Hapjeong bossam after a show, no wait at 5pm Saturday: Pyeongidambaek

I stopped by Hongdae for the first time in a while and had a really good meal while I was there. I wanted to eat mostly protein, and I started craving soft, nutty suyuk (boiled pork), so I hurried over to Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch (평이담백 뼈칼국수 본점), near Hapjeong and Mangwon stations. Let me show you right away!

Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch: location and hours

Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch is at 84 Yanghwa-ro 7-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It's open daily 11:00–22:00 with a break from 15:00 to 17:00. Takeout is available, and the restrooms are separate for men and women.

It's a 5-minute walk from Mangwon Station Exit 1, or about 10 minutes on foot from Hapjeong Station Exit 2. I'd come to see a show nearby and walked over, and the access was great.

I used to come here sometimes with a friend after drinking nearby, as a last hangover-soothing stop, so I already knew the food at Pyeongidambaek was good. Besides soupy dishes, they also sell Korean drinking snacks like bossam (boiled pork wraps) and buchujeon (chive pancake), so it's a decent place for a drink too.

Seating at Pyeongidambaek, and is there a wait at 5pm on Saturday?

Inside Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch is quite spacious, with a good mix of 2-person and 4-person tables. Whether you're dining solo or with a group, it's easy to find a comfortable seat.

I visited on a Saturday at 5pm, right after the break time ended, and I was seated immediately with no wait.

Pyeongidambaek menu and the ₩5,000 kalguksu set discount

The menu is mostly Korean food, starting with bone kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and including bibim kalguksu (spicy mixed noodles), chive dumplings, pan-seared tofu with perilla oil, acorn jelly and more.

To load up on protein, I ordered the medium bossam suyuk. When you order bossam suyuk, the anchovy kalguksu drops to ₩5,000, so for two people it's good value and really filling.

They also have seasonal items: kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles) in summer and seasoned oysters in winter. Extra noodles for your kalguksu cost just ₩1,000.

Basic side dishes: kkakdugi (radish kimchi), napa cabbage kimchi and salted shrimp sauce

The basic sides are kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), napa cabbage kimchi and saeujeot (salted shrimp) sauce. I tried the cabbage kimchi before the food came out, and it was a fresh, geotjeori style that tastes good just on its own.

Salt and pepper are also provided, so you can adjust things to your own taste.

How was the medium bossam suyuk (₩42,000)?

The medium bossam suyuk is ₩42,000, and with so many accompanying sides the table was packed full, a great-looking dinner. When you eat a piece of tender pork with several different sides, every bite is absolutely blissful.

The thick-cut suyuk in particular had just the right ratio of lean meat to fat, so it was neither greasy nor dry, the peak of tenderness.

It was so memorable that I'd come back to Hapjeong just for this. It looks like nothing special, but once it's in your mouth, it reminds you why Pyeongidambaek is a Hapjeong favorite.

I wanted to know which cut they used and how they boil it so I could copy it at home. The texture was so soft that I can't imagine anyone, young or old, disliking it.

Bossam extras: dried radish, salted shrimp, ssamjang, garlic, chili and baby cabbage wraps

The dried radish strips (mumallaengi) are on the sweet side, a no-fuss flavor that's exactly what you think of with bossam kimchi. The saeujeot, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), garlic and chili were all fresh, and I got refills of each once.

They also give you a generous amount of baby cabbage wraps by default, and the crunch was a perfect match for the pork. Extra baby cabbage wraps cost ₩2,000.

Three ways to eat bossam suyuk at Pyeongidambaek

For your first bite, try the pork on its own to taste the natural pork aroma of bossam suyuk.

Second, wrap it together with the sweet dried radish to bring up the savory depth.

Third, top a crunchy baby cabbage wrap with garlic, chili and ssamjang to enjoy a variety of textures.

With the thick cuts of lean pork and all the sides coming together, you're sure to have a delicious meal at Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch.