Bongdam brass-bowl set for two to thank a college professor: Hwadamga

Today I want to record a truly meaningful and heartwarming meal I had not long ago.

I got to see, after a very long time, a college professor who had always believed in and guided me since my student days. From being a student who was constantly looked after, to now being able to properly treat my professor to a good meal as a member of society — it felt like such a moving milestone. Since this was a moment to express the gratitude I'd kept in my heart all this time, I was careful about choosing the restaurant.

While looking for a place with a neat Korean spread, a dignified atmosphere, and above all food made with real care, I found Hwadamga — the place word-of-mouth has crowned Bongdam's best grilled fish restaurant. My professor was so pleased and ate so happily that my own heart felt warm and proud. Let me walk you through that day in detail!

Where is Hwadamga, and what kind of restaurant is it?

Hwadamga is located at 58 Nangnaegi-gil, Bongdam-eup, Hyohaeng-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's a Korean restaurant known for grilled fish cooked carefully in a wood-fired oven and a generous, well-stocked self-serve bar.

• Name: Hwadamga
• Address: 58 Nangnaegi-gil, Bongdam-eup, Hyohaeng-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Features: Wood-fired grilled fish & a generous, well-stocked self-serve bar

From the outside, Hwadamga already feels clean and tidy. True to its slogan — 'Hwadamga, where warm stories linger' — the neat building exterior and lush green plants seemed to welcome guests warmly. Stepping inside, a phrase catches your eye: 'Grilling with sincerity, serving with heart.' That single line alone conveyed the owner's genuine philosophy about the food, raising my expectations before the meal even began.

What's on the self-serve bar at Hwadamga?

One thing I especially loved about Hwadamga was the freely usable self-serve bar. Usually when you hear 'self-serve bar' at a grilled fish restaurant, you picture just refills of a few basic side dishes — but Bongdam's beloved Hwadamga was on a whole different level. It looked almost like a buffet, with a wide variety of fresh side dishes arranged neatly and hygienically.

• Assorted namul (seasoned vegetable) and banchan (side dishes): Bracken fern, braised eggplant, sautéed mushrooms, bean sprout salad, doraji (bellflower root) salad, dried radish greens, and more — all made with seasonal ingredients. The seasoning was never too strong, always just right, perfect for a healthy meal without being overly stimulating.
• Warm specialty items: Freshly fried, crispy meatball patties and jeon (pan-fried fritters), plus glossy japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) were also set out on the bar. Everything stayed warm, and I went back for refills more than once — it was that good.
• Dessert & drinks corner: Beyond peach and mango juice to cleanse the palate after eating, there was even a premium bean coffee machine. No need to move to a café afterward — we could finish everything here without breaking the flow of conversation.

The self-serve bar area itself was kept spotlessly clean under soft, upscale lighting, so it felt genuinely pleasant the whole time we were serving ourselves.

The wood-fired bori-gulbi set for two, served in brass bowls

We didn't even need to think twice — we ordered Hwadamga's signature, most popular dish: the wood-fired bori-gulbi (dried yellow croaker) set for two. After a short chat while waiting, the basic side dishes and a hearty soup arrived, neatly plated in brass bowls. The bronze-toned, upscale brassware made the whole meal feel even more like being treated with honor — a refined table setting perfectly suited to a formal meal with my professor.

How the bori-gulbi tastes, and deboning it at the table

The main dish, bori-gulbi, soon arrived — grilled in the wood-fired oven, golden and crispy on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside. There was absolutely no fishy smell, just the deep, savory, salty flavor unique to bori-gulbi.

The staff or the owner thoughtfully put on disposable gloves and deboned the fish for us, so it was so easy to pick out just the flesh with our chopsticks. Placing a big, salty-savory chunk of bori-gulbi flesh over glossy, freshly cooked rice and taking a bite — that truly was a 'rice thief' of a dish, in the best way.

The croaker isn't fishy at all, it's clean-tasting and really well grilled.

My professor kept saying, full of admiration.

The hearty doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and deep-flavored miyeokguk (seaweed soup) that came with it also paired perfectly with the grilled fish. From the main dish to the side soups, nothing lacked care.

A warm, meaningful meal with a professor

Thanks to the delicious food and the clean self-serve bar, the mood at the table was warm and lively from start to finish.

Back in college, whenever I was lost or struggling over my career path, this professor guided me with generous advice and encouragement onto the right path. Compared to the great kindness and gratitude I received back then, today's meal might have felt small — but the fact that I could personally treat my professor to a meal I arranged with care still made my heart swell with pride.

My professor smiled brightly, saying it had been a long time since being treated so well and so generously by a former student. Seeing that smile, I felt I'd truly made the right choice in picking Hwadamga.

Overall verdict on Hwadamga

• Taste & quality: Wood-fired bori-gulbi that's a textbook example of crispy outside, tender inside! No off odor, just chewy, savory perfection.
• Self-serve bar: A well-stocked lineup, from neat namul sides to japchae, jeon, and dessert drinks — fully complete.
• Atmosphere & service: Clean, tidy interior — an ideal place to bring someone precious to you, your parents, or a mentor.

If you want a neat Korean spread, a generous self-serve bar, and the real essence of wood-fired grilled fish, I strongly recommend Hwadamga, Bongdam's go-to grilled fish restaurant. When you want to show gratitude to someone dear to you, this is a place worth visiting.