone's got to grill it~!!

The marbling on this special-cuts platter was just... you could even see the grain and thickness of the meat in photos, which got me excited before it even hit the grill. The portion was seriously huge too, and I suddenly worried whether the two of us could actually finish it.

Sizzle~~ The moment the meat hit the grill, my grilling-expert Young Forty husband started working it with flair~ Conversation paused briefly while he focused, and honestly it was so charming that I think I might be turning into a pig too.

Eating is urgent, but grilling gets serious focus. His concentration is only ever this strong in situations like this.

How the beef tastes: first bite plain, then wraps your own way

Once the meat was cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces, we got down to business — and the rule is the first bite goes in with absolutely nothing on it!! The meat just melts in your mouth, something you wouldn't understand unless you've tried it~~ I wrapped mine in perilla leaf with wasabi and chili, while

my husband put a piece of meat on lettuce with all the fixings and ate it in one bite. Even with the same meat, our eating styles were pretty different. Something he said really stuck with me — if this place were right in front of our house, we'd come every single day. I completely agreed. Rare moment of total agreement between us!

We also topped some sushi rice with beef — probably a dish we'd have ordered more of if we weren't already full. It brought a different kind of fun compared to just eating the meat plain.

Finishing the meal with beef hangover soup and nurungjitang

Partway through the meat, we started sipping the warm beef hangover soup that came as a free side, and this was seriously delicious too! A hot spoonful of soup between bites of meat clears your palate and lets you start fresh. One bowl of broth and you feel completely reset! And so the eating show continues~!!

The nurungjitang (scorched rice soup) we'd also ordered arrived too. We had originally planned to get a bowl of rice, but I gave myself a pat on the back for choosing nurungji instead. Adding the warm broth made the whole meal that much more satisfying. Whenever I go to a beef restaurant, I like pairing the meat with a rice or soup dish rather than stopping at just the meat, so I was pretty pleased. And of course my Young Forty husband inhaled it like a vacuum cleaner too.

We tried all the side dishes that came with the meat one by one. Rather than just eating piece after piece of meat, mixing in vegetables and sauces changed the flavor each time. I especially liked that this kind of spread lets each person build their own favorite combination.

Is there a wait at Jowatso in the evening, and can two people go?

After eating at Jowatso this time, I'd say it's a solid, filling meal for a day when you're craving beef in Janghowon. As evening came, the tables kept filling up... and eventually there was a wait. Seemed like it's known as a local favorite. Between the meat, the sides, and the soup, we were properly full. And best of all, if you're a couple who both love meat like us, there's zero fighting over the menu!! Plus eating this much beef and still feeling this satisfied... honey, I think we nailed it~!!

Today's Young Forty husband observation log

• Perfectly normal before the meat arrives
• Focus level rises once meat hits the grill
• Talks less once the meat is cooked
• Endless rapid chopstick action

Once he's done eating, I'm sure he'll go back to being his normal self.

When we travel, we see plenty of pretty scenery, go to cafés, and look around at all sorts of things, but sometimes it's these moments — sitting across from each other enjoying good food — that stick with me most. Especially when you're eating beef with someone who really eats well, it somehow makes me eat more too. Jowatso, the beef restaurant we sought out on a craving in Janghowon. My Young Forty husband ate heartily right to the very end, and I had a solid, filling meal too. And as always, without fail... I got a photo of the meat before I got a photo of my husband! I think I'm finally getting the hang of this whole living-with-a-blogger-wife thing. Today's Young Forty husband observation: complete!