Kid-friendly Hapjeong bossam restaurant with parking: Pyeongidambaek

A parking-friendly Hapjeong restaurant that's great for eating with kids — a Hongdae-area bossam place: Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch

Pyeongidambaek: a Hapjeong restaurant with its own parking

The Hapjeong and Mangwon area of Mapo is a food street lined with trendy cafés and all kinds of fusion restaurants, but you know how it is — even though there are tons of great Hapjeong restaurants, hardly any of them have parking? (Even if there's a public parking lot, dealing with it is... a hassle you can't ignore.) But this place has its own parking space right next to the store! Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu!

This is the main branch of Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu, famous as a Hapjeong bossam restaurant, so it's a place noodle lovers keep coming back to. And right now they happen to be running a discount event on their multsun kalguksu (noodle soup)!

It's normally ₩12,000, but to celebrate the new menu it's discounted to ₩6,000 on weekdays only! I recommend this Hongdae-area bossam restaurant, Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch, for warm noodle soup paired with bossam!

A Hapjeong restaurant that's great for eating with kids, and a spot for tender, melt-in-your-mouth bossam!!!

Why Pyeongidambaek works with kids: high chairs and kids' tableware

Even though the Hapjeong-Hongdae area is mostly a young people's neighborhood, our kids — and us '40s-going-on-20s parents with kids in tow — want to go to good Hapjeong restaurants too, haha.

But it's surprisingly hard to find a Hapjeong restaurant that's really good for eating with kids, right? Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu has a baby chair and kids' tableware, and the bossam and kalguksu menu is easy for kids to eat, so it's a genuinely solid choice as a Hapjeong bossam restaurant that's good with kids!

What is the dining room like?

The interior of Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch combines warm wooden tables with calm lighting for a comfortable, tidy atmosphere. It feels like a relaxed bossam restaurant — good for makgeolli and a plate of bossam after work, good for hot kalguksu as hangover food, and good for a comfortable meal with kids too — a relaxed Hapjeong restaurant on all counts!

What we ordered: bossam and ₩5,000 anchovy kalguksu

After taking a seat and looking over the menu, I wanted to try the deep, basic flavor of a clear broth, so I ordered anchovy kalguksu, and paired it with bossam for something more filling. FYI, anchovy kalguksu is ₩5,000 when you order bossam!

Geotjeori (fresh unfermented kimchi)

As soon as we ordered, the kimchi — the most important basic side dish that determines a kalguksu restaurant's real skill — was set on the table first. The geotjeori kimchi had that crisp, fresh cabbage crunch like it was tossed together fresh every morning; the salted seafood scent wasn't overpowering, and the spicy, sharp red pepper seasoning was in perfect balance with the cabbage's natural sweetness.

How did the bossam taste?

I picked up the thickest, glossiest piece of boiled pork and dipped it lightly in salted shrimp sauce to taste. The moment I bit into it, there wasn't a single trace of dryness — it broke apart tender along the grain, releasing moist juices.

Any gamey smell typical of pork was completely removed, leaving only the savory flavor of the meat itself. The soft texture of the lean meat and the rich, savory fat layer combined without being excessive, adding to the pleasure of each bite.

Final verdict on Pyeongidambaek

My meal at Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch in Mapo was thoroughly satisfying on every front — the anchovy broth was clean, refreshing, and deep with no off-flavors, the noodles had great chewy texture, the bossam was tender and moist, and the store was calm and well-kept. If you're in Mapo, Hapjeong, or Mangwon and want a light yet satisfying, clean and deeply flavorful bowl of kalguksu with bossam, definitely stop by Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu!