Team dinner beef BBQ in Giheung: kimchi noodles to finish, Sowon.1

What kind of restaurant is Sowon.1 Main Branch?

Sowon.1 Main Branch (소원.1 본점) is a beef barbecue restaurant in Giheung, Yongin, with a spacious, comfortable dining room and even a big playroom where kids can run wild. I found it for you as a place I can really recommend for family meals and group gatherings. Even with an energetic three-year-old in tow, parents can grill and eat in peace here.

Where is Sowon.1 in Giheung, and is there group seating and parking?

The address is 19 Yonggu-daero 2145beon-gil, Giheung-gu, Yongin, 1st floor. It has 160 seats with full group seating, and parking in the building is easy. The building is quite large from the outside. There's a tennis lounge and a futsal lab on the 2nd and 3rd floors, so it's a perfect route for a group dinner after exercising. The sign outside reads "Galbisal 1kg = ₩63,000" in big letters, and it already radiates great value.

Inside, it's very roomy and pleasant. The tables are spaced generously, and above all the ventilation is good, so there was less of that typical BBQ-restaurant smoke and stuffiness.

Sowon.1 menu: ordering the 1kg half-and-half set

The menu at Sowon.1 has wagyu, jinkkotgalbisal, fresh galbisal (beef short rib meat) and more, plus pork options like Korean pork belly and marinated grilled pork. Today we ordered the [Half-and-Half SET] fresh galbisal + fresh sirloin (1kg) as the main, and chose kimchi-mari guksu (kimchi noodle soup) for dessert. 1kg for ₩63,000 — being able to eat this much beef at that price is truly amazing for a Giheung restaurant.

What side dishes come with the beef?

Before the meat arrives, the table is set with the charcoal and basics like white kimchi, geotjeori (fresh kimchi), salad and marinated crab. It's a solid lineup that brings out the flavor of the meat.

• Homemade white kimchi & geotjeori: The menu said they make it in-house, and it was definitely cool and crunchy. It wipes away the greasiness of the meat.
• Other sides: A cabbage salad with nutty black sesame dressing, mushrooms and tteok (rice cake) sticks for grilling, plus pickled onions that go perfectly with beef, garlic, ssamjang (dipping paste) and salt, all neatly served.

Yangnyeom gejang (spicy marinated crab): Isn't it great when a BBQ place serves yangnyeom gejang?! It's coated in a spicy-sweet sauce and is perfect for whetting your appetite before you start grilling.

The self-serve bar and regulars' personal glass lockers

At one side of the restaurant there's a neatly kept self-bar. You can help yourself to extra vegetables and side dishes without feeling awkward. I also noticed a shelf of personal cups engraved with regulars' names. It showed the owner's thoughtfulness and care for loyal customers.

How do the ₩1,000 weekday naengmyeon and 200g takeout bonus work?

Weekday before 3 p.m. deal: Order 1kg or more of beef at Sowon.1 and mul naengmyeon (cold broth noodles) or bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) is just ₩1,000! (Excluding weekends and holiday lunch specials.)

Takeout event: Every menu item can be taken out, and if you take out 1kg or more of meat, they give you a whole 200g extra. Taking it home for a camping trip or a home BBQ is a total bargain, right?

Does Sowon.1 have a kids' playroom?

Sowon.1 has a spacious playroom with a slide, a jungle gym and even nostalgic arcade games. It catches parents' eyes the moment you walk in, and kids can play without noticing time passing.

Tip: The floor can be slippery, so please take your kids' socks off when they use the playroom! I also liked that there are careful notices posted so kids can play safely without getting hurt.

How did the fresh sirloin and galbisal taste?

Not long after ordering, the charcoal brazier arrived~~

Ta-da!! The main meat is here! The fresh sirloin and fresh galbisal of the Sowon.1 Half-and-Half SET have a vivid reddish color and great marbling that prove how fresh they are at a glance.

Fresh sirloin: It comes thickly sliced, just right for grilling crisp outside and juicy inside over charcoal. The moment it's in your mouth, rich juices burst out and the deep nuttiness of beef spreads. At first, just dip it lightly in salt and enjoy the pure flavor!

Fresh galbisal: The texture is chewy yet tender. It's scored just enough, so the charcoal aroma soaks in wonderfully. Wrap it in the homemade white kimchi or eat it with pickled onions and it just keeps going down without feeling greasy.

I took a shot from the side, and the thickness of the sirloin is just right!!

Hot charcoal grill: flip the beef after about 30 seconds

Okay~ sizzling away on the brazier~

Beef plus strong heat means it cooks fast. If you flip it after about 30 seconds, it looks like this, see?? haha

Are the kimchi-mari noodles worth ordering to finish?

After a hearty beef meal at Sowon.1, finishing with kimchi-mari guksu, with ice floating in the broth, isn't optional, it's a must. The tangy-sweet, refreshing broth washes away the beef's richness, and when you lay a piece of leftover galbisal on the nicely chewy somyeon (thin wheat noodles) and slurp it all up, it's the perfect full stop to the meal.

You have to keep turning it so it doesn't burn!

The galbisal pieces looked really high quality too >_<

Sowon.1 Main Branch: final verdict

Sowon.1 has also launched new menu items, pork belly and marinated grilled pork~!!! I have to come back and try them next time!

A big dining room, a playroom for kids, and great-quality beef at a reasonable price! Whether it's a family meal, a get-together with friends or a company dinner, Sowon.1 Main Branch is a Giheung BBQ restaurant that earns praise for any purpose. On a day you're craving beef, don't hesitate, I strongly recommend it!