Songpa Korean restaurant for jokbal and gabri bossam: Narae Jokbal

The days leading up to a pre-wedding gathering are such a whirlwind,,, We’d originally set everything up to meet right before the holiday, but my friend said she had class all day then and probably couldn’t make it〰️‼️ So we quickly changed the date and place and had our Jamsil pre-wedding get-together instead (*˘︶˘*).:*♡

Narae Jokbal on Songridan-gil for a Jamsil pre-wedding gathering

The place we searched and searched for before visiting for our Jamsil pre-wedding gathering was Narae Jokbal (나래족발), a hugely popular jokbal spot on Jamsil’s Songridan-gil. I actually sent my friend several restaurants, but she picked this one straight away〰️ Narae Jokbal, a Songridan-gil favorite in Jamsil, sits near the start of the street, so it’s pretty easy to find.

• Hours: Daily 11:00–02:00
• No parking [use a nearby public parking lot]
• Corkage available at ₩10,000 per bottle
• No pets allowed

I looked around the restaurant before my friend arrived and found that it had a terrace. In weather like this, it seemed like it would be lovely to eat jokbal outdoors with that pojangmacha-style patio vibe‼️

At the entrance, I saw they were running a takeout event as well as an in-store event. The in-store event gives you makguksu, sundubu-jjigae, and red-bean bingsu for dessert—such great value, right,, Why is it such good value‼️

They were also offering a lunch-special event‼️

We considered eating outside for that patio feel, but decided to eat quietly indoors instead ( ღ'ᴗ'ღ ) Narae Jokbal on Jamsil’s Songridan-gil had an interior that felt less like a jokbal-and-bossam place and more like somewhere that might serve brunch or light snack foods‼️

There were several high chairs, and the restroom was inside the restaurant, so it was easy to dine comfortably. (๑╹ڡ╹๑)

Ordering the medium Jokbo Set and banchan

As you can tell from the name, the restaurant’s main dish is jokbal (braised pig’s trotters), alongside items like bossam (boiled pork wraps) and spicy jokbal. My friend and I were both hungry, so we almost ordered the large assorted set, but they said that would be a little much for two people and recommended either small or medium. So we simply ordered the medium Jokbo Set that day (๑╹ڡ╹๑)

As soon as you order, they set out the banchan (side dishes). It’s the classic jokbal-house combination. ( ღ'ᴗ'ღ )

The sauces were chojang, ssamjang, and salted shrimp.

The side dishes included radish kimchi, pickled scallions, fresh kimchi, vegetables, pickled radish wraps, and lettuce wraps. The fresh kimchi here wasn’t overly spicy and was quite nice. It had the kind of flavor that would go really well with dumplings too. (๑╹ڡ╹๑)

For any side dishes you need more of, use the self-serve bar〰️ The self-serve bar was as neat and tidy as the restaurant itself （●＾∞＾●）

Complimentary sundubu-jjigae and makguksu

While we were picking at the side dishes, the complimentary sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) that comes with dining in arrived‼️ Since it was complimentary, I didn’t expect much, but it was surprisingly substantial. It was packed with soft tofu, egg, vegetables, and more, and had a properly spicy, warming kick—perfect with drinks〰️ There was a reason they serve this for free,,, We’d already finished our drinks before the jokbal even arrived〰️ (๑╹ڡ╹๑)

The makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles) was complimentary too, but the portion was so big that we couldn’t finish it. It really was a huge amount,,(*˘︶˘*).:*♡ The seasoning had a slightly sweet base, and it was super delicious wrapped in the lettuce served alongside it or eaten with the bossam. (灬╹ω╹灬)

💌Medium Jokbo Set ₩47,000💌

As we nibbled on the side dishes and complimentary dishes and had a drink together, our Jokbo Set arrived before we knew it. The food came out really fast here. Watching the restaurant, I guessed that it was because they were popular for delivery as well as dine-in, and the staff were constantly slicing away without a break. (๑╹ڡ╹๑)

Moist jokbal and gabri bossam

I wondered which of the two to try first, then went straight for the jokbal I’d been craving and talking about nonstop lately, yum (๑╹ڡ╹๑) Thanks to these pre-wedding gatherings, I’ve been getting to visit all the places I wanted to try lately, which makes me rather happy (*˘︶˘*).:*♡

Anyway, back to the food review: Narae Jokbal’s jokbal had a great balance of lean meat and fat‼️ I first tried it plain, without dipping it in anything, and even on its own there was no off smell at all. It was so moist, chewy, and delicious〰️

Of course, it was even better topped with sweet radish kimchi,, But personally, I loved it in a lettuce wrap with garlic‼️ (๑╹ڡ╹๑)

Since I’d been singing jokbal’s praises lately, I was devouring it so mindlessly that I almost forgot about the bossam, then yum,,‼️ Unlike the bossam I had expected, Narae Jokbal’s was gabri bossam, made with pork collar. I had imagined bossam with a higher proportion of lean meat〰️ But wow, that sheen was insane,, It looked so good (*˘︶˘*).:*♡

It was my first time trying gabri bossam, so I was curious what it would be like as I took bite after bite,, It was less rich and less greasy than I expected. When you chew it, the balance of fat and lean meat is actually just right, making it delicious‼️ I missed it when gabri bossam was trendy for a while, but now I see why it became popular,, It was delicious with just a little salted shrimp on top too,, So good,,（●＾∞＾●）

Finishing up with steamed egg

🍳Steamed egg ₩4,000🍳 As we ate, I started craving something warm, so we ordered steamed egg too〰️ It tasted familiar, as steamed egg does, though the flavor of what seemed to be sesame oil or tuna fish sauce came through rather strongly. That made it just right as a drinking snack ( ღ'ᴗ'ღ )

When we paid, I saw that they even had mouthwash at the counter, so we could freshen up before heading to a second stop (*˘︶˘*).:*♡ We were so full that day that we couldn’t make room for the red-bean bingsu dessert, but it was such a satisfying meal‼️ My friend said it was delicious too〰️ If you’re looking for a good place for a Jamsil pre-wedding gathering, I recommend Narae Jokbal on Songridan-gil.