Maintaining its spot on the Seoul Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand for several years is Manjok Ohyang Jokbal (만족 오향족발), a Jokbal (pig trotter) restaurant with several locations in Seoul. While the dish might sound unfamiliar to some, it’s a pretty common dish in Korea.
Jokbal Restaurant in Seoul
Started back in 1989, the main restaurant is located in an alley near City Hall station. Over the years, they’ve opened more locations all over Seoul, in popular areas like Dongdaemun, Hongdae and Gangnam.
The store we visited for this article is the OG store near City Hall station.
There are 2 levels which means plenty of seating. It was pretty packed when we visited during weekend lunch hours, despite the absence of the nearby office crowd.
Manjok Ohyang Jokbal Menu
The menu here at Manjok Ohyang Jokbal is straightforward with 2 main items: Jokbal and Bossam. You can get them individually in various-sized sets or get the best of both worlds with a jokbal+bossam set. The sets usually range around 30,000 to 40,000won.
Spice lovers will be happy to know that they also offer Fiery Jokbal (38,000won – good for 2 to 3 pax).
Other menu items include Jumokbap, Steamed Egg, Rice Cake Dumpling Soups and Naengmyeon.
We ordered the Medium Sized Jokbal and Bossam Set (41,000won) during our lunch visit.
Immediately, we were served various side dishes such as dried radish, salad and even an entire pot of dumpling soup. There were also condiments like ssamjang and vegetables for you to pair with your mains.
Interestingly, the plate of Jokbal & Bossam was placed on top of a heating plate to ensure that our slices of meat were always warm.
The braised pig trotters were definitely ‘manjok’ (satisfied in Korean) as suggested by the restaurant’s name. Braised in five spices (Ohyang), you get a flavourful piece of meat that’s perfect in texture, especially when you get the collagen-filled skin portion.
Despite the fatty-looking pieces of pork, the balance between the fat and meat was decent. If you ever get sick of it, it’s recommended to pair it with crunchy vegetables or spicy dried radish.
One of our favourite ways is to pair it with some chives!
The Bossam on the other hand, while still delicious, did not wow us as much as the Jokbal. We did get several tough pieces, but were overall still tender and flavourful.
To go with the jokbal and bossam, we also ordered a bowl of Jaengban Guksu (11,000won), which is something like a Makguksu. Served with a spicy sweet sauce and crunchy vegetables, you’ll have to put on some gloves and mix the noodles with your hands!
The sweet spicy flavours helped to cleanse the oily flavours of the meat and was a perfect accompaniment to the meal.
Where To Eat Jokbal in Seoul
If you’re struggling to find a Jokbal restaurant in Seoul, why not head down to one of Manjok Ohyang Jokbal’s many outlets, where you’ll be able to indulge in warm pieces of pig trotter and bossam.
Manjok Ohyang Jokabl (만족 오향족발)
318-1 Taepyeongno 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
서울 중구 서소문로 134-7
Mon-Fri, 11:30am-10pm, Sat-Sun, 12pm-10pm
Nearest Subway: City Hall (Line 1 & 2), Exit 9
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg
Other Exotic Dishes to Try in Korea
*Follow MiddleClass.sg on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for more food, travel, and trending stories
