Korean restaurant in Gwacheon with two tteokgalbi styles: Bibisam

While looking for lunch in Gwacheon, my husband and I visited Bibisam Gwacheon Main Branch (비비삼 과천본점). There were many kinds of bibimbap, so we chose different sets and shared them.

I ordered the Korean beef yukhoe (beef tartare) bibimbap with Korean beef tteokgalbi (grilled minced-meat patty), while my husband ordered stone-pot octopus al-bap (roe rice) with Korean pork tteokgalbi. Choosing different dishes meant we could try two kinds of rice and tteokgalbi.

How far is it from Government Complex Gwacheon Station?

The address is 10-13 Saesulmak-gil, 1F, Unit 101, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do. It is about a six-minute walk from Government Complex Gwacheon Station on Line 4, so I found it fairly convenient to reach by public transit. The original post lists hours as 11:00–22:00, with last orders at 20:30.

How is the Korean beef tartare bibimbap set served?

I expected the Korean beef tartare to be on top of the bibimbap, but it came in a separate bowl. I liked that I could eat it however I preferred.

When I mixed the rice, namul (seasoned vegetables), and beef tartare evenly, the ingredients came together nicely. It was easy and filling to eat as one bowl, but it did not feel too heavy for lunch.

I also had the Korean beef tteokgalbi that came with the set.

Alternating between the bibimbap and tteokgalbi made the meal feel well rounded. I could mix the egg into the bibimbap or eat it with the Korean beef tteokgalbi, and both were good.

I mixed in the beef tartare, and it was filling by the time I finished.

How was the stone-pot octopus roe rice different from the bibimbap?

My husband usually likes stone-pot dishes and also likes octopus, so he chose the stone-pot octopus roe rice with Korean pork tteokgalbi set.

It was served hot in a stone pot and contained octopus and flying-fish roe, so it felt different from the Korean beef tartare bibimbap. It was also fun to scrape up the rice lightly crisped onto the bottom. My husband liked that part and finished it all.

Did the Korean beef and Korean pork tteokgalbi have different textures?

My husband's set came with Korean pork tteokgalbi. Sharing it with my Korean beef tteokgalbi made the meal feel more abundant than having only the main dishes.

Comparing them directly, I found the Korean beef tteokgalbi thicker and moister. The Korean pork tteokgalbi was chewier and nuttier.

Was it good for two people sharing lunch dishes?

The Korean beef tartare bibimbap and stone-pot octopus roe rice had different styles, but both were filling rice-centered dishes. I liked that there were many options to choose from when I wanted a Korean lunch.

For two people like us, ordering different dishes and sharing worked well. Looking at the menu, I thought it could also work for a solo lunch or for a group choosing dishes to suit individual preferences.

This time, I had beef tartare bibimbap and stone-pot roe rice, but next time I would like to try another bibimbap dish.