Korean restaurant in Gwacheon for bulgogi and beef tartare bibimbap: Bibisam

After hearing that a bibimbap specialty restaurant had newly opened near the Gwacheon Government Complex, I visited Bibisam Gwacheon Main Branch on the weekend. We sat by the window and had bulgogi bibimbap and Korean beef tartare bibimbap as tteokgalbi sets.

How do you get there from Government Complex Gwacheon Station, and was there a wait?

Walk straight from Exit 11 of Government Complex Gwacheon Station on Line 4, and the restaurant appears on the left. The address is 101, 1F, 10 Saesulmak-gil, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The exterior looked neat even from a distance.

I had heard there could be a wait at weekday lunch. There was also a sheet at the entrance for writing down names. I went a little early on the weekend in case I had to wait, and fortunately there was a table.

The hours listed in the original post are daily 11:00–22:00, with last orders at 20:30. On-site parking is unavailable, but there is public parking nearby. The posted public-parking rates were ₩900 for the first 30 minutes, then ₩400 per additional 10 minutes.

Before going in, I also looked over the menu posted by the entrance.

What were the seating and atmosphere like?

There were backless straight tables and two-person tables, plus three window tables. We sat at a window table. The newly decorated interior was tidy, and the light covers and traditional decorative items throughout gave it the feel of a Korean restaurant.

Which sets did I order, and how does the self-service setup work?

The menu was divided into individual dishes and sets. I ordered the Hwangdeung to-ryeom bulgogi bibimbap set and the Hwangdeung to-ryeom Korean beef tartare bibimbap set, both of which came with tteokgalbi (Korean grilled meat patty). For the set tteokgalbi, you could choose Korean beef or Korean pork.

It is self-service: you order at the table, then collect your food when it is ready. After eating, return your dishes to the dish-return station.

Side dishes and water were available from the self-service bar, along with water kimchi and doenjang-guk (soybean paste soup). The doenjang-guk was very hot, so I needed to be careful while pouring it.

On my visit, a kiosk notification told me the order was ready about seven minutes after I ordered, and I went to collect it.

How did I mix the to-ryeom bibimbap?

Bibisam says it uses to-ryeom, repeatedly warming rice with broth, to bring out the rice's savory flavor. Since the rice was already seasoned, I lightly mixed the vegetables and rice with chopsticks as instructed. I could add gim (roasted seaweed) and sesame oil to taste.

Alongside the bibimbap, I also had Korean beef and Korean pork tteokgalbi served on a hot plate. Cut gim to add to the bibimbap was provided too.

What did the Korean beef tartare and bulgogi bibimbap taste like?

For the Korean beef tartare bibimbap, I first mixed the vegetables and rice, then added the tartare and mixed it a little more. It had a nutty aroma, and I liked the combination of warm rice, chewy tartare, and cool water kimchi.

I added more gim while eating. It was not heavily seasoned itself, so it added a nutty flavor to the bibimbap.

I ate the Korean pork tteokgalbi with a soft-fried egg. I also put a soft-fried egg on the bulgogi bibimbap; it mixed gently into the rice and added a nutty taste.

Adding gim to the bulgogi bibimbap also made its flavor feel fuller.

The Korean beef tteokgalbi on the hot plate was well cooked on both sides, crisp outside and moist inside. I finished the bowl with it alongside the bibimbap.

After the meal, I returned the dishes to the dish-return station. Although it is a self-service restaurant where I needed to take care of things myself, the staff were kind, and I was satisfied with the food and ingredients. It was a filling lunch of warm to-ryeom bibimbap, and personally, the price did not feel overly burdensome.