Korean BBQ is a must eat whenever you visit Korea. There are two main types of meat: pork and beef. Since we explored Hanwoo thanks to Born & Bred, we decided to find one specializing in pork cuts. A quick search on Naver map led us to Jeju Abang, a hidden KBBQ restaurant in the Euljiro neighbourhood.
Aged Pork Korean BBQ in Seoul
Visiting on a weekday night had us doubt whether we were in the right area. It was quiet, with the neighbourhood filled with offices and shuttered stores. However, following the Naver map eventually led us to a brightly lit entrance along an alley.
We arrived quite late, around 8 pm and even then, we had to wait a while for seats. Guess this is where everybody was, instead of on the streets.
The interior was sleek, with the gold-colored exhausts on top of each table to get rid of any smoke. There was a poster with the phrase ‘We can’t bring you the pristine blue waters of Jeju, but we can bring you the taste of Jeju pork to you.’
Right near the entrance is also a fridge filled with cuts of pork.
The interesting thing about Jeju Abang is all their pork will undergo aging, so there are limited servings for sale each day.
The grill here looks significantly different from any KBBQ restaurant we’ve been to in Singapore. From far, it looked like a steamboat pot, but it was simply to put the charcoal in. You’ll realize this when the staff grills the meat for you, but the grill is rotatable!
Food at Jeju Abang
Before the grilling of meats, we were served a range of side dishes which included items like white kimchi, green onion kimchi, and wild garlic leaves. There are also various condiments such as Ssamjang, wasabi, and salt for you to dip your grilled meats into.
The Pork Belly (15,000won for 180g) was really thick even after grilling it. The charcoal added a nice smokiness to the meat and there wasn’t any pork gamey taste to it.
However, the dish that took us by surprise was the Pork Collar (15,000won for 180g). If you thought the pork belly was juicy, the pork collar was even juicier! It was easy to bite into and had a perfectly crispy exterior from the charcoal fire.
You can also get a side of Steamed Egg (3,000won) which is a perfect side dish when it comes to KBBQ.
Jeju Abang Restaurant in Seoul
While we initially wanted to get the Galmaegil cut, which is what the restaurant is known for, they were unfortunately sold out for the day. However, the Pork Collar was something that caught us by surprise, and we’ll definitely head back the next time we’re in Seoul.
There are a couple of Jeju Abang outlets in Seoul, such as Yongsan and Eunpyeong-gu but the one we visited was in Euljiro.
Jeju Abang Restaurant (제주아방)
15 Euljiro 18-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
서울 중구 을지로18길 15
Mon-Sat, 4pm-11pm, Closed on Sundays
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg.
*Follow MiddleClass.sg on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for more food, travel, and trending stories
