Myeongdong jokbal restaurant with garlic scape wraps: Miss Jokbal

Today I'm in Euljiro, the sacred ground of foreign tourists — kind of like how Kyoto is the go-to when we go to Japan haha. Euljiro and Myeongdong have always been a beloved tourist area for foreigners in Korea, and sure enough there were tons of foreigners on the street today (maybe even more than Koreans?!).

So what am I eating here today!! Well, my skin's been getting better lately, so I figured I'd strike while the iron's hot and go eat a slab of collagen ^^ Today's menu: jokbal! I went out searching for the best jokbal restaurant in Myeongdong, the best jokbal restaurant in Euljiro :)

Where is Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch? Hours and parking

Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch is located at 21 Myeongdong 3-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, and is open every day from 11:00 to 03:00. For parking, you can use the street public parking lot near Chosun Hotel (33 Namdaemun-ro 7-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Sogong Building) — it's ₩7,200 per 60 minutes.

Keep in mind — even though it's called the Myeongdong branch, it's actually closer to Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station!! This area has such a busy commercial district that parking gets pricey too~!? Might be worth just taking the subway.

Miss Jokbal also sells set menus that are good for lunch. Bossam full set, jokbal full set, like this!! Ooh, eating this for lunch would be seriously filling!?!? If I ever have something to do around here, I might try it out~~

True to its status as a sacred ground for foreigners, everything's written in English, Chinese, and Japanese too~~

Inside Miss Jokbal: roomy tables built for tourist groups

Here's the inside of the restaurant!! From 4-person tables up to 6-person tables — since they're mainly targeting tourists, the tables are wide!! Though the space itself is a bit tight!? There are a ton of tables packed in!!

When I went, it was really crowded, and it seemed like everyone was a tourist!? Felt like we were the only Koreans there lolol. It felt kind of novel and fun, like eating Korean food while abroad, in Korea, dgdg.

Miss Jokbal also sells bangjja yugi (traditional Korean brassware) with 5 supposed benefits — next year I turn 30 and it's kind of unsettling, so let's gift myself some health haha. I took a photo of the prices off the tablet screen, so check it out~~

The free kimchi kalguksu that arrives first — spicier than expected

Surprisingly, Miss Jokbal Seoul Myeongdong Branch gives you kimchi kalguksu (kimchi knife-cut noodle soup) for free?! Miss Jokbal is surprising, but maybe that's just how it is~~!? Anyway, it was spicier than I expected.

Tada, it's served like this haha. When you boil it up bubbling and toss in the kalguksu noodles?! It's so good!? Not a ton of toppings, but the broth flavor is, how should I put it, amazing?? There's a reason this place is a Myeongdong favorite~~ Ah, seeing this makes me want more kalguksu again, dang ㅎ

What comes with the 58,000 won emperor's jokbal set

Finally, my ordered jokbal set arrived~~ Miss Jokbal's emperor's jokbal is ₩58,000. Wow, it's basically a royal table — tasty jokbal in the middle and a whole lineup of Korean side dishes surrounding it!?

I thought if foreigners come and eat this, they'd get to try a bunch of traditional Korean side dishes too, which is nice :) Though for Koreans it's what we always eat, so of course it's still great to have ~~!? (I was excited).

First up was dubu kimchi (tofu with stir-fried kimchi). Since the kimchi was stir-fried, the savory flavor was way better than I expected, so I slurped it down like a total rice thief :)

How does the jokbal taste with ssamjang, raw garlic and gimbap?

Okay now for my beloved jokbal~?! The meat was really tender and the collagen was chewy and bouncy, giving my mouth a fun texture. Jokbal + ssamjang (dipping sauce) = love. Ugh~~

At first I ate it with garlic and ssamjang, then the second time I put it on top of the gimbap that came with it, om nom nom. A subtle herbal aroma drifted into my nose and the savory flavor doubled — there's no reason not to love this jokbal. This really is a top jokbal spot in Myeongdong!!

Garlic scapes: the one side dish to order at Miss Jokbal

Alright, time to wrap it up in a ssam (lettuce wrap) too. As a Korean, I was spreading the gospel of good eating to the foreigners around me (this is how you eat it deliciously, friends). Especially those garlic scapes, everyone, they're a magical thing,, If you go to Miss Jokbal in Myeongdong, you have to eat those garlic scapes.

It was so good I went for the same combo one more time, om nom nom. Alright, that was my visit to Miss Jokbal in Myeongdong today. Lots of foreigners, but honestly perfect for Koreans too — a top jokbal restaurant in Myeongdong, a top Korean restaurant in Myeongdong, a top jokbal restaurant near Myeongdong Station, Miss Jokbal :)