Bongdam grilled fish with a wood-fired open kitchen: Hwadamga

Is parking easy at Hwadamga in Bongdam?

Hwadamga is a wood-fired grilled fish Korean restaurant on Nangnaegi-gil in Bongdam-eup. A wide gravel parking area spreads out in front of the building, so there was no parking stress. It's open daily 11:00 to 22:00, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00. Reservations, takeout, delivery, group dining, corkage and parking are all said to be available.

You know those days when you suddenly crave grilled fish? At home the smell makes it a hassle to cook, so I went looking for a good grilled fish place in Bongdam and ended up at Hwadamga. A white brick building with a big "Hwadamga" sign, and that huge parking lot out front was a welcome sight right away. Potted plants line the deck by the entrance and the glass door is full of green plants inside, so it felt neat and tidy before I even walked in.

Suhyangmi rice at the entrance

A Suhyangmi rice poster hung on the glass window at the entrance, and bags of the rice were stacked neatly inside. Hearing they use the same rice I eat at home made me oddly happy.

It's homestyle rice, so I was glad to see it, and the care they put into even the rice made me trust it as a Bongdam grilled fish spot.

What's the seating like? Partition seats and group rooms

The hall has wood partition seats topped with bamboo decor, and further in there are rooms with sliding doors that look great for family gatherings or group meals. Past the entrance, a phrase on the wall read "Grilling with sincerity, serving with heart." It felt like the restaurant's philosophy in a single line.

Wood partition seats with green bamboo decor line the hall. Each table has a divider, so the neighboring seats didn't bother me and it felt cozy, and there's a grill burner in the middle of each table. The display shelves on the wall were organized with bottles and small props, so the interior looked clean.

Further in, there was a room space with sliding doors. Inside were a white table, bamboo lighting and an ordering tablet, so it seemed fine for a family gathering or group meal. If you're looking for a place for a get-together in Bongdam, I recommend Hwadamga.

What's at the Hwadamga self-serve bar?

The self-serve bar has 20-plus side dishes, barley rice and white rice, warm jeon, drinks and desserts, so you can take as much as you like. The biggest charm of this Bongdam grilled fish restaurant is exactly this bar.

Brass bowls and spoons were piled up on one side, and the barley rice and white rice had separate cookers. The ingredients were set out so you can scoop barley rice yourself and mix it into bibimbap, which I loved. Several kinds of warm jeon sat in heated trays too.

Along a long white counter, side dishes sat in metal bowls in a row. Kimchi, dried radish strips, namul (seasoned vegetables), pickles and stir-fried sides, 20-plus in all, so just browsing them one by one was fun.

You pick up as much as you want with tongs, and a fridge on one side holds drinks. You'll never run short of sides, so I'd call Hwadamga a grilled fish place and a side dish place.

Can you see the kitchen? The open wood-fired kitchen

The kitchen is open behind a glass window, so you can watch the fish being grilled in the wood-fired oven. Red flames were roaring inside, and a cook in gloves pulled out the fish. A transparent kitchen like this felt hygienic and clean, and it earned my trust.

Wood-fired mackerel set and barley gulbi set spread

At Hwadamga I had the wood-fired mackerel set and the barley gulbi set. I piled sides from the self-serve bar and set them on the table, and the spread turned out generous.

Barley rice in a brass bowl, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), seaweed soup, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) and namul sides came out, with the mackerel and barley gulbi on plates. The steamed egg also puffed up in its earthenware pot, nice and fluffy. The scallion bits on top were a nice touch.

Gochujang and perilla oil barley bibimbap, for an even bigger meal

Gochujang (red chili paste) and perilla oil were set out on the table, perfect for mixing into the barley rice from the self-serve bar. I piled on lots of sides, added gochujang and perilla oil and mixed it all up, and a nutty aroma rose right away.

The barley grains popped as I chewed and blended with the namul, so every spoonful was good.

How were the wood-fired mackerel and barley gulbi?

The wood-fired barley gulbi flaked off chewy along the grain, and the wood-fired mackerel was moist inside. Both were clean-tasting with no fishy smell.

The barley gulbi came out grilled golden too. The flesh pulled apart chewy along the grain, with a clean, excellent flavor. The mackerel skin was nicely charred and it came with a slice of lemon. When I split it with chopsticks, the white flesh came apart along the grain, moist.

Eaten on top of barley rice, it was a great match, and with the sides a bowl of rice vanished in no time. The fish bones were big too, so it was easy to pick out.

Maybe because it's grilled in a wood-fired oven, a faint smoky aroma carried through, and it was clean-tasting with no fishy smell. Dipped lightly in soy sauce, it was salty and nutty. Now I get why it has a reputation as a Bongdam grilled fish spot.

Hwadamga dessert: mango juice and oranges to finish

Desserts are self-serve at the bar too, so after the meal I finished with mango juice and orange pieces. Ending with fresh oranges made the dessert perfect.

The mango juice was sweet and refreshing, and it cleaned up my mouth after the grilled fish. What I really liked at this Bongdam grilled fish spot is that you can even enjoy dessert self-serve.

Who I'd recommend Hwadamga in Bongdam to

You can feel that Hwadamga cares about taste and quality. It has everything: a self-serve bar with 20-plus sides and desserts, wood-fired fish, Suhyangmi rice, a big parking lot and rooms for group gatherings.

• People who want a healthy meal in Bongdam
• People who love Korean set meals with lots of sides
• People looking for a family outing or group gathering spot
• People curious about the open-flame jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) and the stone-plate Korean beef, Korean pork and seafood dishes

If you're looking for a good grilled fish restaurant in Bongdam, do try a hearty, tidy meal at Hwadamga!