Charcoal-grilled jokbal near Yeonsinnae Station, Seoul: Gwihanjokbal

The sky's looking so autumn-y and the weather makes it hard to stay home~~ I went to Gwihanjokbal, a Yeonsinnae favorite, on a weekday. The weather's been so nice it feels like the perfect day for an outing^^

It's not far from Yeonsinnae Station, which is great, and I was really craving jokbal that day so it tasted even better^^ Wondering where to go and what to eat?? I didn't have to think twice.

The taste of jokbal matters, but so does whether it's boiled cleanly without any gamey smell, and whether the lean meat and fat are well balanced~ After tasting it, I understood why people come looking for Gwihanjokbal^^

Inside Gwihanjokbal Yeonsinnae: atmosphere and seating

I found a great spot for a date~~ Gwihanjokbal Yeonsinnae has a spacious, pleasant layout. It'd also be perfect for a group dinner!!

I wanted to eat the moment I walked in!!

Let's take a look at the menu board^^

How does the jokbal taste? Mild, with no gamey smell

Ta-da~~ We had the jokbal first, and the glossy shine on it made my mouth water before I even took a bite. One piece was chewy without being too tough, and the lean meat part was soft and tender to chew — great texture.

In particular, I barely noticed the gamey smell jokbal can sometimes have — it was mild but had a subtle savoriness that kept me reaching for more.

Jokbal is delicious plain, but dip it lightly in salted shrimp or eat it wrapped with garlic ssamjang and it's a whole different flavor. Placing a piece of jokbal on lettuce with garlic and eating it as a wrap, all sorts of flavors came together in my mouth — really delicious!!

How big is the makguksu portion?

Can't have jokbal without makguksu, right? The makguksu at Gwihanjokbal Yeonsinnae comes in a big portion and is chewy and delicious!!

The portion of makguksu is huge, right??

If jokbal alone feels like not enough, order bossam (boiled pork wraps) alongside it and share — makes for an abundant spread!!

I had a lovely date for two.

Want to have a cool drink and feel good about it?? Then I recommend Gwihanjokbal.

The shredded radish side dish was delicious too, it disappeared fast.. To really taste makguksu at its best~~ have it together with jokbal!! Enjoy!!

Everything's cut into good bite-sized pieces. The sweet and tangy makguksu freshens up and elevates the flavor of the jokbal even more.

What is the charcoal-grilled jokbal like?

While on the date someone joined us, so we ordered the charcoal-grilled jokbal too^^ It was full of smoky char flavor and delicious^^

A completely different flavor from the regular jokbal — I'd recommend it to anyone who loves smoky char!! The chewy, tender texture that's classic jokbal was still there, but the charcoal aroma spreading in my mouth was really great. I felt like it cut through the richness and kept me eating, a satisfying but not-too-heavy flavor. If you love that smoky char taste, I recommend it^^

You can see the smoky char all over it in the photos, right?? If you're looking for a good spot for dinner and drinks with friends or coworkers in the evening, I recommend this place!!

Add the rice balls for a filling meal

Rice balls are another menu item you can't skip^^

With the rice balls, it was a perfect combination^^ I found a truly satisfying meal^^ I've bookmarked it as a great spot for a date, and a great spot for a group dinner. Now that the hot summer's over, if you're looking for something delicious to eat this cool autumn, I recommend Gwihanjokbal in Yeonsinnae.