Gongdeok Korean BBQ with a kind owner and jin-galbi-sal: Usijang

When you eat out a lot, you find some places where you leave in a good mood because of the staff or the owner's kindness, not just the food. Usijang Hoegwan (우시장회관), this Gongdeok restaurant I visited, was exactly that kind of place. The food was satisfying too, but what I remember most is the owner's kindness and bright energy.

• Address: 15-10 Samgae-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Hours: daily 10:00-21:50 (break time 15:00-17:00, last order 21:20)
• Parking: in front of and beside the restaurant (if full, use the paid lot at Dohwa-dong Community Center)

How kind is the owner of Usijang Hoegwan?

The owner of Usijang Hoegwan was kind not only to customers but also to the people working with them. I've met plenty of friendly owners in my restaurant travels, but this one was memorably kind.

Besides the bright energy, I loved watching the owner teach a new part-timer everything step by step. The staff member looked like an international student, and the owner explained things patiently in a gentle tone, so warm that even I, watching from the next seat, felt my heart melt. Being kind to customers is one thing, but treating coworkers warmly too was lovely to see. I was already in a good mood before the meal even started.

Is the Usijang Hoegwan 3-person set enough for two?

The Usijang Hoegwan 3-person set (모듬 3인 세트) comes with a small mixed beef platter, Korean beef yuksashimi (raw beef slices) and a meal item (spicy gukbap, a rice soup). For my husband and me it was just the right amount, neither too little nor overwhelming. Below are the menu and what we ordered that day.

We ordered the 3-person set that day.

I liked that the platter, the yuksashimi and a meal item all come together, so you can taste a bit of everything. We ate as a couple, and the portion never felt too heavy or too small. From the meat to the yuksashimi to the spicy gukbap, the variety made the lineup satisfying.

If three people go, it would be nice to add a little extra of whatever you like on top of the basic set. Getting several beef dishes and a meal together felt like decent value, too.

Small mixed beef platter: from jin-galbi-sal to marinated LA galbi

The small mixed beef platter in the Usijang Hoegwan 3-person set has jin-galbi-sal (thick-cut rib meat), galbi-sal (rib meat) and marinated LA galbi, and my personal favorite was the jin-galbi-sal. Getting all three at once made it fun to compare how each cut tastes.

Alternating between jin-galbi-sal and galbi-sal and then moving on to the sweet marinated LA galbi gave a nice change of flavor. Beef can get a bit heavy if you keep eating it, and a spoonful of the spicy gukbap that came with it went really well then. The nutty richness of the jin-galbi-sal and galbi-sal, the spiciness of the gukbap and the sweetness of the LA galbi made a good combination.

How was the Korean beef yuksashimi at Usijang Hoegwan?

The Korean beef yuksashimi at Usijang Hoegwan had a chewy texture, but to me the meat's own smell came through a bit strongly, and my husband and I couldn't finish it. The restaurant says it uses 1++ kkurisal (chuck flap) and sells Gangwon-do clean Korean beef 1++ NO9 yuksashimi, slaughtered and trimmed the same day.

It just wasn't quite to either of our tastes, so in the end we didn't finish it. People who love fresh yuksashimi may feel differently, but personally I think Korean beef yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), which comes with seasoning, would suit me better among raw beef dishes.

Of course, this is just personal taste. We enjoyed the grilled meat and the gukbap, and since yuksashimi is a dish people feel differently about, it's worth keeping in mind when you order.

Good food and good service at Usijang Hoegwan

Usijang Hoegwan was satisfying not just for the food but for the whole dining experience. I especially liked eating jin-galbi-sal and galbi-sal, refreshing my palate with spicy gukbap, and finishing with sweet marinated LA galbi. Adding the chewy Korean beef yuksashimi meant we got to enjoy lots of different dishes at once.

We shared the 3-person set as a couple, and the portion was right and the variety left us happy. I also liked that one set covers grilled meat, yuksashimi and a meal.

And above all, what I remember is the owner's kindness. Seeing the bright way the owner served customers and kindly explained things to staff let us leave in a good mood.