Sejong Korean restaurant, à la carte family lunch: Bapkkot Hansang

On Sunday we took my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, my husband and the baby to Bapkkot Hansang (밥꽃한상) in Sejong for lunch.

I'd heard it's a Korean restaurant a lot of people have been going to lately, near the Lake Park, so I was curious. This time we skipped the Bapkkot Special set and shared rice bowls with pancake and meat as a family.

Where is Bapkkot Hansang and where do you park?

Bapkkot Hansang is on the 3rd floor of the Sejong Machi building, and parking in the building's underground lot is free for 1 hour 40 minutes. You can reserve through Naver Reservation, and there are baby chairs.

• Location: 3rd floor, Sejong Machi building
• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• Sunday: 11:00–15:00 (last order 14:30)
• Parking: building underground lot, 1 hour 40 minutes free
• Naver Reservation available
• Baby chairs available

Some of you may be searching for a restaurant near the National Sejong Arboretum. Bapkkot Hansang isn't a restaurant inside the arboretum; it's a shop in Sejong Machi.

We came with a baby, so I'll note that baby chairs are available.

If you're planning a family meal and looking for a Korean set-meal (hanjeongsik) place in Sejong, it's worth checking the available reservation times first.

On Naver Reservation you can choose the date, time, party size and even the menu :)

Inside Bapkkot Hansang, still busy at a late Sunday lunch

The interior felt warm, with natural wood and yellowish lighting. The space was fairly large too.

We reserved for 2pm on Sunday, and there were still lots of diners at that late lunch hour. Seeing it this busy, I could really believe it's a popular spot these days.

Bapkkot Hansang menu and prices

Korean set meals (hanjeongsik)

The set meals are the Bapkkot Special Course (밥꽃특정식) at ₩30,000 and the Bapkkot Special (밥꽃특선) at ₩25,000, and both can be ordered for 2 or more.

Rice bowls

• Herbal boiled pork rice bowl ₩15,000
• Octopus-shrimp rice bowl ₩15,000
• Minari tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty) rice bowl, soy flavor ₩14,000
• Minari tteokgalbi rice bowl, gochujang flavor ₩14,000
• Seafood japchae rice bowl ₩15,000
• Brisket japchae rice bowl ₩13,000
• Spicy pork japchae rice bowl ₩13,000
• Spicy pork rice bowl ₩12,000
• Gangdoenjang (thick soybean stew) rice bowl ₩11,000

Side dishes

• Herbal boiled pork samhap (with kimchi and more) ₩20,000
• Herbal boiled pork ₩15,000
• Stir-fried octopus and shrimp ₩20,000
• Spicy stir-fried pork ₩12,000
• Cheese potato pancake ₩12,000
• Chive pancake ₩10,000
• Minari tteokgalbi, 150g, 1 piece ₩4,000
• Gangdoenjang ₩4,000
• Fried egg ₩1,000
• Bowl of rice ₩1,000

Drinks and takeout

• Chamisul / Cass / makgeolli ₩4,000
• Cola / cider ₩2,000
• Zero cola / cider ₩2,000
• Gangdoenjang 500g ₩10,000 (takeout available)

I'm including a photo of the ingredient origin sign too. If you're curious about any ingredient, it's worth checking before you order.

Our à la carte family order instead of the Bapkkot Special

We wanted to try several single dishes, so this is what we ordered.

• 1 octopus-shrimp rice bowl (₩15,000)
• 1 extra fried egg (₩1,000)
• Chive pancake (₩10,000)
• 1 minari tteokgalbi (₩4,000)
• Herbal boiled pork (₩15,000)

I had originally reserved the herbal boiled pork samhap, but on the spot we were told it was sold out, so we switched to the herbal boiled pork.

Looking at the order screen, besides the samhap, the brisket japchae bowl, spicy pork japchae bowl, seafood japchae bowl and cheese potato pancake were also marked sold out. Quite a few dishes were unavailable even at 2pm, which was a bit disappointing. If there's something you really want to eat, I'd check when you reserve whether it'll be available, and go a little earlier.

How was the octopus-shrimp rice bowl at Bapkkot Hansang?

What I enjoyed most that day was the octopus-shrimp rice bowl (₩15,000). The seasoning was spicy, and the octopus and shrimp were plump with a great chew.

We ordered meat dishes too, but this spicy rice bowl suited my taste best.

I'd assumed a fried egg would come on top of the bowl, but it had shredded egg strips (jidan) instead.

I was glad I'd added a fried egg separately, haha. I love fried eggs anyway, so I wanted one on the side with the rice bowl.

The meal came with a clear soup and three side dishes: kimchi, seasoned cucumber and seasoned nuts.

The seasoned nuts had a variety of nuts and seeds, and the nutty flavor was a treat. The seasoned cucumber suited me too, so I got a refill.

It wasn't just the rice bowl; I enjoyed the side dishes that came with it too.

A big chive pancake with soy dipping sauce

The chive pancake (₩10,000) at Bapkkot Hansang was bigger than I expected, with plenty to share. I liked the crispy-yet-moist texture, and the soy sauce served with it really suited my taste.

There was something in the sauce that tasted like pickles. I don't know exactly what it was, but it made the pancake taste even better.

Minari tteokgalbi and herbal boiled pork

The minari tteokgalbi (₩4,000 per piece) was a bit bigger than my palm.

It had a subtly salty, sweetish flavor rather than anything artificially salty, and the minari aroma was gentle, not strong.

To my taste, it's mild enough for kids and adults to eat together.

The herbal boiled pork (₩15,000) was very tender. The tangy vegetable salad served with it went well with the pork too!

I was sad to miss the samhap, but the boiled pork we ordered instead was good too.

Arriving after 2pm on Sunday? Mind the 2:30pm last order

Sunday last order at Bapkkot Hansang is 2:30pm, so for a late lunch it's best to place any extra orders early. The four of us adults planned to eat first and order more if we were short. The chive pancake was generous, but we'd shared one rice bowl and several single dishes among four people, so we needed a bit more food as we went.

So a little after 2:40pm we tried to order more, but the kitchen had closed and they said they couldn't take any more orders.

Sunday closes at 3pm with last order at 2:30pm, and we were enjoying the food so much that we missed it.

If you go for a late lunch, check once more before orders close whether you're missing anything. Especially if you're sharing several single dishes like we did, think about the right amount of food for your group when you order.

That day at Bapkkot Hansang we skipped the special set and shared several single dishes with family. What stuck with me most were the spicy rice bowl with plump octopus and shrimp, and the chive pancake with its sauce.

If you're looking for a place near the Sejong Arboretum and torn between the set and à la carte, I hope our order is a useful reference :)