Banghwa Station Korean BBQ with self-made fried rice: Hwapyeongjip

I'd heard there was a Korean BBQ spot near Banghwa Station with outdoor grill seating (yajang), so I went to check it out. It was too hot to sit outside, but the food itself was satisfying — the only outdoor-seating BBQ place near Banghwa Station.

Hwapyeongjip

Where Hwapyeongjip is and when it opens

Hwapyeongjip is located at 114-115, Bangwhasyareumang1 Officetel, 7 Banghwadae-ro 47ga-gil, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. It's 150m from Exit 2 of Banghwa Station, and hours are Mon-Sat 16:00-23:00, closed every Sunday.

True to its name as the only outdoor-seating BBQ place near Banghwa, there were grill tables set up outside. Because of the hot weather, nobody was using them, but I imagine grilled meat tastes even better outdoors once the weather cools down a bit.

Parking is in the basement of the officetel building where Hwapyeongjip is located, but it was hard to find a spot since it's usually full with residents' cars. Since it's within walking distance of Banghwa Station, I'd recommend public transit over driving.

Arriving at 7pm: was a table free?

I went to Hwapyeongjip at 7pm and every table was already full. Luckily one table had just finished up and was leaving, so I got in without waiting. I'd recommend calling ahead to check availability before visiting.

What is in Hwapyeongjip's set menus

Hwapyeongjip is a place where you can eat well for a reasonable price with its set menus. Hwapyeong for Two features pork belly and pork neck as the main, while the signature set features brisket and scallops. We ordered the signature Chadol Samhap (400g brisket + 15 scallops + doenjang stew + risotto or naengmyeon).

Basic side dishes included scallion salad, corn salad, and pickled radish, along with dipping sauces for the meat. Personally, I found the meat tasted best dipped in onion sauce topped with wasabi. If you want to enjoy the meat's natural flavor, I'd also recommend just salt!

How does the signature chadol samhap taste?

The signature Chadol Samhap arrived. It comes with 400g brisket, 15 scallops, minari (water dropwort), and doenjang stew as standard, plus your choice of naengmyeon (cold noodles) or risotto. Ordering was convenient via the QR code on the table, and the food came out about 10 minutes after ordering. The brisket looked fresh, but what really stood out was how plump and appetizing the scallops looked.

There's a guide posted on the wall for the best way to enjoy the signature samhap. Grilling in the right order supposedly keeps everything from burning and tasting its best, so I followed the instructions.

The brisket was sliced so thin it cooked almost the moment it touched the grill. After about 30 seconds on the heat, it was perfectly cooked without even needing to be flipped. Wrapping well-cooked mukeunji (aged kimchi), scallop, brisket, and minari together into one bite, the savory brisket and the chewy yet clean-tasting scallop complemented each other beautifully, while the minari and mukeunji cut through the richness nicely.

The doenjang stew and naengmyeon

While we were enjoying the samhap, the doenjang stew and naengmyeon arrived. The doenjang stew had a deep, savory flavor, and the naengmyeon came with ice floating in it, refreshing and tangy-sweet.

How the self-made fried rice works

For Hwapyeongjip's fried rice, they give you the ingredients and you fry it yourself. The signature samhap alone was already enough to fill the two of us up, but as a fried rice lover, I couldn't not order it, haha. They gave a generous amount of vegetables, which was nice because you could adjust the portion yourself if you're not a fan of veggies. They also threw in some leftover brisket pieces, which made the fried rice even better.

Is Hwapyeongjip worth a visit?

A great place to visit if you want to enjoy Korean BBQ near Banghwa Station along with that outdoor grill atmosphere. The combination of brisket and scallops was excellent, and the price was reasonable too. Now that the weather is starting to cool down, this seems like a great spot to enjoy that outdoor grilling vibe with a cool evening breeze.