Gwacheon duck BBQ, self-serve banchan bar and pink salt: Deo Chadol

There are days when you want meat, but something a little different from the usual, right?

This time I visited Deo Chadol in Gwacheon, where you can try thinly sliced, mild duck brisket BBQ.

• Menu: Deo Chadol couple course (duck brisket BBQ 200g + raw seasoned duck stir-fry 300g + doenjang jjigae + self-fried rice) ₩55,000
• Address: 5 Ttitgol-2-ro, 1st floor, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00 - 21:30 / last order 20:30

Where Deo Chadol is and where to park: 100m from Seonbawi Station Exit 3

Deo Chadol is located in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi. It's about 100m from Seonbawi Station Exit 3, so it's easy to reach by public transit, and there's a parking lot too, so driving works just as well!

There was a signboard introducing Deo Chadol out front. Since it specializes in duck brisket BBQ, I was already curious about the flavor before even walking in.

Inside Deo Chadol and how tablet ordering works

Inside, the tables were neatly arranged. The atmosphere overall was relaxed and unpretentious, seeming like a good fit for a family meal or a couple's dinner out.

The wall was covered with autographs from celebrities who'd visited. It was fun looking through them one by one, and it gave the sense of a place many people have visited over a long time.

You order using the tablet installed at the table. It was convenient to browse the menu photos and set compositions slowly before ordering. There was also a receipt review event notice posted, so if you'd like to participate, check it before ordering.

What the 55,000 won Deo Chadol couple course includes

We ordered the Deo Chadol couple course, which lets you try both the duck brisket BBQ and the raw seasoned duck stir-fry. The couple course is made up of duck brisket BBQ 200g, raw seasoned duck stir-fry 300g, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), and self-fried rice, which made for a nice variety for two people.

After ordering, the side dishes came out first. Vegetables and banchan that pair well with duck were laid out neatly, and the spread whetted our appetite.

Grilling the duck brisket with minari and king oyster mushrooms

The duck brisket BBQ came out first. Thinly sliced duck meat arrived generously plated with king oyster mushrooms, minari (water dropwort), and onions, and it looked appetizing just to see.

They laid the duck brisket slices on the heated grill one by one. Since the meat is thin, it started cooking quickly without much waiting.

The mushrooms, minari, and onions went on the grill too. As the vegetables cooked in the fat rendering from the duck, the aroma got even better and everything looked even more appetizing.

While the meat was grilling, the doenjang jjigae arrived. The savory aroma rising off it went really well with the duck brisket BBQ.

When I scooped up a big spoonful, there were plenty of ingredients in it too. Sipping the warm broth between bites of meat cleaned the palate nicely.

The house meat sauce and pink salt at Deo Chadol

Beside the table, a house meat sauce, pink salt, and pepper were already set out. There was no need to ask for them separately — you could just add them according to taste right away.

This is the duck brisket BBQ sizzling away on the grill. The savory smell rising up made the waiting feel unusually long.

Here's the duck brisket BBQ cooked to a nice golden brown. Rather than grilling it too long, it tasted better eaten while it still had a soft texture.

Self-serve banchan bar: take as much as you need

If you run low on side dishes while eating, you can freely grab more from the self-serve bar on one side of the restaurant. It was convenient to take just the amount you needed without having to call a staff member every time.

The self-serve bar had banchan and sauces neatly arranged that pair well with meat. Since you only take what you'll actually eat, you could finish everything cleanly without leftovers.

How the duck brisket BBQ tastes: thin, tender and mild

I tried a bite of the well-cooked duck brisket BBQ first with nothing added. It was thin but the texture was tender and savory, and milder than expected, so I kept reaching for more.

This time I dipped it in the house meat sauce. With the sauce's savory depth added, the flavor of the duck brisket BBQ came through even richer.

I also tried wrapping it in vegetables. The savoriness of the meat combined with the freshness of the vegetables made it easy to keep eating without getting tired of it.

Round two: raw seasoned duck stir-fry with chili

After finishing the duck brisket BBQ, we put the second menu item, the raw seasoned duck stir-fry, on the grill. I liked that within one course you could try mild grilled meat followed by spicy stir-fry in sequence.

They flipped and stir-fried it well so the seasoning and ingredients cooked evenly. As it cooked, the spicy seasoning smell spread and revived our appetite again.

Here's the raw seasoned duck stir-fry, cooked to a nice finish with the seasoning evenly soaked in. It had a distinctly different appeal from the duck brisket BBQ, starting with the color.

I tried a bite of the well-cooked raw seasoned duck stir-fry. The tender duck meat blended well with the spicy yet savory seasoning.

I also put the raw seasoned duck stir-fry on a lettuce wrap. Eating it with vegetables made the seasoning taste fresher, so I could enjoy it without feeling heavy all the way to the end.

Finishing the course with self-fried rice

After finishing the meat, the essential fried rice arrived. Since it's fried right on the grill where the stir-fry seasoning remains, I was excited as soon as it came out.

They mixed the rice well with the leftover seasoning so it blended evenly. Spreading it wide on the grill and pressing it down lightly made the savory smell even stronger.

Here's the finished fried rice. Soaked evenly with the seasoning, it looked appetizing just from the color, and the parts touching the grill got slightly crispy, adding a savory texture.

Eating that last bite of fried rice felt like a proper end to the meal. Being able to enjoy the duck brisket BBQ, the raw seasoned duck stir-fry, doenjang jjigae, and fried rice in sequence made for a satisfying meal for two.

Who Deo Chadol in Gwacheon suits best

If you're looking for something a bit different from the usual duck dishes, Deo Chadol's duck brisket BBQ is worth trying. The mild duck brisket BBQ and the spicy raw seasoned duck stir-fry tasted so distinctly different that I could enjoy a real variety of flavors within a single meal.

I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a family dinner or date restaurant near Gwacheon or Seonbawi Station!