Nourishing Korean Set Meal in Ilsan: A Health Boost!
They say the flu is especially harsh this year, and even my usually healthy girlfriend was completely knocked out. After a few days of rest and when she felt a bit better, we went to a well-known restaurant in Ilsan for a nourishing and healthy meal. The Korean set menu (Han-jeongsik), made with fresh, seasonal ingredients and heartfelt care, felt like a medicinal tonic.
The restaurant is located about 10-15 minutes by car from Unjeong Central Station or Daehwa Station. It's easy to find using navigation. It's also close to Paju's Simhak Mountain, making it a great place to stop after a hike.
This place is also famous for group gatherings and company dinners, so there was plenty of parking. The restaurant was quite large, divided into a main building and an annex. The annex even allows pets.
The interior had a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. The spacious area offered tables of various sizes. It's already a popular spot, so even during the off-peak hours after lunch, there were still many customers.
The restaurant specializes in premium Korean set menus, offering a variety of full-course meals. Each menu includes a main dish such as grilled rockfish, spicy grilled pork with gochujang, grilled deodeok root, or grilled short rib patties.
For my husband, who was feeling under the weather, I chose the set menu with fresh oyster and prawn soup (Jiri-tang).
You can also add individual dishes such as Yeonggwang dried corvina, soy sauce marinated crab, bulgogi, or grilled short rib patties. We decided to try the set first and then order more if needed. We participated in a review event and received a handmade mini soybean paste (doenjang).
I used the doenjang to make soybean paste stew at home, and it was delicious.
After ordering, I noticed a self-service bar.
It had fresh leafy vegetables, crab stick salad, pineapple, ssamjang (Korean dipping sauce), and dressings. I brought back a lot of leafy vegetables, and they were very fresh.
The ssamjang, made with 24 years of know-how, wasn't too salty and had a deep flavor. The ice cream and pineapple were also sweet and refreshing, perfect for cleansing the palate.
You could also make your own fried eggs, so I made one for my husband, who has a childish palate.
Soon after, the fresh oyster and prawn soup set menu arrived. It was so abundant that it made my eyes widen. Even with my 13 years of cooking experience, I could tell that each dish was made with great care.
The side dishes were made with fresh, seasonal ingredients and medicinal herbs, making it great for a healthy and nourishing meal. The pickled Korean artichoke was crunchy and perfectly seasoned, stimulating my appetite.
The shiitake mushroom tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork style) wasn't too greasy, and the deep, rich flavor of the shiitake was well-preserved.
The dried seaweed topped with flying fish roe captured the flavor of the sea. I could definitely tell that each ingredient was carefully selected.
I also tried the sorghum pancake, which is one of the restaurant's popular dishes. It had a savory and nutty flavor with a subtle sweetness, and the texture was chewy and soft.
The healthy japchae (glass noodles) used tofu noodles instead of regular glass noodles. It was also packed with various vegetables, making it a healthy but delicious dish.
The cold acorn jelly soup (muk-sabal) was so delicious that I immediately wanted to add some noodles. True to the name of medicinal herb side dishes, I was satisfied with everything from the ingredients to the cooking method and taste.
The main dish, fresh oyster and prawn soup, looked like it could make you healthy just by looking at it.
It was generously filled with fresh oysters, prawns, abalone, mussels, and crabs, showing the restaurant's generosity.
Can you see how plump the oysters and mussels are? With all these delicacies, it couldn't possibly taste bad. I tried the soup first, and it was really deep, savory, and clean. My husband also tried it and said it felt like his cold was going away.
Anyone who cooks knows that it's harder to make a flavorful white soup (Jiri-tang) than a red soup. But this place was surprisingly rich and clean in flavor.
So, I diligently ate the soup and picked out all the seafood. The ingredients were so fresh that they weren't fishy, and they were well-cleaned, making it easy to enjoy.
Enjoying the warm soup with wild vegetable bibimbap (mixed rice) made it a truly hearty meal. Healthy rice made with seasonal grains and seasonal greens were provided, so all I had to do was mix it all together.
As I savored the generous and neatly prepared dishes, I understood why our ancestors said that good food and medicine are the same. So, I decided that I would definitely visit this restaurant whenever I want to nourish my body in a healthy way.
Even though I was full from the set menu, I was so impressed with the taste that I ordered grilled short rib patties as an extra.
The grilled short rib patties were also delicious. The meat was tender and well-seasoned. It was also savory, so I felt like I could eat two bowls of rice with just that.
This place wasn't just a Korean set menu restaurant, but a place where you can take care of your health with food made from good ingredients. Perhaps that's why I didn't feel bloated even after eating so much, and my husband was able to recover his condition.
The taste was really satisfying, so I think I'll be visiting often in the future.
Address: 210, Sannam-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do
Operating Hours: Daily 11:00 - 21:00 (Break time on weekends 15:30 - 17:00)
Source :https://blog.naver.com/sonbogong/224090982148
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