Yeoju rice-set restaurant revisit: bulgogi set for two at Nadeulmok

Nadeulmok Yeoju Ssalbap

Yeoju is famous for its rice, right? I remembered enjoying a meal here once before, so after a while I came back for a revisit.

Where is Nadeulmok Yeoju Ssalbap, and when is it open?

Nadeulmok Yeoju Ssalbap

488-9 Sejong-ro, Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea 11:00–20:30, break time 15:30–17:00 Closed every Wednesday (closes early when ingredients run out)

This Yeoju outlet-area restaurant, Nadeulmok Yeoju Ssalbap, is closed every Wednesday and closes early once ingredients run out, so if you're planning a late visit it's probably best to call ahead.

There's dedicated parking inside the building, so I parked comfortably and headed in.

We were seated right away with no wait, but it seems like there could be waits during peak hours. They said if you register on the tablet, you'll get an entry notification via KakaoTalk.

A Yeoju county-designated rice restaurant!!! Nadeulmok in Yeoju, which the late President Roh Moo-hyun also once visited.

The place has an overall comfortable, clean atmosphere. Being near Yeoju IC, it's a good stop while on the move, and it's also convenient for a family visit. It's close to the Yeoju outlets too, so if you're looking for a good Yeoju rice restaurant, it's worth a visit.

Bulgogi set at 25,000 won per person, ordered for two

Orders require a minimum of two people, and one menu per person is mandatory for elementary school age and up! There's the Nadeulmok set (mackerel), bulgogi set, braised cutlassfish, and soy crab set, plus add-on options like mackerel, extra stone-pot rice, and fried eggplant.

Bulgogi set ₩25,000 x2. We ordered the bulgogi set for two.

Fried eggplant and japchae before the meal at Nadeulmok

After ordering, they brought out pre-meal dishes — lettuce salad, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), cheongpomuk (mung bean jelly), and fried eggplant.

These are supposed to be pre-meal dishes but they felt like the main course!!

I haven't had much fried eggplant before, but this one was so good!!!! Crispy on the outside, moist inside, and there was even meat stuffed inside the eggplant, so I think kids would love it too.

What comes with the stone-pot rice: side dishes at Nadeulmok

A table absolutely full of food!! It wasn't just one or two side dishes — there was a whole variety to go with the stone-pot rice, so it really felt like a proper meal.

Wow... the freshly cooked, steaming Yeoju rice caught my eye first. The rice itself was so good on its own.

Kimchi, cucumber kimchi, stir-fried zucchini, stir-fried eggplant, and other appetizing side dishes. If you run low, you can just ask staff for more.

We ordered the bulgogi set, but pork stir-fry and doenjang stew (fermented soybean stew) came out too!!

This doesn't look like a set for two — more like a set for three???

The pork stir-fry had a different spicy kick from the bulgogi, so it was fun switching back and forth between the two!

With the savory doenjang stew on top of that, a bowl of rice disappears in no time.

How the bulgogi tastes, and finishing with nurungji tea

Today's main dish, bulgogi!!! The sauce was sweet but not overpowering, so it went really well with rice.

The meat was tender, and piled on top of warm rice it was truly a rice thief!! Plenty of meat plus various vegetables — a combination that couldn't possibly taste bad!

And to finish, nurungji tea (scorched rice tea)! If you're looking for a hearty Korean meal in Yeoju, definitely check out Nadeulmok Yeoju Ssalbap!!!