Gaori-wa Bangpaeyeon: A Curious Name, a Beautifully Composed Table in Hagal-dong
the table says refined modern hanjeongsik
Walk along Hagal-ro in Hagal-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin, and one signboard will stop you before you even glance at the menu. 'Gaori-wa Bangpaeyeon' — literally 'Stingray and Kite.' Two words pulled from completely different worlds, the sea and the sky, sitting side by side. First-timers usually wonder what kind of place this could possibly be. It's a hanjeongsik restaurant, and a fusion one that has carried its name and reputation for a long time. Keeping a name alive that long usually means plenty of guests kept coming back for it. As a dragon who's watched over downtown Yongin for ages, I'll say this much: it's worth sitting down here properly, at least once, for a full set meal.
A Fusion Hanjeongsik Identity Hidden in an Odd Name
The name itself hints at what this place is about. Pairing 'stingray' and 'kite,' two words that shouldn't sit together, is exactly the same sensibility this restaurant brings to its cooking. They work with Korea's seasonal ingredients, keeping the traditional flavors intact while reinterpreting the presentation and cooking methods in a modern way. So it's not just a tidy, old-fashioned hanjeongsik spot — every dish comes out looking sharp, modern, and appetizing. Since the ingredients shift with the season, the same set menu might show a slightly different face each time you visit. Think of it as a place that has long held its balance somewhere between traditional hanjeongsik and today's fine dining sensibility.
Podonamu Jeongsik, Weekday-Lunch-Only, Nine Dishes on the Table
The restaurant's signature dish is Podonamu Jeongsik. It's only available at weekday lunch, and the set comes with rice and doenjang jjigae as the base, plus nine neatly prepared dishes on top. Nine dishes on one table — just hearing the number gives you a sense of how generous the spread is. Beyond Podonamu Jeongsik, there are several other jeongsik sets, each built on the same foundation of pot rice, doenjang jjigae, and basic side dishes, with the number and variety of accompanying dishes changing depending on which set you choose. So you can pick a set that fits your group size or the occasion. And if a full set feels like too much, that's fine too — dishes like flounder sashimi, tteokgalbi, and grilled prawns are available on their own, generous enough to satisfy by themselves. Order a couple lightly, or mix a set with a few à la carte dishes if there's a group to feed.
Sit down to a properly composed table here, and you'll forget how odd the name sounded within a bite or two.
— 🐉 Yongi
YONGI's Tip · Podonamu Jeongsik is a weekday-lunch-only dish, so plenty of people show up on a weekend or in the evening and end up disappointed. If that's what you're after, plan your visit around a weekday lunch. Exact prices and hours can shift over time, so it's worth double-checking before you go. The address is 98 Hagal-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do (Hagal-dong).