Icheon ssambap lunch special: ₩24,900 soy crab & pork, Neul Gogi Jip

Today's story is about an Icheon restaurant where one bowl of rice was never going to be enough: Neul Gogi Jip (늘고기집)! I've lost count of how many times I've been.. it's an Icheon meat spot I've visited countless times!! The meat is so good that I went in planning to eat meat, but!! I was craving ssambap, so I ordered the lunch special, soy sauce crab and spicy pork ssambap! It once again beat my expectations, so I've already booked it again for a family gathering next time haha. Here's my honest review of Neul Gogi Jip, my Nth visit to an Icheon place I'm really happy with~~!

Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch hours and parking

Neul Gogi Jip Icheon Main Branch is open daily 11:00-21:30, with a break from 15:30 to 16:30. There's a large dedicated parking lot, and the restrooms are inside the restaurant, separate for men and women.

Here's the exterior. The owner has won the Grand Prize from the Speaker of the National Assembly of Korea.. truly impressive. The exterior is neat, and there's a big parking lot right in front, so it was easy to get in and out!

What are the inside and the self-serve corner like?

The restaurant is spacious and clean, and I liked it the moment I walked in. At mealtimes it's packed, and you can see why right away. I barely snagged the last open seat.

At the self-serve corner you can grab all kinds of things: wrap greens, boiled cabbage, perilla leaves, fresh kimchi, garlic, chili peppers, ssamjang (wrap sauce) and more. It's honestly the best~~!

What comes with the ₩24,900 soy crab and spicy pork ssambap lunch special?

The lunch special soy crab and spicy pork ssambap is ₩24,900, and you can only order it before 2:30 PM. Ta-da! Here's what I ordered haha. It came with pot rice, which made me even happier.

The side dishes that come with the set are clean and not too salty, so they go perfectly with rice haha.

Soy sauce crab and spicy pork

The main dishes of this set are soy sauce crab (ganjang gejang) and spicy stir-fried pork (jeyuk bokkeum)! Crazy-good looking, right...? Unlike other restaurants, the soy crab here isn't too salty, and it tasted natural, fresh and lively!! No fishy smell at all, and I enjoyed it a lot. The spicy pork was even better than on my previous visit, with deeper savory flavor and a spicy kick. A total rice thief.

See how packed the crab is inside? One bite and it's just heavenly (sob). I also wrapped the spicy pork in the unlimited wrap greens, and the meaty aroma in my mouth was out of this world!!

The signature beef tendon doenjang stew

And the beef tendon (seuji) doenjang (soybean paste) stew, practically Neul Gogi Jip's signature!! It's so, so good that I think some people come just for this? It's loaded with tendon, and the broth is deep, rich and nutty, just superb.

Is the cheese bomb steamed egg worth adding?

I'd also recommend the cheese bomb steamed egg (gyeran-jjim) I ordered as an extra. True to the name, there's a generous amount of cheese, and the egg was fluffy yet moist. I think kids would love it too!!

Dessert corner at Neul Gogi Jip

After the meal you can go to the space next door for coffee and ice cream. I had the ice cream, and it was so smooth and delicious (sob).

A regular's verdict on Neul Gogi Jip

Neul Gogi Jip is my regular Icheon spot, so I already remembered it being good, but this time it felt even better than before. Piling plenty of spicy pork onto fresh wrap greens with garlic and ssamjang was the best combination. Add the soy sauce crab and your mouth is just full of flavor haha.

Generous portions, unlimited fresh wrap greens, and not one weak dish, from the mains to the beef tendon doenjang stew and the cheese bomb steamed egg: that's Neul Gogi Jip!!! It's a great pick for a family meal, a meal with your parents, or any day you want something filling. One visit and you'll see why it has so many regulars, so if you're looking for tasty Korean BBQ or ssambap in Icheon, I highly recommend it~!!