# Gangneung local-favorite restaurant for abalone mulhoe: Yeonhwa Maeul - By Surim (https://superchart.com/en/@the-spoon-drawer/) - Written Sep 12, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Gangneung, Gangwon - Sponsored: This visit was sponsored by the business. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@the-spoon-drawer/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@the-spoon-drawer/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/index.md) ## In short Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap is a cockle bibimbap and mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) restaurant on Punghoro in Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung. The cockle bibimbap plus assorted mulhoe 2-person set costs 48,000 won and brought a bibimbap with cockles right down to the last spoonful, a mulhoe loaded with sea squirt and abalone, and free refills of seaweed and perilla leaf. Even for someone who eats mulhoe often in Sokcho, Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap was a satisfying, well-priced meal. ## Good to know - **Menu and price**: Cockle bibimbap + assorted mulhoe 2-person set, 48,000 won - **Hours**: Tue–Sun 10:30–20:00 (last order 19:00) - **Closed**: Every Monday - **Parking**: Large lot in front of the restaurant - **Self-serve bar**: Lotus leaf tea and coffee at the entrance - **Other**: Designated a Gangneung 'Safe Restaurant'; featured on KBS, SBS and other broadcasts - **Price reference**: ₩48,000 ≈ $35.5 · ₩18,000 ≈ $13.5 (2026-09-15) *as written by the visitor on Sep 12, 2026* ## What is Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap? Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap is a Korean restaurant specializing in cockle bibimbap (꼬막비빔밥) and mulhoe (물회, cold raw fish soup) on Punghoro in Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, 10:30 to 20:00, with last order at 19:00, and closed every Monday. Today I'm introducing Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap in Gangneung. ![Introductory photo of Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap in Gangneung](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-01-ikvd6-900.webp) I stumbled onto this place while reading blogs — someone wrote that their all-time favorite cockle bibimbap used to be Eomjine's, but eating Yeonhwa Maeul's changed their mind! That got my curiosity going, so I planned a Gangneung trip and went to try it myself. ![Exterior of Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap in Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-02-17wvw-900.webp) ## Parking and the atmosphere inside The exterior of Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap has the feel of a Gangneung local favorite that's been settled in the neighborhood for years. There's a spacious parking lot right in front, so parking was easy. ![Large parking lot in front of the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-03-rg1ub-900.webp) Once inside, it was much bigger than it looked from outside. Plenty of tables, and everything was kept neat and clean overall. ![Spacious interior with many tables](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-04-1ckjy-900.webp) It's also designated as a Gangneung 'Safe Restaurant.' ![Gangneung 'Safe Restaurant' designation sign](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-05-1a6l9-900.webp) At the entrance there was self-serve lotus leaf tea and coffee. ![Self-serve lotus leaf tea and coffee corner at the entrance](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-06-qj328-900.webp) ![A self-poured cup of lotus leaf tea](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-07-1mx10-900.webp) I had a cup of lotus leaf tea before the food came out — it had a subtle lotus leaf aroma and a flavor stronger than expected, honestly pretty good. ![Menu board of Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-08-3nru9-900.webp) ## Cockle bibimbap + assorted mulhoe 2-person set, ₩48,000 We ordered Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap's cockle bibimbap + assorted mulhoe 2-person set for ₩48,000. The price is kind. Usually just a single cockle bibimbap runs mid-30,000s won, and mulhoe alone is often ₩18,000–20,000 or more elsewhere — but here even the individual dishes are reasonable, and ordering the set makes the price even better 👍 Looking around after ordering, I noticed photos from KBS, SBS and other broadcasts on the wall — this place has been featured on TV multiple times. ![Photos of TV appearances hanging in the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-09-1cn29-900.webp) ![Framed KBS and SBS feature clippings](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-10-1oqbg-m-900.webp) On one side, inside a partitioned area and in a display cabinet, all sorts of liquor bottles were lined up as decor — made me think the owner must be really into alcohol haha ;; ![Various liquor bottles displayed as decor in a cabinet](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-11-1snry-1200.webp) ## Side dishes, and the generous seaweed and perilla leaf A bit later, the food arrived! It's a set menu, but it's substantial. Several side dishes, seaweed soup, seaweed, and perilla leaf all came out together — and I was especially surprised by the amount of seaweed and perilla leaf. Usually I run out and have to ask for more, but this was the first place I've seen give so generously without holding back. 