Gangseo lamb restaurant with staff-grilled shoulder rack: Hwarodam

A lamb skewer spot in Balsan Station’s dining alley

I visited a great lamb skewer place in the dining area by Balsan Station. It is just a short walk from Exit 9. Maybe because it is close to LG Innotek, there were so many office workers! It is open Mon–Fri from 11:30 to 22:50, with last orders at 22:10, so it stays open pretty late! Closed every Sunday! On Saturdays, it opens from 14:00.

Seeing a waiting-list sheet right at the entrance? That is proof this place is good~

Brick-brazier pre-grilling and a spotless space

The brick brazier catches your eye from the entrance. They pre-grill the meat here, which seems to make it even tastier. Maybe that is why it is called Hwarodam. The meat looked like it was aging in the refrigerator, too. Perhaps that is why it was tender with no unpleasant smell.

Some lamb skewer places can feel a little iffy hygiene-wise, but this one was so clean and neat that I seriously loved it!!

Semi-private tables that work for team dinners

They have lunch specials too, so nearby Magok office workers could come for lunch. And a buy-3-get-1-free beer deal? Mmm~ I am done for~~~~~~~

The space was much bigger than I expected, and every table felt a bit like its own room? It was nicely separated without being too loud. Fully enclosed rooms can feel stuffy, but this did not at all, so I highly, highly recommend it for company dinners.

It is a lamb skewer restaurant, but skewers are not all they have. There are lamb ribs too, and the skewers come in varieties including lamb loin, rib meat, and thick-cut lamb skewers.

Ordering shoulder rack and lamb loin skewers

The lamb-rib shoulder rack and lamb loin skewers seemed like the mains, so we ordered them. The prices felt reasonable for the weight, which I liked. Even the sides looked delicious haha; there were only two of us, so I am sad we could not order more~ There were plenty of sides to share, including guobaorou (Chinese-style crispy sweet-and-sour pork) and morning glory.

And you know charcoal is the most important thing for grilled meat, right? You can tell they use good charcoal.

Pre-grilled meat cooked to your pace

Before long, the pre-grilled lamb ribs and skewers came out. Places that pre-grill usually take a while, but they arrived so quickly while we were having a beer that I was surprised haha.

The visuals are insane, right... Writing this makes me want to eat it again.. And they kindly grill everything for youㅠㅠ They discreetly check how fast you are eating, then come over at just the right times to cook more. Is this basically omakase?

There were celtuce stems, water kimchi, and radish kimchi on the side, so I never got tired of it. Yarreureong-ttakttak-kung—just look how tender and juicy it is!

Cumin alone can get repetitive, but there were chive-flower sauce, secret soy sauce, and Silk Road sauce, so I got refills twice. I think it is a great place for lamb beginners too.

The savory chive sauce is insanely good~!~!~! I love spicy flavors, so the pickled chilies took first place for me~

Seriously, this is the spot for ridiculously delicious lamb ribs around Balsan and Magok~ Trust me and try it~ A guaranteed good meal.

A second round of lamb skewers and onmyeon

We were already full, but we still went for a second round of lamb skewers. They set them up right away again, so it was such an easy meal. (The staff are seriously so kindㅠㅜ) I thought they might smell stronger than the ribs, but honestly neither the lamb ribs nor the skewers had any gamey smell at all. A lamb skewer restaurant where you can eat this cleanly? I am 10,000 percent willing to return~ Both skewer fans and rib fans can come together and enjoy both.

And since we could not skip a side, we ordered onmyeon (warm noodles).

If you were expecting something a bit mala-flavored, think again. It was truly a flavor I had never had before, but I think it is worth experiencing at least once~ If you want lamb skewers or lamb ribs in Magok, Balsan, or Gangseo-gu, seriously go to Hwarodam—three cheers~ I am 50,000 percent willing to come back for a team dinner~~~