Dohwa-dong beef restaurant in Seoul with a yuksashimi set: Usijang

The rest of the bill we paid ourselves.

Mapo Station restaurant review: Usijang Hoegwan _ Two Plus No. 9 kkuri-sal perilla-leaf yuksashimi set _ clam beef gukbap

My boyfriend has been a meat lover for 14 years now, and I've been tagging along on his meat-eating tours, basically sweeping through Seoul's best beef restaurants with him. This time we went to sweep through Usijang Hoegwan in Mapo.

How to walk to Usijang Hoegwan from Mapo Station

Usijang Hoegwan in Mapo is a quick walk from Mapo Station. Come out of the subway exit, walk straight along the main road toward Dohwa-dong, and turn slightly into an alley — that's where you'll find this Mapo Station favorite.

Inside Usijang Hoegwan: old-school room and self-bar

The first thing you see walking into Usijang Hoegwan in Mapo is the self-bar, stocked with wrap vegetables and side dishes to go with the meat.

The interior of this Mapo Station Korean BBQ restaurant has a slightly rustic, old-school feel. Each table has its own low-hanging round hood — a blatant declaration that it's going to suck up every last bit of charcoal smoke. Maybe that's why, even with grills firing away all over the place, my eyes never stung once. I had LASIK, so I usually end up teary-eyed in smoky places, but that didn't happen at all at Usijang Hoegwan.

The place isn't huge, but it can easily handle group gatherings — there are 50 seats reserved for groups. Usijang Hoegwan fills up often, so if you're coming during peak meal times, be ready to wait.

Seven side dishes in the basic spread

Once you order, the basic side dishes get laid out. Along with the side dishes and sauces, kkakdugi (radish kimchi) and cabbage kimchi come out for the gukbap. They come in small crocks, and you just scoop some out onto a plate.

Two Plus No. 9 kkuri-sal perilla-leaf yuksashimi set, 55,000 won

The signature menu item at this Mapo Station Korean BBQ restaurant is the Two Plus No. 9 kkuri-sal perilla-leaf yuksashimi set, priced at ₩55,000.

The first thing we ordered at Usijang Hoegwan in Mapo was this signature dish, the Two Plus No. 9 kkuri-sal perilla-leaf yuksashimi set. Following my boyfriend around on his meat tours had already gotten me into yukhoe (raw beef tartare). But raw beef sashimi hadn't clicked for me yet — until this Mapo Station restaurant.

"You're eating raw beef sashimi like a pro! It's Two Plus grade, so it's delicious, right?!"

My boyfriend said, sounding surprised. I guess it's because the meat quality is a cut above — no gamey smell at all, just pure savory flavor, so I kept going back for more. Even just lifting a piece with chopsticks, you can see the beautiful marbling. The moment it hits your mouth, the chewy texture and mellow umami melt right into your tongue.

Why yuksashimi tastes best wrapped in a perilla leaf

At this Mapo Station restaurant, the raw beef sashimi really tastes best when wrapped in perilla leaves (kkaennip). The staff will happily show you how to eat it. You can follow their method, or wrap it up your own way with sauce and side dishes to your taste. But don't forget — wrapping it in fragrant perilla leaves is the only way to fully taste the beef sashimi's true flavor.

Yukhoe comes alongside the sashimi too. The yukhoe is topped with an egg yolk, which you mix in well before eating. Rather than eating it plain, it's even better wrapped in perilla leaves — the hidden star of this dish. Wrap vegetables are unlimited at the self-bar, so you can enjoy as many perilla wraps as you want.

Clam beef gukbap, 14,000 won: do beef and clams work together?

The clam beef gukbap at this Mapo Station Korean BBQ restaurant costs ₩14,000.

I've had all kinds of gukbap before, but never one like this. The best menu item at Usijang Hoegwan in Mapo is this clam beef gukbap. I've had beef gukbap, but beef with clams?! I was skeptical whether the two would even work together. But one bite and you get it — you'll understand exactly why it's their best-selling dish.

The savory richness of the beef and the chewy texture of the clams weirdly work really well together. The broth is refreshing without being over-seasoned, so even while drinking, it felt like a genuine hangover cure. The deep, rich umami of the beef and the crisp brightness of the clams wash over your mouth like waves. The broth is refillable — we asked for more and had it as our final drinking snack of the night, and it held up perfectly as a last-round dish.

Usijang Hoegwan menu and prices

Here's the menu at this Mapo Station restaurant, Usijang Hoegwan.