Guro Korean restaurant for jokbal with buckwheat noodles: The Jokbal

While deciding on dinner in Sindorim, I was craving jokbal (braised pork hock), so I went to The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch. I order jokbal for delivery often too, but warm jokbal straight from the restaurant is just different, you know? Haha. The Jokbal specializes in jokbal and bossam (boiled pork wraps), and there were plenty of choices beyond jokbal, including half-and-half jokbal, cold jokbal, and bossam, so it seemed great for visiting with a group too.

The Jokbal Sindorim Main Branch information

The address is 1F, Pureujio 3rd Complex shopping arcade, 619-3 Gyeongin-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul. It is said to operate from 11:30 to 22:30 on weekdays, 11:00 to 22:30 on Saturdays, and 11:00 to 21:30 on Sundays. Takeout, delivery, and parking are available, but hours may change, so I recommend checking before you visit.

Ordering front pork hock, tray buckwheat noodles, and steamed egg

We ordered a nice variety: front pork hock for ₩47,000, a small tray of maekguksu (buckwheat noodles) for ₩9,000, and steamed egg for ₩6,000.

Side dishes that go well with jokbal

As soon as you order, these side dishes that pair well with jokbal arrive. The whole lineup went nicely with the jokbal too. The seasoned chives were tangy and spicy, while the radish kimchi had a great crunch. Perfect for having between bites of jokbal! A refreshing soybean-sprout soup came with it as well. Its clean broth was nice to sip by the spoonful while eating the jokbal.

Warm and tender front pork hock

Our jokbal arrived, and first of all, the portion was seriously generous. They say this jokbal is made with a recipe researched and developed directly by a chef with 30 years of experience at The Westin Josun Seoul. It was so tender, savory, and delicious that it felt incomparable to other places. I want it again ㅠㅠ sob.

It looked so glossy that I had to take photos the moment it arrived. There was a good mix of lean meat and skin. The skin was wonderfully chewy and the meat was tender, so they were great together. Jokbal really tastes best while it is warm! Eating it right at the restaurant made it feel even moister and softer.

Mustard cold salad served for dine-in

This is the mustard cold salad served on the house~ Its sharp mustard flavor and freshness were a special treat too! They say it is complimentary for people dining in ❤️

Fluffy earthenware-pot steamed egg

We also ordered the ₩6,000 steamed egg as a side. It came piled high in an earthenware pot, and it looked fluffy just sitting there! The warm, soft steamed egg was great after the spicy maekguksu. If you visit with children, ordering one to share seems like a good idea too.

Trying jokbal with tray buckwheat noodles

And there is a menu item you would miss when eating jokbal, right? Tray buckwheat noodles! According to the menu, the small is ₩9,000 and the large is ₩16,000. We ordered it with the jokbal too. The chewy noodles were generously coated in a spicy, tangy sauce! Cabbage and other vegetables added a lovely crunchy texture as well.

If you keep eating only jokbal, it can start to feel a little rich. A bite of buckwheat noodles at that point feels like it clears your palate completely. I also recommend putting buckwheat noodles on a piece of jokbal and eating them together! I personally always order tray buckwheat noodles with jokbal, and as expected, they went perfectly together.

A big bite in a perilla-leaf wrap

You know food tastes best when you make a big wrap and take one huge bite, right? Woooow, chomp!!!

And it is delicious just as it is too… 😆

I especially loved wrapping it in perilla leaves. Put jokbal on a perilla leaf, then pile on garlic, seasoned chives, and radish kimchi! Taking one big bite like that is seriously delicious.

A generous Sindorim jokbal dinner

The lunch menu looked generous too, so I should come back and try lunch next time. It had been a while since I ate jokbal at a restaurant, and I had such a filling meal, haha. I loved making a big wrap with chewy jokbal, perilla leaves, and radish kimchi. Adding the spicy, tangy tray buckwheat noodles made the combination just right.

With the refreshing soybean-sprout soup and fluffy steamed egg as well, it felt like a proper full meal! The menu was varied and the portions were generous, so it looked like a decent place for a family meal, dinner with friends, or a company gathering too.