Gwacheon Korean restaurant with bibimbap and tteokgalbi: Bibisam

I went to Bibisam Gwacheon Main Branch (비비삼 과천본점), a bibimbap restaurant in Gwacheon, for lunch. My husband and I each ordered one of two kinds of Hwangdeung toryeom bibimbap with a tteokgalbi (grilled minced meat patty) set, choosing Korean beef and Korean pork respectively.

What are the location and parking like?

The address is 10-13 Saesulmak-gil, Suite 101, 1F, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It was described as close to a subway-station exit, and it was easy to find because it is directly across from Gwacheon Hillstate.

I used the street public parking lot behind the fire station by the rear entrance. At the time, it cost ₩900 for the first 30 minutes and ₩400 for each additional 10 minutes. The hours listed in the original post were daily from 11:00 to 22:00, with last orders at 20:30.

What are the seating and ordering system like?

At the time of my visit, it had only recently opened, and the exterior was neat.

Inside, there were tables for two, four, and eight. It was easy to move between the tables, and the seating was comfortable.

Each table had a kiosk, so I could order and pay from my seat.

When the food was ready, a notification appeared on the tablet, and I collected it from the serving counter.

Everything from collecting the food to returning dishes was self-service, but the staff were kind, so I did not find it inconvenient.

The self-service bar had white kimchi, miso soup, and sesame oil. The table was supplied with seaweed flakes, wet wipes, and utensils.

What are the à la carte prices and set options?

The à la carte prices recorded in the original post were ₩9,000 for vegetable bibimbap, ₩11,000 for Hwangdeung toryeom octopus bibimbap, and ₩10,000 for stone-pot fish roe rice. I felt they were reasonable prices for lunch.

The set came with tteokgalbi and a fried egg. I could choose either Korean pork or Korean beef tteokgalbi.

A notice stated that they use Korean beef, Korean pork, and domestically produced rice, and do not use meat tenderizer in their yukhoe (Korean beef tartare).

How is the Hwangdeung toryeom bibimbap served?

The Hwangdeung toryeom bibimbap here was described as rice mixed with seasoning first, then topped with ingredients. This method is said to originate in the Hwangdeung area of Iksan.

At first, the red rice made me worry that it would be spicy, but the rice itself was warm and savory rather than hot. There were also instructions to mix it gently with chopsticks before eating.

How were the bulgogi and octopus bibimbap sets?

My husband and I ordered different bibimbap and tteokgalbi combinations as sets.

I chose Hwangdeung toryeom bulgogi bibimbap with the Korean beef tteokgalbi set.

My husband chose Hwangdeung toryeom octopus bibimbap with the Korean pork tteokgalbi set.

How did the bulgogi bibimbap and Korean beef tteokgalbi taste?

The seasoned rice was topped with sweet bulgogi, chewy mushrooms, shredded radish salad, bean sprouts, bracken fern, and seasoned spinach. It was seasoned just right for me, so I did not need to add more sauce.

The Korean beef tteokgalbi that came with it was thick yet tender. It became more savory as I chewed.

How spicy was the octopus bibimbap?

My husband's octopus bibimbap was generously topped with plump, firm pieces of octopus.

The octopus was seasoned separately. My husband said it went well with the vegetables, with a balanced peppery aroma and spice, and finished the whole bowl.

The Korean pork tteokgalbi arrived on a hot plate with a soft-yolk fried egg.

The white kimchi I brought from the self-service bar also went well with the meal. For me, it was a mild, easy-on-the-stomach meal. With its range of table sizes, I thought it would suit a solo lunch, a family meal, or dining with a larger group.

It was introduced as a place with a wait, but this original post did not record an actual wait time or how waiting worked. I liked the seasoning of the bibimbap and the tteokgalbi set, and would like to return.