Hwajeong shabu-shabu with high chairs and self-serve bar: Pyeonbaek

These days, when I start craving something warm with deep, rich broth, I like to find a good spot to bring the family. This time I'm introducing a place near Hwajeong Station on the subway, so it's easy to get to — Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Ilsan Hwajeong Branch, where you can enjoy all-you-can-eat cedar-steamed dishes, clean-tasting shabu-shabu, hearty Vietnamese rice paper rolls, and a varied self-serve bar. If you're a parent looking for a good restaurant in Hwajeong to eat a proper meal with young kids, pay attention to this one.

Where is Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Hwajeong, and is it good with kids?

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Ilsan Hwajeong Branch is located at 47 Hwasin-ro 260beon-gil, Deokyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, 3rd floor, near Hwajeong Station, and is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00. There's underground parking, and the place is equipped with group seating, Wi-Fi, separate men's and women's restrooms, and high chairs.

Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Ilsan Hwajeong Branch has a clean, upscale-looking exterior.

My kid was already excited before we even walked in. At the entrance, true to a premium shabu-shabu specialist, there were posters and signage explaining the signature course menu.

Inside, I liked the spacious dining hall and the calm interior. The tables were spaced well apart, too. The layout was clean, so moving around with kids or heading to the self-serve bar was never a hassle.

On one side of the restaurant, several high chairs were set out for young kids. At every table there was a tablet for easy menu ordering. The whole place was tidy overall — it felt like a space where I could relax and eat comfortably with my child.

Cedar-steamed course: light meat and veg with a cypress scent

The first course at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Ilsan Hwajeong Branch is the cedar-steamed dish. You can choose from a variety of broths using the tablet at your table based on preference, and we went with a half-and-half combination of katsuo broth and bone-marrow mala broth, good for eating with a kid.

After a short wait, a large square cedar steaming box was set on the induction burner. When the timer for the cedar steam went off and we lifted the lid, a subtle, fragrant cedar scent spread out. Moist, well-cooked beef and colorful vegetables were arranged temptingly inside.

Inside the cedar steamer were thin, tender slices of beef, and on top there was a variety of ingredients — sweet pumpkin, napa cabbage, bok choy, enoki mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, and shrimp. Because it's cooked by steaming, the fat drains right out of the meat while the juices stay moist. Thanks to the faint cedar aroma, there was zero gamey smell from the meat at all. It's a dish my kid loves, so she ate it up happily.

At Pyeonbaek Hoegwan, you can refill this clean-tasting cedar-steamed dish as many times as you like. We grabbed rice paper from the self-serve bar and wrapped it generously with the Vietnamese rice paper roll vegetables and the cedar-steamed meat, and pretty quickly we were full. So, sadly, we saved the cedar-steamed refill for next time and moved straight on to the shabu-shabu course.

Self-serve bar: tteokbokki, cream pasta and mixed fritters

The self-serve corner at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Ilsan Hwajeong Branch was clean, and the variety and taste of the food were both good. While the cedar-steamed dish was cooking away nicely, we grabbed a bunch of things from the self-serve bar.

Vegetable zone for shabu-shabu and rice paper rolls

There was a wide range of fresh-looking ingredients — mung bean sprouts, napa cabbage, bok choy, wood ear mushrooms, white wood ear mushrooms, fish cake skewers, dried tofu skin, and wide glass noodles. The rice paper roll corner also had carrots, red cabbage, onion, sprouts, cucumber, and pineapple, all free to take as much as you like.

Side dish zone

There was sweet-and-spicy tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), soft and savory cream pasta, crispy mixed fritters, and even cream soup — all things kids tend to love. These kid-friendly menu items were high quality, and we enjoyed them a lot.

Half-and-half broth: how the two-pot shabu-shabu works

Once you finish the cedar-steamed dish and order the shabu-shabu broth via the tablet, staff will clear the cedar steaming box for you.

Katsuo broth

This is a clear, clean katsuo-based broth. It's not spicy at all, just a subtle, deep savoriness. It's perfect for young kids or anyone who can't handle spicy food. Once you add fresh vegetables from the self-serve bar along with beef and fish cake skewers and let the broth deepen, one sip really hits the spot.

Bone-marrow mala broth

Highly recommended for mala fans. Since the mala sauce is served separately, you can add as much as suits your own spice tolerance. Mix the right amount of mala sauce into the deep, rich bone-marrow broth, then add dried tofu skin, white wood ear mushrooms, wide glass noodles, and beef — you'll get the flavor of a proper mala tang specialty restaurant.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Which all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu restaurant in Hwajeong is good to visit with kids?

A. Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Ilsan Hwajeong Branch. High chairs are fully equipped, and there's a mild katsuo broth plus kid-friendly self-serve bar items like tteokbokki, cream pasta, and soup. It's a great spot for a family meal out.

Q. What's the course structure and refill system at Pyeonbaek Hoegwan?

A. You start with the cedar-steamed dish, then move to unlimited shabu-shabu with your chosen half-and-half broth and rice paper rolls.

Q. Can you adjust the spiciness of the mala broth?

A. When you order the bone-marrow mala broth, the mala sauce is provided separately in its own container, so you can adjust the spice and numbing level directly to your own taste.

How long can you stay?

You get a standard 100 minutes, which is plenty of time to enjoy everything at a relaxed pace without wasting food. It's a place where you can eat everything in one sitting — from the healthy, clean-tasting cedar-steamed dish to the spicy-yet-clean shabu-shabu, crunchy rice paper rolls, and a wide range of self-serve bar dishes. With good value, good taste, and friendly service all in one, Pyeonbaek Hoegwan Ilsan Hwajeong Branch is a Hwajeong restaurant I'd recommend for a family meal out or a gathering.