Restaurant Review in Jeonju area


Naomi Rothmann
Jinan Jeil High School

If you are ever fortunate enough to come to the beautiful town of Jinan, in Jeollabuk-do, don't just drive through this small town, but make sure you stop and experience its many attractions. Jeollabuk-do is famous for its good food, especially Jeonju Bibimbap. You can find Jinan just 40 minutes from Jeonju. Jinan has a very unique mountain called 'Maisan,'which literally means 'horse ears.' That is exactly what the mountain looks like.
It is at this beautiful mountain that I found my favorite restaurant. The first time I visited the restaurant, I was with a teacher from my school who is very familiar with all of Jinan's best restaurants. At this particular restaurant, patrons enjoy the freshest ingredients. You will feel that all the vegetables came directly from the mountain soil.
The name of the restaurant is 초가정담(Chogajungdam, 063-432-8840)
The restaurant is quite crowded on weekends, so it is recommended that you call ahead to make a reservation. Once inside, there are many choices of where to sit. You can sit outside on the wooden floor to watch all the people walking by, or for more privacy, you can reserve a private room where you can take in a great view of the mountain.
As for the food, there are too many delicious choices on the menu to mention here. I myself haven't tried all of them yet, but you can take a look at the menu by visiting the website(www.k-choga.com) . One of my favorite dishes is the 'Duduk-jungsik.' If you love vegetables, fish, soup, and healthy but delicious things, then this will be a good option for you. The owners are also very friendly and welcoming, and they even have a van available for a pick-up service.
On one occasion, I visited this restaurant for my birthday with my friends from all over the country(Seoul, Busan, Okcheon, Gumi, etc.). At that time, we ordered meat and were hugely impressed with the quality. My friends have commented that they still felt the taste a few months later. After your stomach is satisfied with the good food, don't forget to walk up the road to Tapsa, a very magnificent temple.

Option number 2
 If you come to Jinan, and you can't go to Maisan(the mountain), then you can stay in town and go to 'Ilpum Garden(063-433-0825)' restaurant. This is close to the 고향마을(Gohyangmaeul) apartments in Jinan. This is not a 'fancy' restaurant, but the food is great! You can get one of the most well known dishes, namely 삼겹살(Samgyeupsal, pork with perilla or sesame leaves), or you can have a different kind of bibimbap. This is one of the few places in Korea where you can find a kind of bibimbap made with brown rice. The name of this bibimbap is '열무보리밥(yeolmu Boribap). I think the full name would be 'Bibimbap with young radish and barley rice,' so if you are like me and miss whole grain bread or rice, then you can also satisfy your 'need for wheat' here.
Option number 3
 If you are in Jeonju, and want to taste the famous 'Jeonju Bibimbap,' then I would like to recommend 가족회관(Gajokhoigwan). This restaurant is close to the Gaeksa area. Not only is the bibimbap the best I've tasted, but they also have all different kinds of delicious side dishes to satisfy your appetite. You can almost fill yourself with the side dishes alone!
Name of restaurant: 가족회관(Gajokhoigwan)
It means 'family restaurant'
http://www.jeonjubibimbap.com

Option number 4:
 This restaurant is situated on the road between Jeonju and Jinan. If you want to try something unique and traditional, then I would like to recommend 화심순두부(Hwasim sundubu). This is a kind of 'soup,' made of tofu and seashells. It might not sound good, but you will always see many cars parked outside and the large crowds are a good indication of the quality of the food.
The name of the restaurant: 화심순두부(Hwasim sundubu)
If you have any questions about these good places to eat, feel free to contact me at: naomirothmann@gmail.com