Bucheon Korean set meal after Grandma's checkup, no wait: Gim Myeongju

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Gim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang Bucheon Main Branch (김명주뜰안채밥상 부천본점) is a Korean set-meal restaurant on the Kkachiul restaurant street in Jak-dong, Bucheon. I was in Bucheon to go to the hospital with my grandma, so I looked for a Korean place where we could eat a hearty meal after her appointment, and ended up here.

It's open daily from 10:30 to 21:00, with last order at 20:00. There's a dedicated parking lot.

How are the parking and waiting seats?

The restaurant sits right inside the street in Jak-dong where all the good eateries are clustered. Parking is roomy, which is so convenient, and if you head up the stairs on the right there are waiting seats.

You can sit in the waiting area and check the menu in advance. Tabling reservations are also possible, so keep that in mind~!

Was there a wait at 11:30 on a weekday?

When I arrived around 11:30 on a weekday, there was no wait. I'd heard it's usually packed, so I think it was just good timing, since it was an early lunch.

The tables are big and there are lots of seats, so it's a great place for groups and family gatherings.

How do you order at Gim Myeongju?

You can get the Tteuranchae set meal (정식) for one person, or skip the set meals and order the Tteuranchae table for 4 and add à la carte dishes. Here's what we ordered.

• Tteuranchae table for 4
• Charcoal-grilled pork
• Grilled mackerel

What's at the self bar?

For anything extra, you use the self-service corner, and the cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) can be refilled too. So I went over to the self bar to see what banchan (side dishes) they had.

The self bar had the banchan from the standard set, plus dongchimi (radish water kimchi), lettuce wraps and eggplant tangsu (sweet and sour fried eggplant). There was even rice, along with gochujang (chili paste) and sesame oil so you can mix it with the namul (seasoned vegetables) as bibimbap.

On one side they also have aprons and baby chairs, so it seems like a good place for a family meal with a baby!

What comes with the stone pot rice table?

After a short wait, they laid out the stone pot rice and a generous spread. The table was so full it looked like the legs might break, haha.

They say Gim Myeongju prepares freshly made stone pot rice with carefully selected daily ingredients, deeply flavored cheonggukjang, and 12 neat banchan made with seasonal produce. I think that makes it perfect for bringing your parents!

These were the 12 banchan that day.

• Doraji-muchim (seasoned bellflower root)
• Kkaennip-namul (perilla leaf)
• Jangajji (pickles)
• Yangnyeom gochuji (seasoned pickled chili)
• Gamja-jorim (braised potatoes)
• Siraegi-muchim (seasoned dried radish greens)
• Japchae (glass noodles)
• Baechu-kimchi (cabbage kimchi)
• Seomcho-muchim (seasoned sea-island greens)
• Kkodeulppaegi (sow thistle)
• Gaji-tangsu (sweet and sour eggplant)
• Ssam (leaf wraps)

On top of that came the cheonggukjang, charcoal-grilled pork and grilled mackerel.

Scoop the rice out of the stone pot, fill the pot with hot water, set it aside, and you're ready to eat!

The cheonggukjang here is packed with tofu, radish and cabbage, and I heard you can get refills, so you won't go hungry!

Every banchan was good, and I thought, so this is why it's so popular. A little while after I sat down, a line started to form.

How are the grilled mackerel and charcoal pork?

Grilled mackerel

They say the grilled mackerel uses top-grade Norwegian mackerel, prized for its clean, nutty flavor. It came out carefully grilled, super moist and tender, and I think it was the best thing I ate that day!

Charcoal-grilled pork

The charcoal-grilled pork is made with domestic pork neck, aged in a special marinade and grilled over real charcoal, and they say it has rich smoky flavor and juiciness.

The seasoning was mild enough for kids, and it was just right for wrapping in lettuce.

At the end, I topped sungnyung (scorched rice tea) with kimchi, which was a perfect finish. It was piping hot and even soothed my stomach.

Can you buy the banchan to take home?

At the register they sell banchan separately. I bought some of the ones I liked, and they were cheap, which was great. Cheonggukjang, siraegi-muchim, doraji-muchim and more: take them home and a home-cooked meal is done in no time!!

Is there a wait even on weekdays?

There was no wait at 11:30 on a weekday, but by the time I left, 8 groups were waiting. Since there's a line even on weekdays, I recommend coming earlier than the peak hours if you visit.

On the way home I also bought the kkomak-muchim (seasoned cockles) as a single item on top of the banchan, and off I trotted. Every dish was delicious, so next time I want to try all the other menu items.