Ansan Korean restaurant for spicy pork dinner: Yeongwolae Gondre

Personally, this is one of the great Korean set-meal spots in Ansan that I’ve already revisited several times. It even has private rooms, making it great for family meals or small gatherings.

Yeongwolae Gondre Ansan Branch information

Hours are 10:40–20:50 daily, with last orders at 20:10.

Parking is available in the building and is validated for two hours. From B2 onward, parking is residents-only, so be sure to park on B1 to receive the validation.

For the Naver and Google review event, up to two reviews per table can participate, and the discount amount varies according to the review.

They have high chairs in the restaurant too O

Yeongwolae Gondre is the name behind this Korean set-meal restaurant, already selected as one of Ansan’s good restaurants. There is usually a wait around mealtimes, but the waiting area is so well prepared that I could wait comfortably, which was super convenient.

The menu consists of set options and neatly organized fixed meals, and I liked that every item except the bangjja raw bulgogi set can be ordered for one person too.

The first time I came across Yeongwolae Gondre was through its lunchboxes. They were so delicious and got such a great response that I remember lots of people asking where they were from. I tried it first in lunchbox form too, fell for Yeongwolae Gondre’s food, and then started going to the restaurant itself.

Even though I came for an early weekday dinner, plenty of diners were already eating at this popular Ansan spot, Yeongwolae Gondre. No wonder it’s known for Korean set meals... There always seem to be lots of guests whenever I visit.

It also has private rooms, so it’s a Korean set-meal spot in Ansan that many people choose for family gatherings or small group meals. For weekday room reservations, you can book through Naver Reservation!

The Yeongwol Murungdowon set my mom and I ordered

Yeongwol Murungdowon set (for 2): Yeongwol spicy pork stir-fry + grilled mackerel + country-style gangdoenjang

When I come for a family meal, I usually order a variety of dishes to share, but this time it was just my mom and me, so we ordered the Yeongwol Murungdowon set for two!

Side dishes and rice from the self-service bar

There is a self-service bar off to one side, so you can bring back more of the generous, delicious side dishes if you need them. Yeongwolae Gondre normally serves gondre rice—rice cooked with Korean thistle—but if it’s not to your taste, there is also plain white rice at the self-service bar!

The ssam vegetables for wraps were kept fresh, and the refrigerated display case right beside them even listed the manager in charge and the closing cleaning method. It made the place feel even cleaner and more hygienic, which I loved.

The Yeongwol spicy pork stir-fry I always order

Yeongwol spicy pork stir-fry is my favorite menu item at Yeongwolae Gondre, one of Ansan’s good restaurants. It uses aged house-made seasoning and is cooked over direct heat for a smoky flavor. I especially liked the subtle smokiness, the just-right heat, and the clean gochujang (Korean red chili paste) seasoning rather than an overpowering flavor. It’s one of the dishes I absolutely order every time because it’s always so good.

It tastes twice as good with fresh, varied ssam vegetables... Spicy pork is a dish everyone loves, isn’t it?

Grilled mackerel and gangdoenjang, which I hadn’t had in a while

Grilled fish is something I don’t make often at home because it leaves a smell, and even when it’s delicious, cleaning up is a hassle. So I sometimes have it when I go out for a Korean set meal. The Yeongwolae Gondre set happened to include grilled mackerel, so I had it for the first time in a while.

The hearty grilled mackerel had almost no bones and wonderfully plump flesh, and it was so delicious. It was seasoned well too, so taking a big spoonful of gondre rice and piling it with lots of nicely deboned mackerel—what more is there to say? The best. Crispy outside and moist inside: the definition of a neat, light grilled mackerel.

The gangdoenjang, a thick soybean paste stew, at Yeongwolae Gondre was actually a menu item I was trying for the first time. It was bigger than I expected. Since we ordered a set, I thought it would come in a small portion, so I was surprised by how generous it was.

With a deep, savory soybean-paste flavor and lots of seasonal vegetable pieces, it was a total rice thief when I scooped up a big spoonful and mixed it into rice. There were already so many tasty mains and side dishes that we ran short on rice... I immediately understood why the self-service bar has rice too.

For dessert, you can also serve yourself sikhye (sweet rice punch) and maesil (plum drink), so it’s easy to finish the meal neatly.

If you’re looking for a solid Korean set-meal restaurant among Ansan’s good restaurants, Yeongwolae Gondre is an easy place to visit without overthinking it. It has private rooms and is so nice for family meals; everyone I’ve brought here so far has been satisfied, so I think you can visit with confidence!