Pork bone stew spot in Ilsan Lafesta: medium pot for two, Mugan

Today I'm bringing you a piping hot review from a lunch date with my husband, our first one alone in a while!💕 I heard about a newly opened gamjatang (pork bone and potato stew) place near Lafesta in Janghang-dong, Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta, and after eating there I totally get why it's become the talk of Ilsan gamjatang fans 👍😁

What do Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta's exterior and interior look like?

Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta has an orange signboard and orange interior, so it stands out from the street. My first thought on arriving was, "Wow, this decor is really stylish!"

The orange sign and decor match gamjatang perfectly, so even from outside it already felt like a great find 👍 Little details like this show the owner's good taste, and my expectations went up before we even stepped in 😊

Clean, spacious dining room for office lunches and group dinners

Inside, it was much bigger than I expected, and the tables are nicely spaced. There are lots of offices around, so it's a great spot for a work lunch 👍 It also looked good for company dinners or get-togethers^^

We arrived a bit early, right at opening, and sat comfortably~ but later it was a total plot twist! haha

Can two people finish a medium gamjatang?

We ordered a medium gamjatang for the two of us at Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta, and we ended up finishing it down to the bottom of the pot. You order on the kiosk at each table^^

I suggested a small, you know? But my gamjatang-loving husband said, "What are you talking about, it's obviously medium" 😂 Worrying "what if we leave food behind," I went with the medium in the end!

The gamjatang came out soon after ordering, and wow, the look of it was unreal!!!

It's piled with green onions, with enoki mushrooms and big chunks of potato,

and the potatoes were exactly the thickness I like, which got me even more excited 💛 It already felt like a pass before the first bite 🥇🥇🥇

How were the gamjatang broth and the pork backbone meat?

The gamjatang here has a broth that gets better the longer it simmers, and the backbones are so tender, with so much meat on them, that the meat practically falls off by itself. We waited for it to bubble a little longer, and it looked so good that the waiting was torture 🤣 Get tasty, get tasty~~ haha

Finally, the gamjatang was ready: loaded with meat, so tender it comes off the bone on its own!!! haha

When I dipped the meat in the sauce on the table, the backbone meat was really soft and the savory flavor shot up!!

On top of that, I sprinkled in plenty of perilla powder, and the nutty, spicy broth was the best 👍 My husband kept saying "this place is really great" with a thumbs up 👍👍 My worry about ordering medium and leaving leftovers was totally unnecessary!! haha

At first I wondered if we could finish it, but as we kept going through the well-seasoned meat, potatoes and dried radish greens (ugeoji), at some point the bottom of the pot appeared haha See the traces of our fierce fight with the gamjatang🤣🤣🤣

It proved again that when food is really good, worrying about the portion is pointless 😆

Is there a wait at Mugan Gamjatang in Lafesta at lunchtime?

On a weekday, Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta filled up in no time right after 12:00. When we walked in there was plenty of room, but just after 12 customers kept pouring in and suddenly it was full!

Couples, groups of office workers, it filled up really fast!!👍 By the time we left, it looked like a wait was about to form 😳 You need to time your visit well here! haha

Is the staff at Mugan Gamjatang friendly?

The staff at Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta are really kind!! Service matters a lot to me, and seeing a female staff member explain things one by one to a customer who was struggling with ordering made me feel this place has the basics down haha A good restaurant that's also kind is reason enough to come back 👍

Kkakdugi and geotjeori side dishes and the self-serve corner

The kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and geotjeori (fresh kimchi) served with the meal didn't feel like throwaway sides, they went perfectly with the gamjatang!

The savory flavor was spot on, so I kept reaching for more 😊 Cheongyang chili peppers, onions, and the tasty kkakdugi and geotjeori kimchi can be refilled at the self-serve corner haha

A nice extra touch: Pepsi Zero Lime and two cups of ice

One thing at Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta really touched me!!! haha I ordered a drink, and they had my favorite, Pepsi Zero Lime! Having it was great already, but what surprised me more was that they gave us two cups of ice!! haha

It seems like nothing, but as a customer it's a total touching moment. I thought, "Wow, that kind of thoughtfulness can't be learned" 👍😁

Verdict: Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta for lunch

• ✔️ Properly good gamjatang
• ✔️ Generous portions
• ✔️ Top-notch friendliness
• ✔️ Thoughtful service makes it perfect👍

It's a gamjatang spot even my husband approves of, so we'll 100% be back 😊 If you're looking for a lunch place near Lafesta, I really recommend Mugan Gamjatang Ppyeoguii Ilsan Lafesta!👍👍👍

Hours, address and visitor info

• Location: 42-38 Mugunghwa-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00 ~ 23:00
• Signature dishes: grilled pork bones and gamjatang (boneless or with bones)