Suwon hanwoo grill restaurant for a birthday dinner: Yeongpo Hwa-ro

Where is Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch in Suwon, and how is the parking?

Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch is a hanwoo (Korean beef) charcoal grill restaurant on Hyowon-ro 291beon-gil in Ingye-dong, Suwon. The parking lot in front of the restaurant is huge, so we walked in without any parking worries — you just leave your car key at the counter after parking.

A really huge building you can spot while passing through Ingye-dong!!! This time, to celebrate my husband's birthday a bit more (yes, it already passed), I went looking for an Ingye-dong beef restaurant and found Yeongpo Hwa-ro, which looked like great quality. Just from the size of the building and the parking lot, you could tell this is an Ingye-dong hotspot.

The moment we walked in, a gorgeous chandelier greeted us as a couple. The interior was clean and upscale, and true to the name Yeongpo Hwa-ro (hwa-ro means charcoal grill), every table had its own grill. There were also separate private rooms, which would be great for a private family gathering, anniversary, or event if you book ahead.

What side dishes and receipt-review menu come with the meal?

At Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch, the receipt-review benefit lets you choose between kodari naengmyeon, live abalone, ramyeon, or one serving of alchadolbagi depending on your party size. The banchan (side dishes) were beautifully arranged — cucumber, kimchi, scallion salad, wild garlic leaves, salt, wasabi, and ssamjang — a complete table.

Seeing my beloved cucumber among the neat side dishes already put me in a good mood. Yeongpo Hwa-ro is different even down to the drinks. I ordered a cola and it came with a cup of ice — and two of them! As someone who loves iced cola, I was genuinely touched by this small detail.

• 1 person: kodari naengmyeon (cold pollack noodles)
• 2 people: fresh live abalone
• 3 people: ramyeon (now I'm curious which kind)
• 4 people: a whole serving of alchadolbagi

So generous, so generous. Glad we came to this Ingye-dong beef restaurant. Beef needs naengmyeon, so with our party of one review we chose the noodles.

True to its generous style, Yeongpo Hwa-ro also has an anniversary wine event. Since it was my husband's birthday, I thought about the wine set, but having already been moved by the iced cola, we set wine aside for the hanwoo platter for two instead. There are also tasty lunch menus like minari galbitang, hanwoo yukhoe bibimbap, and kodari naengmyeon, plus thoughtful diagrams explaining doneness levels and cuts.

Hanwoo assorted platter for two, 98,000 won: grilled clockwise from the sirloin

The hanwoo assorted platter for two at Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch costs ₩98,000 (₩49,000 per person), and the owner recommended grilling clockwise starting with the sirloin. We also ordered a doenjang stew with rice for ₩7,000.

Here comes the star, with really impressive marbling. Premium hanwoo really has a different color from the start. In the photo, the thick cut on the far right is the sirloin.

For me, naengmyeon is optional with meat, but rice and stew are non-negotiable. The doenjang stew was clean-tasting yet savory, refreshing both mouth and stomach. One bite in and — ahh~

First three cuts: sirloin, chuck flap and short rib finger meat

Since we were told to, we started with sirloin. Let's flip it carefully and grill it just right.

So good, so, so good. Even the first bite dipped in just salt was a delight. And the wasabi took it to another level.

Next was the melt-in-your-mouth chuck flap (salchisal). Literally melted. Vanished.

Next up was the short rib finger (galbisal) — not a tough spot anywhere, melting away just the same. Eating it with the doenjang stew sent the happiness meter through the roof.

Next three cuts: hanging tender, brisket point and skirt steak

After the cuts that needed no teeth at all, next came the chewy hanging tender (jebichuri). The more you chew, the more the juices burst out — absolutely delicious.

Two final, much-anticipated cuts remained. Just looking at them made my mouth water like a river. The marbling was a work of art — good enough to hang on a wall and admire.

The brisket point (eopjinsal), looking like it had been painted with pretty pigments.

That pretty marbling turns nuttier and nuttier the more you chew. At this point I was getting tired of singing its praises — but I kept clapping enthusiastically anyway. So good!!!

I can say for sure I've never seen such a pretty skirt steak (chimasal) before.

Grilled rare, tender and glossy. My husband grilled each cut to its best doneness, so all I had to do was accept the food happily — practically too good to be true.

Even the final mushrooms were perfect. Who would even guess they were just mushrooms?

Kodari mul-naengmyeon and a free old-style patbingsu to finish

The kodari mul-naengmyeon (cold pollack noodle soup) we chose from the receipt review at Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch instantly cooled down our mouths after all that marbled richness. On top of that, they brought out a complimentary old-style patbingsu (shaved ice with red beans).

A mini bowl of naengmyeon my husband made for me, since I can never finish a whole bowl of noodles.

Refreshing — naengmyeon really does the job — and just as I was enjoying that, they brought out the patbingsu as a service. That's the generous hospitality of an Ingye-dong favorite, and it's the kind of thing that makes you want to come back. Cool and sweet, it lifted my mood even more. After finishing off the old-style patbingsu piled high with bean powder and red bean flakes, I was fuller than expected.

On the way out after eating our fill, a row of autograph signs came into view.

Is Yeongpo Hwa-ro Ingye Branch worth it for a birthday or family dinner?

On the way out, we noticed the sharing-store sign and the top hygiene grade rating. Yeongpo Hwa-ro, an Ingye-dong hanwoo favorite, put us in a good mood from arrival to eating to leaving. It was so delicious that Yeongpo Hwa-ro is now what comes to mind whenever I think of Ingye-dong beef.

For an anniversary or family gathering, why not spend a happy, private time at Yeongpo Hwa-ro, an Ingye-dong favorite, with the premium hanwoo assorted platter? Highly recommend!!!!!