Weekday dinner date at a Uiwang fish grill: wood-fired mackerel

Hi, it's Yungjjing! Today I'm bringing you an honest review of Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch (화덕으로 간 고등어), a Baegun Lake restaurant I got the chance to visit while out on a date with my husband in Uiwang!!

My husband and I both love mackerel, and we often make it braised at home. We love it grilled too, but grilling at home means oil splattering everywhere and a smell that lingers for ages. So I was really looking forward to eating nicely grilled Baegun Lake mackerel before we even got there!

Location and parking at Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch

The restaurant is at 148 Neungan-gil, Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do. It is open 11:00-21:00, with a break time of 15:00-17:00. There is a large parking area in front, and pets are not allowed.

I heard this place hasn't been open very long. Maybe that's why it felt so clean and fresh from the outside! I really love a hanok (traditional Korean house) vibe, so I was even more excited!!

The parking area is big too, which made things even more convenient. It was a weekday evening and there were plenty of customers, but we had no trouble finding a spot!

On the way in, I even checked out the restroom, haha.

Inside the restaurant: is it good for a family meal?

As a proper Baegun Lake favorite, the inside of the restaurant was really spacious and pleasant. The tables are nicely spaced out and the chairs are comfortable, so I thought it would work well for a meal with your parents or a family outing.

It seemed like you could eat comfortably even with kids, and there really were a lot of families!! Best of all, big windows give you a view of green trees, so it didn't feel stuffy at all. You can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere while you eat, which makes for a very satisfying time!!

A self-serve bar with gimchi pancakes and tteokbokki

The most surprising thing about our visit was the self-serve bar!

I loved that if you run out of the side dishes that come with the meal, you can just refill them yourself. (With so many customers, it feels awkward to keep calling the staff over, so this was great!!) Lettuce, a perfect wrap vegetable to eat with grilled mackerel, was also set out, which made me even happier.

I was shocked to find my favorites, gimchi pancake (kimchi jeon) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), there too. Besides the tasty main dishes, you can enjoy all kinds of side dishes, so I was in a good mood the whole meal. 😊

Japchae and black sesame lotus root among the banchan

This is how the side dishes (banchan) are neatly set out! There were lots of dishes that go well with grilled mackerel, and my favorites were the japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) and the black sesame lotus root. The lotus root was nutty with a great texture, and I kept reaching for more. My husband and I kept saying "we need more of this," and I've lost count of how many times we refilled it, haha.

A full table of grilled and braised mackerel

Finally, our grilled mackerel and braised mackerel arrived!! My husband and I love mackerel so much that it was hard to pick just one. I like grilled, but I'm also a huge fan of braised, so we ordered both.

Seeing the whole table filled up, it looked really generous. With grilled mackerel, braised mackerel and all the side dishes, it was a hearty spread just to look at. I could see why so many people seek this place out for Baegun Lake grilled mackerel. 😊

Stone-pot rice, with scorched rice to finish

The rice that comes with the meal is served in a stone pot (solbap)! Maybe because it was piping hot, the rice tasted especially good. My husband loves nurungji (scorched rice), so he was very happy to get nutty scorched rice at the end. The portion of rice was generous too, so eating it with the grilled and braised mackerel was really filling.

How does the wood-fired grilled mackerel taste?

This is the Baegun Lake grilled mackerel!! I came with high expectations and it beat them. The mackerel was much fresher and softer than I expected, and the nutty flavor that comes out as you chew was great. Grilled fish can easily turn dry or fishy, but maybe because it's cooked in a wood-fired oven, the outside was mild and the flesh was moist.

Braised mackerel with bracken: watch out for the spice

The braised mackerel we ordered with the grilled one was really good too! First, I liked that it had plenty of big chunks of radish. The seasoning soaked well into the radish, and it went great with the mackerel. What made the stew here a little special was the bracken (gosari, fernbrake). The soft texture of the bracken together with the sauce gave it a different kind of charm.

The sauce is lightly spicy, which actually made it good with rice and went well with the mild flavor of the mackerel. But if you can't handle spicy food, please take note!!! (I'm not great with spice either ㅠㅠ but it was the kind of tasty spicy that keeps you going.)

Overall verdict

• The grilled mackerel was really delicious
• The restaurant is clean inside, good for family meals
• Recommend using the self-serve bar

Overall, from the food to the atmosphere, I was satisfied with Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Baegun Lake Branch. If you're looking for a family meal near Baegun Lake or a good grilled fish restaurant, it's worth a visit. 😊