Set menu for two with XO scallops at Apgujeong Chinese Bobo Sikdang

I had some errands in Apgujeong a while back and found out that chef Jang Bo-won's Chinese restaurant from Black and White Chef 2 was nearby, so I went to check it out. It's Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong. Parking is always a hassle when eating out around Apgujeong, but this time I could hand off the car easily with valet, and there was a couple's set that let us try several dishes at once, so my husband and I had a relaxed meal.

Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong parking: valet at 5,000 won for 2 hours

Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong offers valet parking for ₩5,000 per 2 hours. At first I thought we'd park at the paid lot next to the building, but across the street I found valet staff by the parking tower, so we left the car there.

Not having to hunt for parking in the busy Apgujeong restaurant district and just handing the car to valet made things easier than I expected.

An Apgujeong Chinese restaurant with private rooms in several sizes

Once we handed off the car and walked in, quite a few people were already eating. Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong had a clean, tidy atmosphere and the tables were spaced fairly comfortably.

What struck me most was the number of private rooms in different sizes. From tables for two to spaces that fit larger groups, the variety seemed to work well for dates as well as family meals or gatherings.

What comes in the Bobo Sikdang set menu for two, and what we added

We sat down, looked over the menu, and ordered the couple's set so we could try several dishes at once.

Couple's set includes — cucumber salad + XO sauce steamed scallops + mala sauce eggplant fritters + one rice/noodle dish

We also added the pork tenderloin sweet and sour pork, since it's supposedly a signature dish here. For the rice/noodle course we chose abalone samsun jjajang (black bean noodles), which came with a ₩5,000 surcharge on the couple's set.

We sipped the warm jasmine tea that was already set out on the table while waiting for the food.

Cucumber salad: the palate cleanser between Chinese dishes

The first thing that came out in the couple's set was the cucumber salad. The cucumber was crisp and tangy with a hint of spice at the end.

Chinese food can sometimes leave a greasy feeling in your mouth, and eating a bit of the cucumber salad in between dishes cleared that right up. It was better enjoyed in small bites between courses than eaten all at once at the start.

Steamed scallops in XO sauce: savory with a light kick

Next came the XO sauce steamed scallops. The staff told us to pour the sauce over the scallop meat before eating.

Eating the scallops with the glass noodles, the sauce had soaked in well, so the savory flavor came through first, followed by a light spicy note at the end. The scallop meat was firm, and it paired nicely in texture with the glass noodles.

Mala sauce eggplant fritters, crisp to the last piece

The dish I personally had the most fun eating was the mala sauce eggplant fritters.

Cutting the eggplant with scissors, I liked the crisp feel right from the first snip.

The batter was crispy while the eggplant inside was soft, and with the mala sauce added, it tasted quite different from the usual eggplant dishes. The mala aroma wasn't overpoweringly strong either, so we could eat it without any burden.

Why the pork tenderloin sweet and sour pork disappointed us

The pork tenderloin sweet and sour pork we added was actually a dish I had high hopes for. But this time it fell a little short for our taste.

Since it was tenderloin, I expected a moist, tender texture, but the batter was thicker than expected and the meat felt a bit dry. Of course tastes vary, but out of everything we had that day, the sweet and sour pork was the most disappointing.

Abalone samsun jjajang, served in two separate bowls

The last course was the abalone samsun jjajang (black bean noodles). Since it's a set for two, I assumed it would come in one bowl, but when it arrived, it was split into two bowls. At first I thought we'd accidentally ordered two jjajang and told the staff, 'We only ordered one, didn't we?' — but they explained they'd split one portion into two bowls to make it easier for two people to eat.

The abalone samsun jjajang was loaded with seafood — abalone, scallops, shrimp, and more. It was fun picking out each piece of seafood along with the noodles, and the black bean sauce paired well with the seafood, so we enjoyed it a lot. The portion was just right for two.

Is Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong worth it for dinner for two?

Overall, the portions at Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong were quite generous. Between the two of us we left a bit of the sweet and sour pork uneaten, but with the couple's set plus the extra dish, we ate until we were full. Not every dish perfectly matched our taste, but it was great to try several Chinese dishes at once — from the cucumber salad to the steamed scallops, eggplant fritters, and abalone jjajang.

The variety of private room sizes in particular seemed to work well whether it's just the two of you or a family meal or gathering. If you're looking for a Chinese restaurant in Apgujeong with easy parking, or a private room to dine in, Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong is worth considering. Next time, we'd like to try some of the other Chinese dishes we haven't had yet.