Ganghwa camping-trip lunch at a duck restaurant: Deok Ori Jumulleok

On day two of a three-day camping trip in Ganghwa, I wanted a protein-rich meal out instead of cooking, so I looked for a duck restaurant near the campsite. I landed on Deok Ori Jumulleok Ganghwa Main Branch (덕오리주물럭 강화본점), a place featured on several TV shows and known as a local favorite around Onsu-ri in Gilsang-myeon.

Parking and paddy-view window seats at Deok Ori Jumulleok Ganghwa Main Branch

You can park by the red duck sign and walk up the stairs, or turn right past the sign for a larger lot further in. We parked on the lot right in front of the building.

The weather was gorgeous that day, and with wide paddy fields and a low mountain ridge right in front of the restaurant, the view from the window was fantastic. Eating in a place like this made it feel like a real Ganghwa trip.

Since it was Saturday lunchtime, I made a Naver reservation in advance to be safe. Unfortunately, the window seats were already all taken by the time we arrived — the view makes them the most popular spot.

A helpful guide was printed right on the table: water from the fridge, lettuce and pickled radish from the self-serve bar, extra sides on request from the kitchen. It also notes that fried rice is best ordered when about a third of the meat and sauce remains — though once you start eating you tend to lose track (speaking from experience...), so ordering around the halfway point is probably safer. Either way, if there's too much meat left, you can just set some aside on a small plate before the rice goes in.

Charcoal pre-grilling is only available for two or more servings, so if you're dining as a pair, it's best to order the same menu item. We ordered two servings of shrimp duck jumulleok.

How the briquette-drum pre-grilling gives the duck its smoky flavor

After ordering and stopping by the self-serve bar, I caught the owner pre-grilling the meat in a well-ventilated spot between the dining room and outside. He put the jumulleok on a grill grate and cooked it back and forth, then slammed the grate down onto a drum full of burning briquettes — flames shot up and the meat took on a deep charcoal aroma. Watching the smoky flavor get worked in raised my expectations for the meal even more.

Side dishes and self-serve bar made with Ganghwa-grown ingredients

Before the main dish arrived, a spread of basic side dishes made with sweet potatoes and vegetables grown right in Ganghwa was set down. Kimchi, seasoned eggplant, pickled cucumber, candied sweet potato, spinach — all mild and tidy, giving off the feel of a healthy countryside table. Personally I'm not a fan of side dishes that all get dumped with red pepper flakes, so I appreciated that these didn't rely heavily on it.

Extra pickled radish, dongchimi (watery radish kimchi), and lettuce were all self-serve, which was convenient — take as much as you need. Being so close to the paddy fields, the lettuce was strikingly fresh. The dongchimi was tangy and refreshing, with plenty of radish, and paired nicely with the main dish.

What does shrimp duck jumulleok taste like? Lean, with no gamey smell

Already carrying a deep charcoal aroma from the pre-grilling, the shrimp duck jumulleok exceeded expectations. The owner added a generous handful of perilla leaves on top and stir-fried it once more at the table. The sauce wasn't overly spicy or harsh — more mildly spicy. Compared to other duck restaurants, there was noticeably little excess fat, making the meat quite lean. Thanks to the charcoal pre-grilling, there was no trace of the gamey smell duck can sometimes have.

The jumulleok was packed with Ganghwa-grown perilla leaves, sweet pumpkin, onion, and rice cake. The thick white parts of the scallion, in particular, developed a pleasantly sweet flavor once grilled that woke up the palate.

Instead of plain cocktail shrimp, the dish came with big, plump shrimp with the tails still on, which made for a satisfying chew. Wrapping the meat in fresh lettuce with a bit of pickled radish was the best combination. The griddle was thick enough to stay warm right until the end of the meal, even after the burner was turned off.

Is Deok Ori Jumulleok easy to visit with kids?

Since the food overall isn't heavily seasoned, there were plenty of families dining with baby chairs set up. Amenities like aprons were well stocked too, making it a comfortable spot for anyone, young or old.

Finishing with fried rice, plus the full menu

I was already full, but the sauce was too good to pass up fried rice. The remaining duck meat got stir-fried with kimchi, dried seaweed flakes, and vegetables — the combination with the well-charred duck was so good I found myself wishing, happily, that I'd left more meat on the plate.

Besides shrimp duck jumulleok, the menu also has octopus duck jumulleok and samchae duck jumulleok, made with samchae (a root herb) from Jirisan. Next time I'd like to try the samchae version — it sounds like it'll have a healthy flavor.

Apple jujubes at the register: Ganghwa hospitality

After finishing the meal, when I went to pay, the owner held out a basket of large, crisp apples and jujubes, telling us to take a few to cleanse the palate. My companion, being tall and a noticeable foreigner, seemed to draw extra curiosity. It was just a few small pieces of fruit, but enough to feel the warmth of local Ganghwa hospitality. On the way out, I also grabbed a cup of coffee. A perfect finish!

As a meal out during our three-day camping trip, this was an outstanding choice. It's a place to enjoy high-quality duck jumulleok — a healthy, non-heavily-seasoned countryside table with the charcoal smokiness taking care of any gamey smell. Since the menu is easy-going enough for kids and grandparents alike, this is well worth a visit if you're looking for a satisfying meal during a trip to Ganghwa.