Yeongjong weekday brunch shabu-shabu for two: Pyeonbaek Hoegwan

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch (편백회관 본점) 8-11 Haneulbyeolbit-ro 65beon-gil, Yeongjong-gu, Incheon, Units 202 and 203 Hours: 11:00 - 22:00 Groups and reservations welcome, parking available

Hello! I'm Chugu, the traveler who runs.

I was looking for a hearty meal in Yeongjong and ended up at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan for a weekday brunch. You start with cypress steam (pyeonbaek-jjim, food steamed over cypress wood) and then move on to shabu-shabu as a course. Best of all, the meat and fresh vegetables are unlimited, so I left very satisfied. If you're hunting for good-value shabu-shabu in Yeongjong, I'd recommend it.

Where do you park at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch?

You can park in the building's underground garage. The entrance and exit are the same, and an alarm sounds as you come in, so drive in carefully.

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan, a shabu-shabu favorite in Yeongjong, Incheon!

Looks like mukbang streamers and other celebrities (including the show I Live Alone) have visited before me. Pyeonbaek Hoegwan in Yeongjong, I'm walking in with trust!

I hear the cypress steam includes several medicinal herbs. A summer health boost with cypress steam, how about it?

Inside Pyeonbaek Hoegwan on a weekday brunch

I went a little earlier than the usual weekday lunch rush, and the inside was spacious and comfortable, perfect for a relaxed meal.

The tables are nicely spaced out, so it suits family or group gatherings too.

The staff kindly explained how everything works, so first-timers won't have any trouble.

With wide table spacing and lots of seats, it seems great for group get-togethers. There's also a kids' playground, so it's an excellent pick for family group reservations.

Each table has three sauces, which make both the shabu-shabu and the cypress steam even tastier.

What's at the self-serve bar: tteokbokki, noodles and unlimited meat

Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), stir-fried noodles and even soup are all set out, so it's easy to help yourself.

Shabu-shabu vegetables, rice-paper roll vegetables, and the shabu-shabu meat are all unlimited refills!

Menu lineup at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan, a Yeongjong shabu-shabu favorite

There were two of us.

Pick Your Own 2 Broths, ₩39,800

Cypress steam and rice-paper rolls come first

Once you order, the cypress steam comes out first.

While the steamed food cooks a bit longer, I headed to the self-serve bar to grab rice-paper rolls and vegetables to get ready.

Meat and vegetables come out moist, cooked over warm steam with a faint cypress aroma. Even without much seasoning, the natural flavor of the ingredients really came through.

The meat was mild yet tender, and the vegetables were fresh too, so it felt like a healthy meal.

Dip the rice paper briefly in hot water, then wrap up the meat and vegetables and eat.

Eaten with the three sauces on the table, it was nutty and refreshing, really tasty.

Tomato bone broth and doenjang chicken broth: two-broth shabu-shabu

After you've had your fill of the cypress steam, the shabu-shabu is set up.

We ordered the tomato bone broth and the doenjang (fermented soybean paste) chicken broth. Stir the tomato bone broth well and it turns red.

Lightly cooking meat in the steaming broth had its own charm, and piling in fresh vegetables made the broth even more refreshing.

I put the meat and vegetables I'd brought into the pot together and cooked them briefly to taste.

The meat was tender and the vegetables fresh, so it was delicious with no gamey smell.

Why the unlimited refills were the best part of Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Main Branch

What satisfied me most was that both meat and vegetables are unlimited. You can keep bringing as much as you want, so you can eat without worrying. It's a great setup for big eaters too.

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan combines the mild flavor of cypress steam, the warmth of shabu-shabu, and unlimited meat and vegetables, which made it a very satisfying shabu-shabu spot in Yeongjong. I recommend visiting with your family.