👍 ![2-person set table setting with side dishes, seaweed soup, seaweed, and perilla leaf](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-12-k03rz-900.webp) ## How was the cockle bibimbap? And now the cockle bibimbap I'd been looking forward to. There were plenty of cockles piled on top, and one bite in, the seasoning was exactly what I wanted. ![Cockle bibimbap piled generously with cockles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-13-1415f-900.webp) Not too salty, not overly punchy, but not bland either — just the right seasoning! And above all, the amount of cockles was great. ![Close-up of the mixed cockle bibimbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-14-bazup-900.webp) With this kind of bibimbap, you're usually left with just rice by the end, but here plenty of cockles were still left even as I got close to finishing the rice. ![Cockles still remaining while eating the rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-15-1qfo9-900.webp) ![A spoonful of cockle bibimbap lifted up](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-16-wlfzv-900.webp) Tasty on its own ![A bite of cockle bibimbap eaten plain](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-17-1m7qa-900.webp) ![A bite of bibimbap full of cockles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-18-4ujq3-900.webp) Tasty wrapped in seaweed too ![Cockle bibimbap wrapped in seaweed](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-19-1xfbl-900.webp) And tasty piled up with cockles and rice on a perilla leaf. ![Cockles and rice piled on a perilla leaf](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-20-1jrz3-900.webp) ![Enjoying the bibimbap as a perilla leaf wrap](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-21-1g659-900.webp) All the side dishes were solid too — overall, the seasoning was really well balanced. Whoever's cooking clearly has good hands. ![Plates of well-seasoned side dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-22-1n1f9-900.webp) ## Assorted mulhoe with sea squirt and abalone And what surprised me the most was the assorted mulhoe at Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap. Honestly, I didn't expect much from the mulhoe. Since I live in Sokcho, I eat mulhoe pretty often, and even so, this one felt genuinely delicious. It was sweet and tangy, but not just plain sweet — the broth had a rich, deep sweetness to it. ![Assorted mulhoe with sea squirt and abalone](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-23-1nje3-900.webp) Better than most dedicated mulhoe places. And it wasn't just raw fish — sea squirt and abalone were mixed in too, so the toppings were generous. I ate the toppings first, then at the end added thin wheat noodles and mixed them into the broth for a clean finish! ![Finishing the mulhoe with added thin noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap-24-18r8v-900.webp) ## In summary Especially since adding abalone to mulhoe usually jacks up the price, having this level of mulhoe included alongside cockle bibimbap for ₩48,000 felt even kinder once I'd finished eating. I went out of curiosity after reading one post about how someone's favorite cockle bibimbap had changed — and I get exactly why they said that. The cockles were plentiful and well seasoned, but the mulhoe I wasn't expecting much from turned out delicious too, which made the whole meal even more satisfying. If you're looking for a Gangneung local favorite that really knows how to cook, or a good-value cockle bibimbap in Gangneung, I recommend Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap. 😊 ## Where it is - Yeonhwa Maeul Kkomak Bibimbap (연화마을 꼬막비빔밥) - 100-1 Punghoro, Gangdong-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea - 강원특별자치도 강릉시 강동면 풍호길 100-1 - 37.7375965, 128.9535755 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%97%B0%ED%99%94%EB%A7%88%EC%9D%84%20%EA%BC%AC%EB%A7%89%EB%B9%84%EB%B9%94%EB%B0%A5/@37.7375965,128.9535755,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@the-spoon-drawer/gangneung-yeonhwa-village-cockle-bibimbap/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt