Yeongjong pork BBQ with 2-hour free parking for two guys: Hanmaeum

Not long ago I was back at my parents' place for the first time in a while, hanging out with a friend, and we wanted some good meat in Yeongjong Sky City. So we went to Hanmaeum Jeonguk Sikdang Yeongjong Sky City Branch (한마음정육식당 영종하늘도시점). Personally, the meat was really good, parking was possible, and the staff were friendly, so we had a great time.

Where do you park at Hanmaeum Yeongjong Sky City?

The building's underground parking is free, and when it's full, the restaurant supports 2 hours of free parking at the Eun Square lot. From Eun Square it's a 2–3 minute walk to the restaurant.

I drove there! I skipped the building's underground lot and parked at Eun Square. The shopping area in Yeongjong Sky City is really busy with cars even outside rush hour, so there aren't many spots. Thanks to the parking support, I could park and eat comfortably 😊

Head up to the second floor of the Sejin City commercial building. Hanmaeum uses the entire second floor.

Visiting on a weeknight right after break time

My friend and I went on a weeknight, right as the break time ended, so we were the first customers of the dinner service.

Once you sit down, they first bring cold water and doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) as standard. Honestly, at a BBQ place I prefer rice far more than naengmyeon (cold noodles), so I really love BBQ places that give you doenjang jjigae.

Is it a good BBQ place for families with kids?

Hanmaeum Yeongjong Sky City has generous spacing between tables, plus a large kids' room (playroom) and a nursing room right in front of the dining area, so it suits family meals with children. I also thought it would be a great spot for company dinners or group gatherings.

The tables are spaced so well that it never felt cramped. When tables are close together, kids can get hurt running around or messing about, but here you really don't need to worry about that.

Kids can run around safely in the kids' room, and it's quite big, large enough for several children to use together. While the kids play there, the parents can eat in peace.

When I was little, the Jomaru gamjatang (pork bone stew) restaurant had a really well-equipped playroom, and I'd play games with kids I didn't even know there... this brings back memories.

There's a nursing room too! The facilities for kids are so well done that I think it's a great place for parents with babies and toddlers.

Self corner and side dishes

Hanmaeum has a neat self corner where you can take as many side dishes and wrap vegetables as you like. You don't have to call a staff member every time you run short, which was so much more convenient!

The standard side dishes were all tidy and tasty too. From the wrap vegetables to the various sides that go well with meat, everything was neatly laid out. They weren't salty or harsh but bring out the flavor of the meat, so they paired really well with it.

Is a half pig enough for two adult men?

Hanmaeum's half-pig set is 500g for ₩42,000 and includes pork belly, streaky pork belly, neck, hangjeongsal (pork jowl) and gabrisal (pork rib-cap). For two adult men, the half-pig amount was just right!

• Half-pig set, 500g, ₩42,000
• Composition: pork belly + streaky pork belly + neck + hangjeongsal + gabrisal

My friend and I are both moderate eaters, and with one bowl of rice each and one mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth) to share, we left really full...

Freshness you could see from the first sizzle

Finally the meat went on the grill, and the look of it alone was amazing... It was totally pink and glossy, and you could tell at a glance it was fresh. It was thick too, so the texture was great...

We had barely started grilling and the smell was already so good that I just wanted to eat right away...

When the outside was golden brown, it was cut into bite-size pieces, and the juices came up moist as soon as it was cut. The thickness was just right, so a single cut made good bites. Sizzle sizzle~ finally all cut, haha. We cooked it a little longer and ate right away.

Just dipping in salt is enough

Once the meat was done I tried a piece, and it was really good... The outside was nicely browned with a rich nutty flavor, and the inside was moist, so the juices came naturally the more I chewed. It wasn't tough or dry, and I liked the tender texture.

When I eat meat, I like just dipping it lightly in salt, and the meat itself tasted so good that this was enough!

Mul naengmyeon that suited summer

The naengmyeon we ordered with the meat was satisfying too. The cold broth was perfect for hot summer weather, and with the first bite my mouth felt refreshed. The noodles had a nice chewiness, so they were good for slurping.