Low-smoke Korean BBQ in Sangdong, Mokpo for three generations: Simdon

Simdon Pyeonghwagwangjang ⏰ Hours 16:00 - 02:00 / 🚗 No parking lot (park on the main road in front) / Baby chair available / Baby tableware available / 📍 1st floor, 4-1 Wonhyeong-ro, Mokpo, Jeonnam

Why we drove from my in-laws' home in Hampyeong to a Mokpo BBQ restaurant

I chose Simdon Mokpo Pyeonghwagwangjang Branch because the meat comes out already grilled, which looked easy for eating with a baby. Mokpo is only about 30 minutes from my in-laws' place in Hampyeong! There's the sea, and you can ride a bike at Pyeonghwa Square, so we go to Mokpo a lot.

This time too we went to Mokpo to let my son ride his bike and get some sea breeze. My father-in-law loves meat, so we looked for a BBQ place in Mokpo, and since Simdon Pyeonghwagwangjang serves everything fully grilled, it seemed fine for my little guy too. So off we went.

Parking and atmosphere at Simdon Mokpo Pyeonghwagwangjang Branch

Simdon has no parking lot of its own, so you park in front or along the nearby main road. The yellow sign really stands out haha. I tried to park right in front, but sadly there was no space, so I parked on the main road nearby. Again, there's no parking lot!

There's a sign outside with the menu, so you can check dishes and prices before going in~

Maybe because it was a weekend evening, it was almost full. Lots of young people haha. So this is a Mokpo hotspot!!

They have a baby chair and baby tableware, so it seems good for families too!

Simdon menu and kiosk ordering: what 3 adults and a baby ordered

You order by kiosk at Simdon, and the menu is posted big on the kiosk and the restaurant wall. For 3 adults and 1 baby, we ordered the large Simdon mixed platter (₩59,000).

We like set menus, so we went with the large mixed platter!

• Simdon mixed platter ₩59,000
• Simdon fried rice, 2 servings ₩7,000
• Total ₩66,000

As a service for guests, they'll give you a hair tie if you ask, plus blankets, phone charging, hand warmers (winter only) and even pineapple enzyme to help digestion! Little touches like these make the experience~

The platter comes out grilled, which is why it takes about 15-20 minutes, they said. The platter has pork belly, pork neck and pork skin! Plus lots of vegetables haha.

Free doenjang rice soup, sauces and side dishes at Simdon

After you order, Simdon gives you doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice soup) for free. Sauces include roasted soybean powder, spicy sauce, wasabi, herring roe, lamb skewer seasoning powder(?), ssamjang (dipping paste), and even Maldon salt.

So many sauces haha. Soybean powder, spicy sauce, wasabi, herring roe, lamb skewer powder(?), ssamjang. And there's Maldon salt too, though it's not in the photo.

The pajeori (seasoned scallion salad) was a little unusual: instead of long strips it was chopped small. But that way it soaked up the sauce and was easy to eat! And there was myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic leaves), which I love haha.

Once the basic setup was done, we boiled the doenjang rice soup until bubbling and it was heavenly~

Is Simdon's mixed platter smoky if you bring a baby?

Simdon's mixed platter arrives fully cooked, so there's almost no smoke, and at the table you just keep it warm while eating. The staff told us to only lightly cook the vegetables.

The mixed platter has finally arrived! The meat is all cooked, so you really don't have to do anything!!! With a kid we tend to avoid BBQ places that get too smoky, but since it comes fully grilled, there was hardly any smoke and we just kept it warm while eating, so it was easy haha.

The pork belly and pork neck are both so good~ I wrapped them with my favorites: lettuce, myeongi namul, wasabi and bean sprouts. Yum!

The pork skin is chewy and good too. It isn't tough, actually soft, and even better dipped in the sauces. My picky father-in-law said it was so delicious and kept eating haha.

3 ways to eat Korean BBQ, as posted on Simdon's wall

The wall at Simdon has tips for eating the meat well. There are three: dolgim (rock seaweed) + ssambu (pickled radish wraps) + herring roe, Maldon salt + wasabi, and scallions soaked in the special sauce. Gotta try them!

First: rock laver (dolgim), pickled radish and herring roe

Wrapping with dolgim feels kind of new.

Second: Maldon salt and wasabi

This combo seems already proven haha. The Maldon salt is kind of pretty too haha.

Third: scallion salad in Simdon's special sauce

Thinly sliced scallions soaked well in the special sauce are salty-sweet and tasty haha. They go well with the meat~

Hair ties by kiosk request and baby chairs at Simdon

At Simdon you can request a hair tie from the kiosk's service menu and they bring it over. My hair was bothering me, so I requested a hair tie on the kiosk and they brought it.

There's a baby chair, and my son must think the meat is good too, because he ate well on his own haha.

Simdon fried rice: 7,000 won for 2 servings, too much for two?

Simdon fried rice can only be ordered in 2-serving units, at ₩7,000 for 2. It's stir-fried separately and has meat in it.

We added fried rice at the end~ ₩7,000 for 2 servings and it's that good. If only two people go, I think it would be way too much..?! It has meat in it so it's even better, and it's good wrapped in dolgim too~

Pineapple enzyme, ice cream and deodorizer to finish the meal

After the meal at Simdon you can ask for pineapple enzyme, which comes as a powder. I asked after eating and it was powder like this! I tapped it into my mouth~

I joined the Naver receipt review event and got Excellent ice cream. All of us enjoyed dessert too haha.

They thoughtfully have a deodorizer too, so we all gave ourselves a spritz haha.

Things to see at Mokpo Pyeonghwa Square after dinner at Simdon

After eating at Simdon, walk through the Street of Youth to Pyeonghwa Square and you can catch the dancing fountain show. Happily strolling through the Street of Youth to the square to watch the dancing fountain ❤️

Good food, then the seaside and a fountain show: what a happy day~