Jungma-dong, Gwangyang rice bowl restaurant: grilled chicken at Mori

I visited Mori (모리), a great spot in Jungma-dong, Gwangyang! When I went last time for the eel rice bowl, I loved the atmosphere and the woody interior, so today I came back and had three dishes: yukhoe-dong (beef tartare rice bowl), a grilled chicken rice bowl, and icy salmon cold soba. The eel bowl was seriously good too, but Mori's rice bowls are just plain delicious. As a true rice bowl place, the food quality is insane. You have to go!!!

Where to park at Mori in Gwangyang

You can park on the street in front of Mori. The Gilho 5-gil area is quiet, so you can come without worrying about parking.

Mori, a Jungma-dong rice bowl restaurant in Gwangyang: second visit

Mori in Jungma-dong has long been known as a go-to rice bowl restaurant in Gwangyang. I fell for it after the eel bowl last time, and today I was craving rice bowls again, so I came for a second visit and left really, really happy.

I liked that you can see the new menu items and the rest of the menu from outside the restaurant, which is convenient. I'd had the eel bowl last time, so today I looked at the yukhoe-dong and the icy salmon cold soba before going in, and it was a huge success!

What is the interior at Mori like?

The inside of Mori is woody and antique-feeling, and I love it. It's great for couples or for bringing your parents, and with its big windows it's perfect for a weekend lunch date too.

The tables are nice and big, and there are bar seats too. The owner clearly cares about food, so I bet it'd be fun to sit at the bar and watch the cooking while you eat.

The sun was so lovely that we sat by the window. Photos come out really well there, so it's a great spot for pictures.

Mori Gwangyang menu

The menu is really, really varied: eel rice bowl, yukhoe-dong (beef tartare rice bowl), grilled chicken rice bowl set and icy salmon cold soba, plus dishes like a sashimi set and half-and-half beef tartare and salmon. I'm going to have to order the half-and-half beef tartare and salmon for delivery at home.

There were two of us, and we ordered three items: yukhoe-dong, the grilled chicken rice bowl set and the icy salmon cold soba. Everything came as a full spread, so it was good value for the price.

How do Mori's rice bowls taste? An honest review

How to eat yukhoe-dong (beef tartare rice bowl)

Mori's yukhoe-dong is a beef tartare rice bowl that arrives as a generous full spread. First mix it with the beef tartare and eat it that way, then add the sprouts, seaweed and sauce and mix again. The staff kindly explain how to eat it, too.

Grilled chicken rice bowl set: the best of the three

Mori's grilled chicken rice bowl set was the tastiest of the three dishes I ordered. The smoky, fire-grilled flavor is crazy, there's loads of chicken, and if you add the egg partway through and mix it all up, it's seriously good.

I took a group shot of everything too. Doesn't it look totally appetizing?

Icy salmon cold soba at Mori

Daytime temperatures have been over 20 degrees lately, and I wanted cold soba for the first time in a while, so I ordered Mori's icy salmon cold soba. The size of the salmon, whoa! There's tomato in it too, and it's made with so much care!

With sunlight pouring in through the big windows, even the default iPhone camera gives you shots like this.

See how glossy the yukhoe beef tartare is? The meat quality is really good and it was so delicious. As you'd expect from a top Jungma-dong spot in Gwangyang, Mori had plenty of customers.

The yukhoe-dong has a lot of beef tartare and the sauce is seasoned just right, so

mix it up and eat it, then wrap it in seaweed, then add the sauce and try yet another flavor!

The grilled chicken rice bowl is really good with wasabi on top, and with the egg mixed in. Personally, Mori's grilled chicken rice bowl was the best rice bowl I've had recently.

The icy salmon cold soba has ice floating in it, so it's refreshing, and the salmon melts in your mouth.

Is Mori in Gwangyang worth a return visit?

Mori in Jungma-dong lived up to its reputation as a rice bowl restaurant, and I really enjoyed it. The looks of the food are crazy, the interior is even crazier, and I left more than satisfied. The food quality is just different. There's a reason why lots of people who work at POSCO come here, and why office workers fill the place at lunch. Do go at least once!