Spicy fire jokbal heat level in Nowon, Seoul: Gwihan Jokbal Nowon

Today I'm introducing a jokbal (pig's trotters) restaurant in Nowon that my wife and I visited for dinner last week — Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch.

<Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch> Address: 18-6 Nohae-ro 83-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea (1st floor) / Hours: Daily 11:00 - 2:00 (next day)

Where is Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch, and what is it like inside?

Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is located just 3 minutes from Nowon Station Exit 1, right in the dining alley. It's easy to get to, and since it's open until 2am, it seemed like a great spot for a second or third round of the night.

I love jokbal and have been to other Gwihan Jokbal branches before, but this was my first time at the Nowon location. Most tables are set for 4 people, but they're movable, so it looked good for company dinners or group gatherings too.

Gwihan Jokbal menu and what the couple ordered

Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch has a wide range of menu items — Gwihan Jokbal, Gwihan Bossam, spicy grilled fire jokbal, charcoal-grilled jokbal, half-and-half jokbal, bo-jok set, jokbal set, garlic jokbal, garlic bossam, and more. We ordered the half-and-half jokbal along with egg custard and rice.

Since Gwihan Jokbal is a franchise with multiple locations, it's a proven, reliably good jokbal spot you can trust when you visit.

Side dishes and the free makguksu noodles

Here's the basic side dish spread. Lettuce wraps, cheongyang peppers, ssamjang (dipping sauce), garlic, salted shrimp, kimchi, dried radish strips, and seasoned chives came as standard — the side dishes were clean and neatly prepared.

Next came the bean sprout soup, another standard side. The hot broth was refreshing and really hit the spot — it made me want a beer, but since it was two days before my wedding, I held off, haha.

Then the complimentary makguksu (buckwheat noodles) arrived. The portion was generous and the special sauce was sweet and tangy with deep umami — I'm not usually a big noodle person, but I ended up eating quite a lot of it, it was that good.

First taste of the half-and-half jokbal platter

Next up was the half-and-half jokbal from Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch. Since I'd heard the spicy grilled fire jokbal was about as spicy as Shin Ramyun, I went with the half-and-half — but the smell already seemed pretty spicy, so I started to doubt whether 'Shin Ramyun level' was accurate. Still, the visual definitely passed the test, haha.

Regular jokbal comes with both bone-in and sliced boneless pieces together, while the spicy grilled fire jokbal is all boneless. I'm not great with spicy food, but nothing beats something spicy for stress relief, haha.

Egg custard topped with flying fish roe

Then the egg custard arrived, topped with flying fish roe. Taking a bite, the roe popped between bites of the soft custard, giving it a salty, savory, deeply umami flavor — the fluffy, nutty taste was really good.

I'd worked out earlier that day and was pretty tired so I couldn't eat much, but my wife dug in enthusiastically, so I kept pace with her too.

How spicy is the fire jokbal at Gwihan Jokbal?

The jokbal at Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch had a springy exterior with meltingly tender meat inside, savory and salty with the meat's natural richness — pairing it with a bit of salted shrimp brings out even more umami, haha. Great as a drinking snack or a rice side dish.

As for the spicy grilled fire jokbal, it was a bit spicier than Shin Ramyun but milder than Buldak. You could taste the smoky char, and the addictive spiciness combined with the chewy skin kept me reaching for more. It pairs well with both beer and soju, so I'd recommend it if you're drinking.

No off-putting smell, just clean and delicious — I'd definitely recommend this Nowon jokbal restaurant, Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch.