Pufferfish restaurant in Gangnam: clear and spicy milbok soup

I was in Cheongdam-dong to pick something up and, wanting a refreshing bowl of bogjiri (clear pufferfish soup) for dinner, went to Bogi-o Boguk (복이오복국). Its introduction said that a chef with 20 years of experience prepares Gyeongsang-style pufferfish dishes, which reminded me of the bogjiri I had eaten in Busan. My husband and I ordered one clear milbok and one spicy milbok.

Where is Bogi-o Boguk, and how did I park?

The restaurant is on the second floor of Cheongdam Deokyeong Building, 625 m from Exit 13 of Cheongdam Station. The original post lists its hours as 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily.

When I arrived at the building, the valet attendant took my keys and parked the car in the mechanical parking garage. The listed valet fee was ₩3,000 in the morning and ₩5,000 in the afternoon. I could have taken the stairs, but it was hot that day, so I used the elevator. The restaurant was immediately visible when I got off, with the restroom opposite.

What is the space like for family meals or gatherings?

A round-bellied pufferfish model sat in front of the counter, so I took a photo of it.

The interior was bright and tidy. The hall was spacious and had many tables, so it looked suitable for family meals or group gatherings. Traditional-patterned lamps hanging from the ceiling added a warm, comfortable feel.

There were two private rooms on one side. They hold up to six people, can be used for three hours, and are available only with course menus. Guests were using one room, so I photographed only the other, whose door was open.

There was also a varied selection of alcoholic drinks to pair with the pufferfish dishes.

How much were the milbok and other pufferfish dishes?

The menu was divided into pufferfish soup, course meals, sashimi, and à la carte dishes. The pufferfish soups were Gyeongsang-style ttukbaegi (earthenware-pot) soups, ranging from haejang boguk (hangover pufferfish soup) at ₩17,000 to live cham-bok at ₩70,000. We ordered clear milbok and spicy milbok at ₩24,000 each.

• Lunch special Bogi-o set meal ₩37,000; live cham-bok course ₩130,000
• Boksamtang ₩43,000: milbok, live octopus, and live abalone
• Cham-bok sashimi ₩90,000–₩170,000; suyuk (boiled sliced meat) ₩90,000–₩250,000
• Seasoned pufferfish skin ₩16,000; pufferfish bulgogi ₩35,000
• Pufferfish karaage ₩35,000; assorted seafood ₩70,000

What comes with an order of milbok?

Soy sauce, vinegar, cho-gochujang (sweet and tangy chili sauce), a utensil holder, and napkins were set on the table. After we ordered, stir-fried anchovies, kkakdugi, seasoned pickled chilies, and stir-fried fish cake arrived first, along with wasabi for dipping the pufferfish.

My clear milbok and my husband's spicy milbok arrived one after the other.

Once the bowls of rice arrived, the table felt plentiful. I mixed soy sauce into the wasabi and got ready to dip the pufferfish.

How did the clear and spicy milbok taste differ?

What were the broth and ingredients like in the spicy milbok?

The spicy milbok had a red broth that was pleasantly hot yet refreshing. It was the kind of flavor I could imagine craving for a hangover. There was plenty of milbok, along with generous amounts of crisp bean sprouts and thinly sliced radish, which made the broth taste even more refreshing.

What were the broth and pufferfish like in the clear milbok?

The clear milbok was mild and refreshing, and I kept spooning up the broth. The milbok was chewy enough that it almost felt like eating meat rather than fish. I dipped the fish in wasabi soy sauce and alternated it with spoonfuls of broth.

I went because I wanted a refreshing bowl of bogjiri, and the mild broth and chewy milbok left me feeling satisfied. I also liked having dinner in the bright, cozy space.