Haneul New Town shabu-shabu with cypress steam: Pyeonbaek Hoegwan

When you're looking for a good shabu-shabu spot on Yeongjong Island, there are actually more options than you'd expect. This time I visited Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch because I liked that you can enjoy cypress steam and shabu-shabu together in one meal!

To cut to the conclusion first — this was a satisfying place where you can enjoy everything from cypress steam to shabu-shabu to a variety of side dishes. Let me introduce it!

What kind of restaurant is Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch?

It's already a place that's gotten a lot of word-of-mouth! In particular, the ingredients are plentiful and prepared cleanly, so I thought it would suit anyone searching for a good shabu-shabu restaurant on Yeongjong Island. Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch satisfies both value for money and the feel-good factor!

So exciting!

The lineup was so good it even got featured on TV!

Inside Pyeonbaek Hoegwan: large hall and kids' playroom

A wide, clean space is the best! Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch has an overall wide and clean dining hall, which made eating comfortable. With shabu-shabu or cypress steam you inevitably end up putting all sorts of things on the table, but because there was so much room, it never felt cluttered.

It's great for a family meal out, works well for a get-together with friends, and also suits a visit on a day when you just want to eat in a relaxed atmosphere. I'd strongly recommend it as a family gathering spot!

Above all, what caught my eye was that there's a playroom for visiting with kids. When you're eating out with children, the food being good matters, but so does whether there's a space where they can play for a bit.

A playroom restaurant is such a precious thing! Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch on Yeongjong Island seemed like a pretty solid option for families. So if you're looking for a good shabu-shabu spot in Jungsan-dong and want somewhere you can bring your kids, it's worth considering.

What's on the salad bar?

One thing I personally loved was the salad bar!! So many kinds, and everything so fresh! From vegetables to add to the shabu-shabu to a variety of side dishes, everything was set up generously so you could pick as much as you wanted.

When you're eating shabu-shabu you end up adding a lot of vegetables, and being able to freely grab more of whatever ran low meant I felt relaxed the whole meal. On top of that, there were plenty of side dishes too, so it was fun picking through them all.

So it seemed like it would suit people with a big appetite well, and also work nicely when a group visits together and everyone can pick their own thing. Especially for families looking for good restaurants in Haneul New Town, having such a varied menu is a real plus — the best family gathering spot!

Snapping a photo of the menu too!

The cypress steam has arrived!

I also brought over rice-paper roll ingredients from the salad bar!

So many sauces to choose from!

They're set up right at each table, which is convenient!

Made good use of the salad bar too

Time to try the rice-paper rolls!

Eating away happily — Pyeonbaek Hoegwan is the best!

How did the cypress-steamed meat taste?

The cypress steam is finally ready! Usually you go out either for cypress steam or for shabu-shabu, but at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch you can enjoy both at once, which made the meal feel much more substantial.

Cypress steam is meat steamed together with a variety of vegetables, so it's mild and clean rather than heavy on flavor. The meat was tender, and eating it with vegetables kept it light — the clean taste kept me reaching for more.

In particular, the subtle aroma rising off the cypress steam and the combination of moist, well-cooked meat and vegetables were great. So if you're searching for good shabu-shabu spots in Jungsan-dong, I'd recommend not just thinking about the shabu-shabu but enjoying the cypress steam alongside it.

Eating away happily!

Basic broth vs spicy broth: two shabu-shabu pots

Finally, shabu-shabu time! At Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch you can enjoy both a basic broth and a spicy broth together, so adults can go for the spicy one while kids stick to the basic broth. This is exactly what made me think it's a very comfortable place to visit as a family.

Shabu-shabu is all about the fun of briefly cooking fresh vegetables and meat in the broth, and the ingredients were plentiful enough that there was no shortage. Pile in plenty of vegetables and meat, let it bubble away, and the broth's flavor keeps deepening — staying warm throughout the meal is part of shabu-shabu's charm.

For anyone searching for good shabu-shabu on Yeongjong Island, being able to enjoy not just the classic shabu-shabu flavor but the cypress steam alongside it would be quite satisfying.

The meat was fresh, too, and being all-you-can-eat is the best part! Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch is the best!

Good for family dinners and date nights alike

Honestly, shabu-shabu is great for a family meal out, but it also suits a date pretty well. Compared to just grilling meat, you get to eat vegetables and meat together, and simmering warm broth together lets you eat slowly, which makes it nice for conversation over the meal.

Best visuals, best taste!

Can't miss the delicious porridge to finish!

Why Pyeonbaek Hoegwan is worth it in Haneul New Town

Another advantage of shabu-shabu is that you can really eat a lot! Enjoying as much meat and vegetables as you want, plus the variety at the salad bar, makes for a lineup that satisfies even big eaters.

It's not a meal that ends with just one dish — from cypress steam to shabu-shabu to vegetables and side dishes, there's so much variety that the meal feels richer. If you're on Yeongjong Island and worried that a single dish won't be enough, visiting here should be especially satisfying.

For anyone looking for good shabu-shabu in Jungsan-dong, I want to emphasize being able to enjoy cypress steam and shabu-shabu together. Yeongjong is a place many people visit for a drive or an outing, so picking the right place to eat matters too — start light with cypress steam, simmer fresh vegetables and meat in warm broth for shabu-shabu, and you end up with a hearty, complete meal.

On top of that, you can make full use of the salad bar and leave nicely full. Above all, the space is wide and clean, and there's a playroom for kids, which earns it high marks for family visits. This is exactly why I'd recommend it not only to those looking for good restaurants in Haneul New Town but to anyone on Yeongjong Island looking for a spot for a family meal or a date — do go check it out :)