Barley rice dinner before Gugyeong Market, Danyang: Heukmaneul Boribap

Last weekend I headed off on my real summer vacation to Danyang, a place I visit every year. Even though I come to Danyang every year, there's always the fun of finding somewhere new. Gugyeong Market is a stop I make every time, but this time I decided to have a hearty dinner first, before browsing the market.

The market snacks are great, but I wanted a proper meal, so I went to Heukmaneul Boribap (흑마늘보리밥). It's known for dishes made with black garlic, a Danyang specialty, and I'd been wanting to try it, so I finally made it here~

Barley rice near Gugyeong Market in Danyang: location and hours of Heukmaneul Boribap

Heukmaneul Boribap, barley rice near Gugyeong Market in Danyang / Address: 7-1 Byeolgok 9-gil, Danyang-gun, Chungbuk / Hours: 10:00–20:00 / Last order 19:00 / Closed every Wednesday

It's close to Gugyeong Market, so it was easy to park the car and walk over. The sign is big and easy to spot~ and there's a standing signboard out front introducing the signature dishes, so you can look over what to eat in advance.

The inside was bigger than I expected and the tables are nicely spaced, and I saw a lot of families and groups~ It was dinnertime, but tables turned over quickly, and if I hadn't come early I might have hit a wait~

What we ordered at Heukmaneul Boribap: jeyuk and suyuk barley rice

What I ordered at Heukmaneul Boribap was the jeyuk barley rice (spicy stir-fried pork) and the suyuk barley rice (boiled pork, like bossam). The menu also has a black garlic squid stir-fry barley rice, so I'd love to try that next time. Another plus is that you can order a one-person meal even if you come alone.

Side dishes like a Korean banquet, and crab in the doenjang stew

The first thing that caught my eye when the food arrived was the variety of side dishes being set out. They lay out so many that I wondered if this was a hanjeongsik (Korean full-course) restaurant. Braised quail eggs, seasoned bean sprouts, seaweed stems, namul (seasoned greens), kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), seasoned radish strips and more, each neatly plated, and the fresh ssam vegetables put me in a good mood too.

With doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) served as well, the table looked so abundant that I thought, thank goodness I came. On a trip, this kind of home-style spread is really nice. And with all those sides, the main dishes, jeyuk and bossam, hadn't even come out yet. When they arrived, it was so generous I didn't know where to reach first~

Before eating, I first scooped some doenjang jjigae and was surprised to find zucchini, blue crab and loads of tofu inside. Elsewhere the free stew that comes with a meal is skimpy, but this one is hearty! Maybe that's why so many people seem to know to come here~

Jeyuk taste: not spicy, fine for kids

The jeyuk was glossy with seasoning that had soaked in well, with a faint smoky grill flavor and a nice savory depth. It isn't spicy, so it works for children too. A moderate sweetness comes through, so it was good wrapped in lettuce and went really well with the barley rice. Wrapping it in lettuce with garlic and side dishes gave a mouthful of satisfaction and jeyuk flavor.

Bossam with black garlic sauce

The bossam was moist with no gamey smell, and eaten with saeujeot (salted shrimp) or kimchi its clean flavor stood out even more, a different charm from the jeyuk. Above all, with the black garlic sauce the sweet garlic flavor went wonderfully with the bossam. The portion of bossam was also generous for one serving. The bossam barley rice is honestly a dish worth ordering~ The sauce isn't common and you can only taste it here, which I think adds a lot~

Finishing with bibimbap from the leftover barley rice

At the end I gathered the leftover barley rice, added namul and gochujang (red chili paste) and mixed it myself. Gochujang and sesame oil are on the table so you can mix your own~ Putting a piece of jeyuk on top was really delicious~ and with so many side dishes, trying different combinations was fun too~

If this much food and so many side dishes come at this price, anyone who comes once will probably come again. The food tasted good, but I was also quite satisfied with the value for money. The sides are as varied as a hanjeongsik, the portions weren't lacking, and the jeyuk and bossam didn't feel skimpy either~ If you're looking for barley rice near Gugyeong Market in Danyang, I recommend visiting Heukmaneul Boribap.