Yeongdeungpo lamb restaurant with table-grilled lamb: Yangnam Yanghwa

While looking for somewhere to eat on a date in Mullae-dong, I reserved and visited Yangnam Yanghwa (양남양화), a lamb restaurant. Staff grilled the meat right in front of the bar seats, which made it easy to eat and talk.

Where is Yangnam Yanghwa?

It is near Yangnam Sageori, between Yeongdeungpo-gu Office and Mullae stations. The address is 6-2 Yeongdeungpo-ro 18-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. I walked a little way into the alley; there were lots of trees nearby and the street was tidy, so it was pleasant to walk there.

Were the bar seats comfortable for a date?

The entire interior consisted of bar tables. They put up partitions depending on the group size and placed one brazier in front of each group. The center was open, so it did not feel cramped, and it was nice to talk with the person I came with over the meal.

There were wall hooks and space to store belongings beneath the seats. It was convenient to put away our coats and bags before sitting down.

What were the menu prices and reservation details?

At the time of my visit, Premium Lamb Dining was ₩38,900 per person, bibim-myeon (mixed noodles) was ₩4,000, and a Jim Beam Highball was ₩7,000. Corkage was listed as ₩20,000 per bottle, and wine openers, wine glasses, on-the-rocks glasses, and straight glasses were available.

I had heard there could be a wait even around weekday quitting time, so I made a reservation. When I arrived, the basic table setting had been prepared for our group size. Before visiting, I had been told that we could enjoy lamb for two hours.

How were the table setting and aperitif?

The table setting included Cheongyang chili soy sauce, mint jelly, wasabi, yogurt sauce, cumin, finely salted radish, and pickles. They explained the components before we ate, and because mint jelly was unfamiliar to me, I heard a more detailed explanation.

After we sat down, they first gave us an aperitif. Its sweetness was pronounced, so it felt more like a sparkling drink to me.

How was the lamb grilled, and what did each cut taste like?

After setting up the brazier, they started grilling the lamb right away. Although it was grilled in front of us, they took care to keep smoke from coming toward the table. As the meat cooked, I looked around and noticed that even the high ceiling hoods and the areas around the vents were clean, without noticeable grease stains.

For drinks, I ordered a Jim Beam Highball. It seemed to have a higher proportion of Jim Beam than ones I had had elsewhere, which I liked.

First, I had lamb loin from the T-bone. They explained that the portion with fat attached, on one side of the center bone, was the loin. It was juicy and savory enough to enjoy with just salt.

The tenderloin was leaner than the loin and tasty without any sauce. The shoulder was tender yet pleasantly chewy. It was cut against the grain, so it did not feel tough.

Mint jelly may divide opinions, but the sweetness of the jelly went well with the lamb for me and stayed in my mind.

Were the bibim noodles and grilled vegetables good accompaniments?

I chose bibim-myeon (mixed noodles) as my side. Since I do not like ramen with broth, it was a refreshing accompaniment on a hot day. It came with two ice cubes, which kept it cool, but they melt over time, so I think it would be better to take them out beforehand.

After grilling the meat, they also grilled cherry tomatoes, green onion, eggplant, and onion. They peeled off the outer layer of the green onion that had touched the flame, and cooked the other vegetables to go well with the meat.

The item grilled in foil was king oyster mushroom. When they opened the foil, it was moistly cooked, and I liked the vegetable juices I could taste when chewing it.

How were the end of the meal and extra-lamb option?

They grilled pineapple last. They told us we could request more meat if we wanted it, then asked once more near the end of the meal whether we wanted an additional serving.

I was full, so I did not add more meat and moved on to dessert. The tangy orange sherbet freshened my palate and made the meal feel less heavy after the lamb.

It had an atmosphere that suited having a drink and talking while eating meat grilled for us. I was also happy with the different textures of each cut, so I would like to return.