We often get asked to recommend barbecue places to visit in Seoul and it’s hard to pick from the endless options available, but we’re officially adding Namdo Dwaejichon (남도돼지촌) to the list.
The barbecue restaurant is in Yongsan, helmed by the same chef-owners behind the popular Teddy Beurre House and SamSamSam!
Retro Aesthetic
It’s conveniently located right beside Teddy Beurre House, standing out with its run-down exterior. The big, movie-set-style signs make it hard to miss.
The restaurant has two floors and plenty of seating. Its decor is reminiscent of olden-day Korea with bottles of ginseng liquor and traditional enamel wall hangings.
Everything is written in Korean but can be easily translated with the Papago app!
Namdo Dwaejichon Menu
The special point of Namdo Dwaejichon is that it’s inspired by Jeollanam-do, a region down south close to the coast! All their menu items are prepared Jeollanam-do style down to their banchan.
The main item on the menu is the 남도돼지촌 한 모든 (Namdo Dwaejichon Set, 57,000 won, 510g) with one each of their signature cuts – Moksal (pork neck) and Ogyeopsal (5-layer pork belly).
There are also a la carte cuts like 갈매기 살 (18,000 won for 150g) and 양념갈비 (Yangnyeom Galbi, 18,000 won for 150g) both of which have a minimum 2 portion order.
They also have plenty of accompanying sides like the 애호박 찌개 (Zucchini Jiggae, 19,000won), 오이물냉면 (Cucumber Cold Noodles, 8,000won) and 고추장 육회 (Gochujang Yukhoe, 19,000won, 120g).
Banchan
The banchan selection was generous with three types of kimchi and yangnyeom gejang, which is hard to find in restaurants.
There was radish, mustard leaf and cabbage kimchi, which we found to be more fermented and heavily seasoned than usual kimchi. The richer flavours complemented the meat well!
We also like the yangnyeom gejang which had a good balance of spicy, savoury and sweet, plus the creamy meat of the crab. There was zero fishiness.
Pork Neck & Pork Belly Barbecue
The 남도돼지촌 한 모든 (Namdo Dwaejichon Set, 57,000 won) came with a sizeable piece of pork neck and slices of pork belly. Just the visual of the meat alone was enough to whet our appetites with its colour and marbling.
It tasted as good as it looked. Every bite of meat was juicy, tender and had a rich meatiness. Despite how fatty the meat was, the overall taste was clean and not cloying at all!
We dare say it takes one of the top spots for pork neck barbecue we’ve had so far.
The pork belly was also noteworthy with an enjoyable fattiness and rich pork flavour.
One thing to note is that the restaurant doesn’t offer the usual ssam vegetables. But with the quality of the meat, it isn’t needed!
The recommended way to enjoy the pork neck is with raw onion and doenjang. We were initially sceptical, but the onion was sweet and not pungent or sharp.
It added a refreshing crunch to complement the fatty meat with the salty umami from the doenjang.
Zucchini Jiggae
We were a little taken aback by the 애호박 찌개 (Zucchini Jiggae, 19,000won), served with a mountain of zucchini atop of pool of fiery red broth. The jiggae was spicy, but helped cut through the meats.
Gochujang Yukhoe
Another signature dish is the 고추장 육회 (Gochujang Yukhoe, 19,000won) which had raw egg yolk and pieces of minari (water celery). We liked the gochujang sauce which had a good mix of tang, sweetness and spiciness; plus the crunch from the minari!
Bibimyeon
A staple with barbecue is 비빔면 (Bibimyeon, 8,000won). Their iteration is simple but hits the spot, with chewy noodles and a refreshing sauce which leaned more to the sour/sweet side. Best enjoyed with the pork belly!
Pork Barbecue In Seoul
Despite being only open for less than a month Namdo Dwaejichon has racked up a big patronage amongst the locals, and for good reason! We highly recommend this place to satisfy your barbecue cravings in Seoul.
Check out our list of more authentic Korean restaurants to add to your foodie list!
@middleclass.sg Pork BBQ in Korea HITS different 🤤🔥💯 📍남도돼지촌 (Namdo Dwaejichon) 한강대로40가길 40 1,2 종 Nearest train station: Samgakji (삼각지) #korea #travelkorea #koreanfood ♬ Bubble Gum – NewJeans
남도돼지촌 (Namdo Dwaejichon)
삼각지역 3번 출구에서 273m
53-1 Hangangno 2(i)-ga Yongsan-gu Seoul
Opening hours: Daily, from 4pm-10pm. Last order 9.15pm
Nearest train station: 삼각지 (Samgakji), Line 4
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*This was an independent review by MiddleClass
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