A memorable Korean set meal just outside Seoul.
My girlfriend insisted we visit, asking how I could possibly not know this restaurant. Once we arrived, I understood: it was a famous place with a long history. I was told it had moved a few years earlier. The garden gave me a welcome sense of calm, and the restaurant itself was a striking blend of tradition and modern comforts.
Mabangjip near Namhansanseong in Gwangju
After more than a century at the old Saemjae Pass in Hanam, the long-established Korean restaurant Mabangjip has begun a new chapter at the foot of Namhansanseong in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do. Carrying on the heritage of an inn where horses and carriages once rested, it has left its quiet old house behind for an imposing hanok building that gives regional Korean dining an elegant setting.
Seasonal vegetables and wood-fired bulgogi
The signature Mabang Korean set meal lays out around 20 seasonal vegetable dishes instead of elaborate showpieces. Each preserves its own aroma and texture. Mixed into barley rice with gochujang and sesame oil, the mountain greens make a deeply flavorful bibimbap. A bubbling pot of earthy, traditional doenjang stew completes the balanced, rustic meal.
Wood-fired dishes turn the vegetable spread into a fuller feast. Beef and pork bulgogi carry gentle charcoal aromas and smoky flavor, with juicy meat and satisfying savoriness. Grilled deodeok root, pleasantly bitter and sweet-spicy, and refreshing kimchibo with oysters and nuts add thoughtful accents and broaden the range of flavors.
The cozy individual rooms and the old custom of carrying in an entire table already laid with food belong to its Hanam days. The current Gwangju restaurant offers a comfortable dining hall, private rooms and an elevator for an easier modern dining experience. Within the refined tiled-roof building, the familiar combination of carefully prepared vegetables and wood-fired bulgogi remains. For a meal honoring your parents or a more formal family outing, this enduring part of Gyeonggi-do’s food heritage offers a deeply satisfying experience.
Price impression: Moderate.
