Ruwon City, Incheon Korean BBQ with tableside grilling: Heukdwaeji

Not long ago I went for dinner with my kid and my wife to Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch in Ruwon City, Gajeong-dong. These days, when eating out with a kid, taste matters but so does whether parking is easy. This place has a basement parking lot in the building, so it was convenient to drive there.

Parking at Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul in Ruwon City: free basement lot

Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch has free basement parking in the building. It made going out for dinner by car feel effortless.

Since parking is free too, there was no burden about going out for dinner. When you're moving around with a kid, walking a long way from parking to the restaurant can be surprisingly tiresome, so being able to park right in the basement was really convenient.

The restaurant was clean overall and the tables weren't packed too tightly together.

Korean BBQ with a child: staff grill the meat for you

Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch offers a grilling service where staff cook the meat for you. Going to a BBQ place with a kid usually means worrying about the hot grill plate, but thanks to this service, eating here was much more comfortable.

What comes in the 62,000 won 3-person pork neck and belly set

We ordered the 3-person set. It costs ₩62,000 and comes with both pork neck and pork belly.

Getting to eat pork neck and pork belly together rather than just one cut was nice for eating as a family. The meat came in thick cuts, and staff grilled it while checking the doneness themselves. Honestly, the most tedious part of a BBQ place is constantly flipping the meat while it grills.

Here, there was almost nothing to worry about while the meat was grilling.

Staff cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and watched the doneness, which made it easy to eat while looking after my kid. Especially when you go with a child, you're usually scrambling between feeding them and grilling meat, but with the grilling service, my wife and I could eat comfortably too.

How the meat tasted: tender thick pork neck, chewy five-layer belly

The well-grilled meat had a golden, nicely cooked exterior while staying moist inside.

Personally, the pork neck was especially good. Pork neck usually turns dry if grilled even a bit too long, but here it was thick and still not tough at all — quite tender. The meat's juiciness really came through, so it was delicious even dipped in just a bit of salt.

The pork belly had a stronger savory flavor than the neck and a chewier texture, so it was nice to alternate between the two. If the pork neck felt clean and soft, the pork belly was savory with more of a bite.

At first I tried the meat with just a little salt, then afterward ate it with ssamjang (spicy dipping sauce) and the other side dishes. The basic banchan (side dishes) paired well with the meat, so it was nice to mix and match.

Free steamed egg, acorn jelly soup and the self-serve banchan bar

At Heukdwaeji Hyeongjedeul Gajeong Ruwon City Main Branch, steamed egg (gyeranjjim) and acorn jelly soup (mooksabal) also came out complimentary. Having a steamed egg while eating meat is great for sharing with a kid and for a softer bite in between.

The mooksabal was cool and refreshing, nice to have once in a while between bites of meat to clear the palate. With both the steamed egg and mooksabal included, we didn't need to order several extra side dishes — the basic spread was already good. If the basic banchan ran low, there was a self-serve bar where you could take as much as you needed. Personally, since the meat itself was so tasty here, just salt or ssamjang was enough rather than piling on lots of extra sides.

What I liked most was how easy it was to eat comfortably. Going to a BBQ place with a kid usually means the parents end up eating in a rush, busy grilling meat and looking after the child. But here, staff kept an eye on the meat the whole time, so we could take it slow while tending to our kid. We got to chat with each other and eat at a relaxed pace, which made it feel like a good spot for a family meal out.

Is 62,000 won a fair price for a family of three? Final verdict

Price-wise, it's not the cheapest BBQ place around, but considering the pork neck and pork belly 3-person set is ₩62,000 and includes the grilling service, it wasn't too much of a burden. The portion was good for our family of three for dinner, and above all, the meat was tender and delicious, so we were satisfied.

For anyone in Ruwon City looking for a BBQ place to go with a kid, or wanting a comfortable meal without grilling the meat yourself, this seems like a solid option. Having basement parking made it easy to visit by car, and free parking was a nice bonus. We'll likely come back the next time we're eating meat in Ruwon City — the pork neck was especially tender and good, so I'll definitely order it again next time.