Thick-cut black pork 400g at 11:30 lunch in Aewol: Nopo Dwaeji

Black pork near Gwakji Beach: what Nopo Dwaeji Aewol serves

You can't come to Jeju without eating black pork! Out of the countless black pork restaurants around, I wondered which one would be best, and Nopo Dwaeji turned out to be a 100% satisfying find in Aewol. It's close to Gwakji Beach, so it's a great stop while exploring west Jeju, and the parking area is spacious, making it easy to visit by car.

What arriving at 11:30 is like inside Nopo Dwaeji Aewol

We arrived a bit early, around 11:30, and with plenty of tables spaced widely apart, it looked perfect for a comfortable meal. There were round tables and big square tables, so it seemed good for two people like us but also for gatherings, work dinners, or family outings!

Two-person lunch special: what comes with it and the price

We happened to arrive during lunch special hours, so we ordered the 2-person set. The lunch special is available from 11am to 2pm, and the 2-person set — 400g of black pork plus jjigae plus two bowls of kelp rice — was ₩55,000. We chose crab doenjang jjigae for the stew, and added bibim hoe naengmyeon (spicy raw fish cold noodles) on top, to really go all out on Jeju black pork haha

Side dishes and the three sauces, including breadcrumb salt

The side dishes that came out were neat and clean. With three different sauces, you could pick according to taste. There was ssamjang, wasabi, and breadcrumb salt — even with the same black pork, each sauce gave a slightly different flavor haha. The breadcrumb salt in particular was something I'd never seen before, so I was curious how it would taste — dipping the meat lightly in it gave a salty kick that really brought out the meat's savory flavor. So good!

The wrap vegetables came from the self-serve bar. The vegetables were fresh and the bar was kept clean, so I already had good feelings before even eating~

The thick-cut black pork belly and the staff grilling service

The black pork belly we ordered! Nopo Dwaeji Aewol is known as a famous black pork restaurant in Aewol, and even at first glance, the quality looked really good. Just the right thickness, with fat and lean meat nicely attached — a look that made me want to eat it before it was even grilled.

What I loved most was that a staff member grilled the meat for us from start to finish! Grilling meat yourself is always a bit stressful, but with someone grilling it deliciously for us, we could just wait comfortably and eat. Especially when you're traveling, sightseeing, and driving nonstop, all you want at mealtime is to not do anything and just eat comfortably — and this really delivered on that front! My boyfriend, tired from driving the whole trip, seemed to enjoy a much more relaxed meal too haha

Kelp rice, yellow crab doenjang jjigae and bibim hoe naengmyeon

The kelp rice that came with the meal was also a real standout. It clearly had a different stickiness from regular rice, with a savory aroma and umami that made it delicious enough to eat on its own! Piling a piece of black pork on top made it pair perfectly with the meat too.

The crab doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) exceeded expectations too. With big chunks of crab inside, it had a much more refreshing flavor than other doenjang jjigaes, and you could really taste the umami unique to seafood!

The hoe naengmyeon was tangy and spicy, waking up the palate, and it went so, so well with the black pork. A bite of meat followed by a bite of hoe naengmyeon cut right through any greasiness — a combination you keep reaching for!

Jeju black pork vs regular pork belly: is there really a difference?

Honestly, I never understood the whole thing about eating black pork when visiting Jeju. Is there really such a big difference between black pork belly and regular pork belly? But this time, at Nopo Dwaeji Aewol, I finally understood. Black pork really is delicious!!!! The juiciness and the savory flavor were so clear that I completely got why people eat black pork in Jeju.

The doenjang jjigae, hoe naengmyeon, side dishes, sauces, and the black pork itself — everything was perfectly delicious, and with the spacious parking, spacious dining room, and kind staff, it was a truly pleasant meal at this black pork restaurant near Gwakji Beach, Nopo Dwaeji Aewol!! If you want to properly enjoy a delicious black pork meal during your Jeju trip, I'd definitely recommend giving it a visit!