Gwacheon Korean BBQ with an unlimited minari bar: Cheongnok Minari

There are plenty of places specializing in samgyeopsal (grilled pork belly) in Gwacheon, but with prices going up everywhere, it's honestly a bit of a burden to actually go eat it. But there's a place where you can eat generously and healthily at a reasonable price.

That place is Cheongnok Minari Restaurant Gwacheon (청록미나리식당 과천점)~ It's an even more satisfying Gwacheon spot because you can enjoy unlimited minari (water celery) at the self-serve bar. This time I stopped by after visiting my ancestors' graves, exhausted and needing something to revive me.

Alright, let's go! I'll walk you through exactly what makes Cheongnok Minari special, what kind of service you get at the Gwacheon location, and how to enjoy it — so follow along closely.

Where is Cheongnok Minari Restaurant Gwacheon, and is there parking?

Cheongnok Minari Restaurant Gwacheon is on the 2nd floor of Hillstate Gwacheon Central, right by Exit 11 of Government Complex Gwacheon Station. It's close to the subway, but also near Gwanaksan Mountain, so it's a great spot to enjoy after hiking. Parking is validated for however long you're there.

They're currently running a '₩10,000 Happiness' promotion, which makes the value even better. It felt like getting the best of both worlds, and I was in a great mood.

Inside Cheongnok Minari: seating, atmosphere and how to order

Cheongnok Minari Restaurant Gwacheon has a clean white-and-wood interior. There are no private rooms, but the seats have built-in storage, so you can tuck away coats or bags. You order through a tablet at the table and pay afterward.

Necessary sauces are already set out on the table, and the self-serve bar has all kinds of vegetables and broth, so you can enjoy as much as you like.

Menu and prices: how much is the minari chilled pork belly?

Cheongnok Minari's signature dishes are shabu-shabu, mountain-high duck brisket, and minari cold samgyeopsal. Prices run from ₩13,000–16,000 per portion. There's also perilla oil buckwheat noodles and pancake at ₩9,000, king mandu (dumplings) at ₩5,000, stir-fried chicken neck meat at ₩15,000, and jaengban buckwheat noodles at ₩13,000.

Whatever you order, you can't leave out the minari — which makes it that much healthier. Today too, I loaded up on ingredients from the self-serve bar for the sake of my blood vessel health, haha.

Minari cold samgyeopsal is ₩13,000 per portion (170g), with a minimum first order of 3 portions, and house fried rice or doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) are each ₩3,000.

What's on the self-serve vegetable bar, and what is unlimited?

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I recommend Cheongnok Minari Gwacheon for the self-serve bar alone. Not every menu item comes with unlimited access, but shabu-shabu and cold samgyeopsal both do.

• Sweet pumpkin
• Napa cabbage
• Oyster mushroom
• Bok choy
• Mi-na-ri (water celery)
• Mung bean sprouts
• Enoki mushroom
• Baek-kimchi (white, non-spicy kimchi)

Personally, when I eat Gwacheon-style cold samgyeopsal, I like to pile on not just minari but oyster mushroom, enoki mushroom, mung bean sprouts, and baek-kimchi too.

What we ordered at Cheongnok Minari and what came with it

Three portions is the minimum, but the prices are so friendly that even ordering three portions feels reasonable.

The banchan and side dishes on the table

Aside from the meat, the setup includes lettuce, minari, enoki mushroom, chili peppers, garlic, ssamjang (dipping paste), scallion kimchi, and shredded onion. The shredded onion pairs with the soy sauce set out on the table. Minari and enoki mushroom are unlimited from the self-serve bar. Lettuce, scallion kimchi, onion, and garlic get refilled by staff.

(Whispering) Everything came out so generously that just refilling vegetables from the self-serve bar was more than enough.

Minari, mushrooms and baek-kimchi from the self-serve bar

The baek-kimchi is mild and refreshing, but the oyster mushroom and mung bean sprouts also pair wonderfully with the soy sauce.

Grilling the chilled pork belly on a cast-iron pan

A lot of cold samgyeopsal restaurants use cooking foil, but Cheongnok Minari grills on a cast-iron pan, so there's no hesitation there. You heat the pan and lay on as much meat as you like — since the slices are thin, they cook quickly, so there's no long wait.

The scallion kimchi is great too, but I think unlimited minari samgyeopsal is a luxury you can only really enjoy at Cheongnok Minari.

Since minari samgyeopsal is good for blood vessel health, you can eat a lot without any guilt.

Why minari and pork belly work so well together

Thanks to its natural fragrance and crisp texture, it feels even more refreshing and clean to eat, and it pairs well nutritionally with the high-fat, high-protein pork belly.

It's also high in potassium and fiber, but if you cook it too long it gets tough, so I only lightly cook it. Being able to enjoy it as unlimited refills at no extra cost is a rare, unbeatable advantage you don't find elsewhere.

Finishing the meal with doenjang jjigae and rice

It's packed with ingredients — meat, tofu, zucchini, onion, and more.

Savory with a subtle kick of spice, and not too salty — an absolute rice thief, and a soju thief too.

Current events and promotions at Cheongnok Minari Gwacheon

After making a Naver reservation, you get a coupon for a free king mandu that can be used with a purchase of ₩40,000 or more. Writing a Naver review gets you one free portion of shabu meat. Adding their KakaoTalk channel gets you 4 free rolled mandu.

With all these extra perks, an already reasonable price gets even more reasonable. There's also a stamp event, so go ahead and enjoy a variety of healthy dishes.

Visitor information: hours, address and reservations

• Address: 204, 2F, Bldg A, 92 Gwanmun-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–21:30
• Free parking available
• Naver reservation or phone reservation available