Jongno3-ga Korean BBQ four-cut tasting after Myeongdong shopping: Cham

Hi everyone! I'm Laura, and I love hanging out with friends way too much haha

A few weekends ago, my friend and I went to Mimi Line in Myeongdong, which is apparently super hot right now. It was packed with cute accessories and fashion items, and we lost track of time browsing. After shopping we got hungry, and while searching I found out Cham Dwaejitgan — the place I'd been to before — was in Jongno3-ga??!!! It was only 10 minutes away, so we grabbed hands and said we absolutely had to go back!!!

An unusual find: potato wraps with shiitake wasabi sauce

Where is Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch? Ground floor, outside the CGV building

On Naver Maps, Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch shows up as being inside the CGV building, but it's actually on the ground floor outside, across from Piccadilly Jewelry Wholesale Market. If there's a wait in the evening, you can sit outside. The restaurant is big, so you can usually get seated right away — great for company dinners too!! A pork belly spot near Jongno3-ga Station worth knowing.

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch Address: 1 Donhwamun-ro 5ga-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 1st floor of Piccadilly CGV theater, Unit 1-89 Directions: 1–2 min walk from Exit 2 or 2-1, Jongno3-ga Station (Lines 1, 3, 5) Across from Piccadilly Jewelry Wholesale Market

Ordering four cuts: black pork five-layer belly, cheongyeopsal, chamsamgyeopsal and flower pork neck

This time we ordered Jirisan black pork five-layer pork belly, cheonyeopsal, chamsamgyeopsal, and flower pork neck at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch. The grill sizzling away — ahh, I get so excited ~~~ We sat down and looked over the menu, and the Jirisan black pork five-layer belly was so delicious and chewy that I told my friend, this one, this one!! Highly recommend!!!

• Jirisan black pork five-layer pork belly, 150g ₩19,000
• Cheonyeopsal (Boseong nokdon pork jowl), 150g ₩19,000
• Chamsamgyeopsal (Boseong nokdon), 150g ₩16,000
• Flower pork neck (Boseong nokdon), 150g ₩16,000

The gabrisal looked amazing too but we were already full so we couldn't order more... My friend and I promised to come back for it next time >_<

Rice-husk and charcoal griddle, grilled by staff from start to finish

Look at this!!! They pile on the minari and kimchi so generously!!! Thick pork belly with bright pink color and even marbling showed up. The great thing about Cham Dwaejitgan is that staff carefully grill the meat from start to finish on a special grill infused with rice husk and charcoal smoke aroma! We just sit back with our wet wipes and wait for the meat. Haha haha haha

Potato wraps and shiitake wasabi sauce: what makes Cham Dwaejitgan different

This is exactly why it's such an unusual find. Minari, kimchi, kkwari-gochu (shishito-style peppers), potato wraps, shiitake wasabi sauce!!!! All these sides and sauces get set up right from the start. This generous spread of sauces and side dishes for the price of the meat is exactly this restaurant's strength haha haha haha haha

Is it me or does this look like potato chips????? The potato wraps sizzling away... and there's dainty green onion shreds next to them, can you imagine how it tastes haha haha haha haha haha haha

How to build a ssam wrap with bean sprouts and kkwari peppers

I'm great at wrapping ssam haha haha haha I showed my friend my wrapping know-how: bean sprouts and pork belly, munch munch munch, kkwari-gochu and pork belly, crunch crunch crunch. What do you think of my choices haha

Come on into my mouth, pork jowl and pork belly haha haha haha haha haha haha Chatting away while eating makes the happiness double haha haha haha You can wrap it up like this, but even just dipping it in salt lets the meat's juices melt in your mouth haha haha haha haha haha

One more portion of chamsamgyeopsal, then 7,000-won kudzu cold noodles

At the end, we were sad it was over so we ordered one more portion of chamsamgyeopsal at Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch haha haha haha haha haha haha haha All that shopping had left us too tired to lift a finger, but thanks to the staff member's skilled grilling service, we could just relax and chat while enjoying the meal. So satisfying. So happy haha haha haha

The best part here!! The kudzu cold noodles are only 7,000 won!! For our finishing meal, we had the refreshing cold noodles topped with shaved ice along with the sweet-and-tangy bibim noodles. The chewy noodles and clean broth were the perfect way to wash away the day's fatigue.

Paying the bill and the verdict on Cham Dwaejitgan

When I went to pay, they had Toss Pay! There are a lot of discounts these days so I use it often. It was a day where we could travel just 10 minutes after shopping at Myeongdong's Mimi Line and enjoy a filling, happy meal. With such friendly grilling service and a comfortable space, I'll definitely be back the next time I crave meat. If you're looking for a great pork belly restaurant in Jongno with a comfortable atmosphere, definitely visit Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch!