Mullae lamb BBQ, first date night after baby: Yangnam Yanghwa

Our first dinner out after the baby: why Yangnam Yanghwa in Mullae?

Yangnam Yanghwa is a charcoal-grilled lamb rib restaurant in an alley in Mullae, and it was the first place where the two of us properly ate out since pregnancy and childbirth. I made up my mind and went during the short window while the baby was at daycare.

After pregnancy and childbirth, eating out with a carefree mind turned out to be harder than I expected. When was the last time the two of us sat down for meat and a drink? I can't even remember... This time, for the first time in ages, I made up my mind and had a proper dinner out during the little while the baby was at daycare.

I felt completely pampered T_T I did get a discount, but this is a real, genuine review of a meal I paid for with my own money! Here we go!

Even before you step inside, a line written at the entrance catches your eye.

Today, one proper piece of lamb ribs

After pregnancy and childbirth, this was truly our first meal as just the two of us, so I was in a good mood from the start. And above all, I drank that day. It may not sound like much, but for me it was a pretty big event. Kind of like a party to celebrate finishing breastfeeding?

What is Yangnam Yanghwa like inside and out?

Yangnam Yanghwa feels like a hidden date spot among the machine-shop alleys of Mullae, with a wooden-look exterior and plants that give it a warm feel. Inside, the dachi-style (bar-style) tables felt like sitting at an omakase counter.

Yangnam Yanghwa is inside a Mullae alley, and the exterior already feels pretty warm. I had a reservation time, so while waiting a bit I took photos all around. The interior has the kind of look people like these days, a stylish space that's fun to look around and photograph while you pass the time. It felt like a hidden date spot tucked between alleys full of machine shops!

There's a wooden-look exterior with plants, and a few quietly good photo spots. It's been ages since I took a mirror shot like this so it felt very awkward, but I took one as a keepsake! ^-^

The inside is set up with dachi-style (?) bar tables, so it felt like I'd come to an omakase restaurant. The side dishes were neatly prepared too, and while waiting for the meat I happily picked away at the gungchae jangajji (pickled stem lettuce) ^^;

Is the lamb at Yangnam Yanghwa gamey, and do you grill it yourself?

Yangnam Yanghwa serves shoulder and T-bone cuts, and you can keep ordering more of whichever cut you want. Staff grill the meat over charcoal at your table, so even people who can't grill have nothing to worry about.

And finally, proper lamb ribs. Some people worry about lamb's particular gamey smell, but while eating that day I didn't worry about it much, and the meat itself was really delicious. Above all, since the staff grill it for you at the table, people who can't grill meat have absolutely nothing to worry about.

And it's charcoal, not regular gas fire! The meat was even unlimited, and the quality was so good it felt like being served lamb steak. Lately, feeding the baby had me wolfing down meals without knowing whether the rice was going in my nose or my mouth... so a relaxed meal like this felt all the more welcome.

Yantai Gaoliang with lamb ribs: a toast to finishing breastfeeding

The drink we paired with the lamb at Yangnam Yanghwa was Yantai Gaoliang. It had no bitterness and was sweet, so I finished it in no time.

It wasn't over after the meat. Isn't Yantai Gaoliang the thing to drink with lamb?

I already liked Yantai Gaoliang, but it had no bitterness at all and was so sweet that I think I finished it in an instant. It was sweet enough that I wondered if they'd mixed in soda. They say it has much more liquor in it than other highballs, but whether it's my imagination or the flavor, it just tasted sweet ^_^

How are the seafood ramyeon and garlic rice at Yangnam Yanghwa?

For the meal portion at Yangnam Yanghwa we ordered seafood ramyeon and garlic rice, and the seafood ramyeon was the real kicker. Dunking the garlic rice into the spicy seafood ramyeon broth was a great combination.

What I'd quietly been looking forward to while eating the lamb was the meal menu. I ordered seafood ramyeon and garlic rice. Carbs are always delicious, wherever you are.

The garlic rice was tasty too, but the seafood ramyeon really was the kicker. After the slight heaviness of the lamb, a refreshingly spicy kick washed over my throat, if that makes sense. Dunking the garlic rice in that broth was seriously good! The two of us ate everything with gusto and left haha

Does Yangnam Yanghwa have high chairs?

Yangnam Yanghwa has high chairs ready, so it works as a family dining spot with a baby too. The restroom was also clean and pleasant, with a nice scent.

The restroom was very clean and pleasant too, with a nice scent.

And this one I really didn't expect: they had a high chair ready.

The place has the vibe of somewhere young people (?) go, so I never imagined there'd be a high chair haha, and I was so much happier about it than I expected. Plenty of meat restaurants and nice-atmosphere restaurants are awkward to visit with a baby. But Yangnam Yanghwa even has a high chair ready, so I thought it could work surprisingly well as a family dining spot.

So I'm planning to come back later with the baby. (They say lamb is really good for babies!) It won't be a quiet dinner for two like today, of course hahaha, but picturing the baby eagerly gobbling it up, I'm looking forward to that in its own way.

Verdict: a new mom's first proper dinner out at Yangnam Yanghwa

Our first proper meal out after pregnancy and childbirth at Yangnam Yanghwa in Mullae was a success. With the food, the atmosphere, the high chair and the convenience of not having to grill, I'm 500% willing to come back.

I was simply happy. It may not seem like much, but I think I really missed times like this. After having a baby, things that used to be totally ordinary suddenly become special, and this day was exactly that.

The atmosphere was good as well as the food, there's a high chair, the fire is kept away from you, and you don't have to grill yourself. I truly, genuinely have 500% intention of visiting again. Next time, it'll be the three of us.

• On a day you want proper lamb ribs in Mullae
• On a day you want meat and a drink somewhere with a nice atmosphere for the first time in a while
• If you're a parent who wants to treat yourself, highly recommended!!