Mapo Korean restaurant for raw beef and clam soup: Usijang Hoegwan

Usijang Hoegwan, a Mapo Station group-dinner favorite

I went out to Seoul for the first time in a while today. In particular, I visited Usijang Hoegwan (우시장회관), a place in Mapo, Seoul known for raw beef sashimi and gukbap (rice soup). Even the sign gave off that delicious-restaurant feeling! And just as I had heard, it was full despite the late hour. There is parking right in front of the restaurant, so it was easy to park.

This is an interior photo I took after all the guests had left! There are about six tables inside. They are quite spacious, so it is great for groups too. There were quite a few international visitors when we went! That made me even more excited about the restaurant. These days, international visitors really know all the hot places... Oh, and Usijang Hoegwan near Mapo Station also has a special service when you reserve through Naver :) So I recommend making a Naver reservation!

Ordering raw beef sashimi and clam beef gukbap

Here is the menu at Usijang Hoegwan near Mapo Station. Yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) and yuk sashimi (raw beef sashimi) are the most popular items. They also have meat to grill. The grilled beef rib meat looked incredibly good too. Usijang Hoegwan’s signature is clam beef gukbap. I do not actually like clams that much, but this was a gukbap I really enjoyed. Quite a few people come just for the soup, too. We ordered the raw beef sashimi and clam beef gukbap.

They are also running a review event, so do not forget to join in :) Here came the 2++ kkuri-sal raw beef sashimi and clam beef gukbap! The raw beef sashimi looked even more appetizing because it was kkuri-sal...♥ The clam beef gukbap was enormous too. And one thing I absolutely loved was this: there were as many as seven side dishes to enjoy with the raw beef sashimi!!

How we ate the kkuri-sal raw beef sashimi

The 2++ kkuri-sal raw beef sashimi. Kkuri-sal is one of the more precious cuts because only a small amount comes from each cow. It is prized for its chewy yet clean taste. It looked so appetizing and fresh from the start that I was even more excited.

Thanks to the seven side dishes, the raw beef sashimi tasted two—no, three—times better. The sesame oil in particular was really delicious. It was nuttier than regular sesame oil :)

Ahhh... the big pieces made the chewy texture stand out even more. It is the kind of texture that makes you happy the instant you take a bite..♥ The nutty, clean flavor was truly excellent. And the owner kindly explained exactly how to eat it. Following the owner’s instructions made it taste even better. This is absolutely perfect with soju... Maybe that is why it is also known as a Mapo Station group-dinner spot :)

Ah... they made us such a proper ssam (leaf wrap). Of course it was delicious on its own, but they kindly explained this delicious way to eat it, and following along made every bite full of happiness.

Raw beef sashimi and yukhoe: we had different favorites

Next up, yukhoe!!!!! Personally, I preferred yukhoe to raw beef sashimi, while my companion preferred the raw beef sashimi to yukhoe. I thought the yukhoe was better because it was seasoned just right, while my companion said the raw beef sashimi’s natural flavor was better. The conclusion: both were delicious! Ahh... yukhoe is only complete once you mix it with the egg yolk, right?

I picked up a generous chopstickful and put it in my mouth, and truly, really... it was such a happy flavor. It was pleasantly chewy without being tough, which made it even better.

Especially when you put yukhoe on the sweet-and-tangy seasoned rice, it becomes yukhoe sushi. I liked it more this way than on its own, so I just kept eating it.

It was delicious wrapped in perilla leaf, too :)

Clam beef gukbap with rice already mixed in

Next was Usijang Hoegwan’s signature dish, clam beef gukbap. The sheer amount of clams, enough to overflow the bowl, was striking. The beef piled on top made for a perfect visual too :) But this gukbap had a surprise. (I will reveal it at the very bottom.)

The beef was tender and nutty, while the clams were chewy and delicious without any fishiness :) Maybe because it had both beef and clams, the broth was so deep and rich that I kept eating it.

And the surprise was the rice at the very bottom! Rather than coming separately, the rice arrived already mixed into the soup. It was my first time having gukbap served this way, and I found it really appealing. The rice had absorbed the broth beautifully, so it was so delicious...! After the raw beef sashimi and yukhoe, finishing with the clam beef gukbap as dessert(?) made it feel like such a satisfying meal. From the high-quality raw beef sashimi and yukhoe to the rich yet clean broth of the clam beef gukbap, the food was all so, so good, and the owner was incredibly kind. It is definitely a restaurant I want to visit again!!