Daegu charcoal grill restaurant with cheese scallops: Sangnok Hoegwan

I visited Sangnok Hoegwan Yeontan Gui Goseong Branch (상록회관 연탄구이 고성점) while looking for somewhere near Buk-gu Office Station in Daegu to enjoy pork and a drink.

This Goseong-dong pork restaurant felt a little different because, alongside pork belly and pork jowl, you can also have seafood dishes such as cheese scallops.

A retro charcoal-grill restaurant in Goseong-dong

The retro mood came through right from the exterior, making it an easy place to drop by after work. Inside, it had the lively atmosphere you expect from a Korean barbecue restaurant.

Seating is arranged around round tables, so it suited dinner with friends or a casual drink, too.

Ordering a little of both pork and seafood

The menu had a wide range of pork cuts, including pork belly and pork jowl, as well as seafood such as scallops. I also liked that you can add 100 g of each item, making it easy to try small amounts of several cuts.

That day, I ordered samgyeop apsal, pork belly, pork jowl, cheese scallops, hangover ramen, and doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew). From meat to seafood to meal dishes, I went all in!

Pork belly and samgyeop apsal grilled over charcoal

First up was the pork belly, cut to a nicely thick slice. It already looked so appetizing when it went onto the charcoal grill.

The outside grilled up firm while the inside stayed juicy, and the more I chewed, the more deeply savory the pork belly tasted.

I also tried samgyeop apsal, a cut whose name had made me curious. It was fun comparing it with regular pork belly, and the subtle smoky flavor from the charcoal was especially appealing.

The well-grilled meat was good lightly dipped in salt, and wrapping a big bite in ssam (leaf wraps) made it extra satisfying.

Chewy, savory pork jowl

The pork jowl had a distinctly lively chew thanks to its fine marbling. Its springy, almost crisp texture released savory juices, giving it a charm quite different from pork belly.

Rather than leaving a heavy greasy finish, it was chewy and nutty, so it paired nicely with drinks. Alternating between cuts meant I could enjoy the meal without getting tired of it to the end.

A change of pace with cheese scallops

What made Sangnok Hoegwan Yeontan Gui Goseong Branch special was being able to enjoy seafood alongside the meat. The cheese scallops caught my eye right away, topped generously with cheese and sauce.

As the cheese melted softly over the charcoal and the edges browned slightly, a rich, savory aroma rose up.

The plump scallop meat with salty, savory cheese was a tasty change of pace between bites of pork.

The sweet-spicy sauce naturally made me reach for another drink. Being able to enjoy meat and seafood together at this Goseong-dong restaurant was quite satisfying.

Finishing with soybean paste stew and hangover ramen

After having plenty of meat, I finished with doenjang-jjigae and hangover ramen. The soybean paste stew arrived bubbling in a ttukbaegi (earthenware pot), generously filled with zucchini, enoki mushrooms, tofu, and green onion.

Its hearty yet pleasantly spicy broth cleared the palate after the meat, with that familiar flavor that makes you want a bowl of rice alongside it.

The hangover ramen was generously packed with bean sprouts and green onion, and its refreshing broth really lived up to its name. Crunchy bean sprouts came through with the noodles for a nice texture, and a spoonful of the spicy broth felt like it cleared me right out. If you've enjoyed meat and drinks together, it seems like a very fitting final order.