Bisan-dong, Anyang gopchang restaurant with pre-seared grill: Ilmigop

When I'm craving gopchang, what I really want is beef intestine grilled until nicely fragrant. This time I visited Ilmigop, a gopchang restaurant that recently opened in Bisan-dong, Anyang.

I love gopchang, but if you pick the wrong place it can smell strongly or come out too greasy. Ilmigop was clean and enjoyable to eat, and I could really taste the natural savory flavor of the gopchang itself — very satisfying.

Where is Ilmigop in Bisan-dong, Anyang, and what are its hours?

A new must-visit spot in Bisan-dong: Ilmigop

Beyond the main dishes like assorted gopchang and beef gopchang, there were quite a few other menu items too.

They have baby chairs, and being a clean gopchang restaurant on the first floor made it easy to come with kids.

Ilmigop is located on Bisan-ro in Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. It's on the first floor of the building, so it wasn't hard to find, and this Bisan-dong favorite had a nice, clean feel. The interior was tidy too, and at the time of my visit they were running a promotion offering free beef belly for guests who came between 5 and 7pm.

Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 5pm to midnight, and Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to midnight, with Mondays closed. I also liked that on weekends you can start eating gopchang relatively early in the day.

Assorted grill for two at Ilmigop, with free sundubu-jjigae and chive kimchi

We ordered the assorted grill for two, and basic salad, sauce, and sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew) came free!

There was chive kimchi with a rich, slightly spicy seasoning that was delicious on its own. You can also ask for sesame oil dipping sauce separately! I think gopchang tastes so much better when you break it up with something clean and refreshing in between, rather than just eating it straight through.

The complimentary sundubu-jjigae paired so well with the beef gopchang :)

When I come to a gopchang restaurant, I always end up ordering the assorted grill so I can try a bit of everything. Ordering just gopchang alone feels a little lacking, and ordering each part separately means too many decisions — the assorted grill is just the easiest option.

Pre-seared gopchang at Ilmigop: how was the smell and texture?

Ilmigop's assorted grill comes pre-seared, so it only needed a little more grilling at the table. They explained the grilling time for each part — beef small intestine, heart, large intestine, and gopchang — which was really convenient.

For gopchang lovers, that distinctive aroma is part of the charm, but if it's too strong it can get overwhelming after a while. Ilmigop's flavor was clean, so I think even people trying gopchang for the first time would find it less intimidating.

Gopchang gets tough if you grill it too long, and disappointing if it's undercooked, but ours was grilled just right, so we got to enjoy both the texture and the savory flavor fully.

They explained the grilling time for each part — beef small intestine, heart, large intestine, gopchang — and since everything came pre-seared, it was easy to just finish cooking it a bit further.

The gopchang was savory enough to enjoy without any sauce, but it also went well dipped in sauce, depending on preference.

This Bisan-dong favorite, Ilmigop, apparently uses only ingredients slaughtered and delivered the same day, and I think that's exactly why the assorted beef gopchang grill felt so clean and well-prepared.

Golden-grilled gopchang packed with savory fat and a chewy texture really reminds you why gopchang tastes best eaten out. If you're craving good beef gopchang, treat yourself to a hearty assorted grill at Ilmigop, a favorite spot in Bisan-dong, Anyang. I'd love to go back and try the other menu items next time.

Ilmigop visit information: hours, parking and seating

• Address: 9 Bisan-ro, 1st floor, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Tue–Fri 17:00–24:00 / Sat–Sun 14:00–24:00
• Closed: Every Monday
• Parking: Building parking available