Yangju Okjeong restaurant: wild garlic pork jowl pasta, Choi Dining

Today I headed out with my husband for a good meal after a while — we went to Choi Dining Yangju Okjeong.

• 📍74 Okjeong-dongro7da-gil, 2F Unit 203, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours 11:00 - 21:00
• Break time 16:00 - 17:00 / Last order 20:30
• 🚘Parking: Dream Tower 2

I often look for good restaurants around the Okjeong area, and this time I got to visit using my Superchart Red tier benefit. With the Red tier discount of 70% off the food bill, I got to pick from the menu a little more freely than usual.

But once I actually looked at the menu, there were way more options than I expected. From futomaki (thick seaweed rice roll) to pasta, tonkatsu, and hamburg steak, there was so much variety that I spent a long time deciding what to order.

What we ordered at Choi Dining Yangju Okjeong

This time at Choi Dining Yangju Okjeong we ordered three things: pork jowl wild garlic oil pasta, bone-in tonkatsu, and 2 pieces of hamburg steak.

We thought about trying the futomaki too, but since we'd had a huge amount of sashimi just a few days earlier, we decided to skip it and try other dishes today. We added one side to two mains, and to cut to the chase — all three were delicious. The pasta, which I was excited about from the start, turned out even better than expected, so that's the dish I remember most.

What does the pork jowl wild garlic oil pasta taste like?

This is the pork jowl wild garlic oil pasta from Choi Dining that I enjoyed the most. I expected an oil pasta to be plain and light, but it actually had a slightly spicy kick, which I loved.

The clean flavor typical of oil pasta, plus a gentle spiciness, kept me eating without feeling greasy at all. There's pork jowl mixed in too, so eating it together with the noodles adds a nutty richness. And with the wild garlic (myeongyi) aroma woven through, it felt totally different from the usual oil pasta.

Personally, of everything we ate today, the pork jowl wild garlic oil pasta was my favorite. If you're looking for a good pasta spot in Yangju, I'd say it's worth trying.

Bone-in tonkatsu you cut with scissors and tongs

Next up, Choi Dining's bone-in tonkatsu, which had me curious from the name alone. Unlike regular tonkatsu, it comes with the bone still attached to the meat.

The look of it was already special from the first glance, so I was curious how you were even supposed to eat it — and interestingly, even the utensils were different. Instead of the usual knife and fork, they gave us scissors and tongs, so I held the meat with the tongs and cut it with the scissors. It felt unfamiliar at first, but once I actually cut into it, it was way more convenient than I expected.

Since the bone was attached, I could cut it into bite-sized pieces and eat comfortably, and it had a different kind of fun compared to regular tonkatsu. The tonkatsu itself was tasty too, so alternating bites with the pasta made for a great combo.

Hamburg steak 2pcs, ordered as a side dish

For a side, we ordered the hamburg steak, 2 pieces.

I added it as a side without high expectations, but it was delicious too, which was satisfying. With the two mains plus the hamburg steak set out together, the table looked quite full. All three dishes tasted different from each other, so it was more fun sharing a variety than just eating one dish. If you're visiting with a group, I'd recommend ordering a variety of dishes to share.

What is the atmosphere like inside Choi Dining?

I liked the atmosphere at Choi Dining Yangju Okjeong as much as the food. It felt clean and well-organized overall, making it comfortable to eat.

When looking for a place to eat out around Yangju Okjeong, the menu matters but so does the atmosphere, and this place was satisfying on both counts. Most of all, with such a varied menu, it seems like a good spot for a group where one person wants pasta and another wants tonkatsu.

Can you visit with kids? Strollers and kids' chairs

Choi Dining Yangju Okjeong was also fine to visit with a kid. The table spacing was on the wider side, so there was enough room to bring in a stroller, and we could settle in without bothering other tables. Best of all, they have kids' chairs available, so it was good for dining with a baby too.

When eating out with a baby, I always end up checking first whether a stroller can fit in and whether there's a kids' chair, and since this place had both covered, I thought it was a good Yangju Okjeong restaurant to visit with a child.

Personally, I was satisfied with all three dishes, but if I visit again, I'd like to try the pork jowl wild garlic oil pasta again along with the futomaki. They also have a lunch set at lunchtime and a review event, so keep that in mind when you visit •̀ᴗ•̀ If you're looking for a good restaurant in Yangju Okjeong, Choi Dining Yangju Okjeong is worth a stop.ᐟ.ᐟ.ᐟ.ᐟ