Pork belly BBQ for three in Moran: 550g and meljeot, Mat Chandeul

Late-lunch pork belly for three at Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch near Moran Station

At Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch, three of us ordered the A Set plus one extra portion of pork belly, 550g in total, along with doenjang stew and rice. I wanted good pork belly near Moran Station, so this time I went with two friends. Even though it was a late lunch, there were quite a lot of diners, so you can really feel how popular it is. The meat quality was excellent, and the staff grilled it for us, so we could eat in comfort. The grilled white kimchi, pickled chili peppers and meljeot all went well with the meat, so it was a satisfying meal.

Where is Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch?

The restaurant is close to Exit 4 of Moran Station. It's easy to reach by subway, and with plenty of restaurants and shops around, it's also a good spot to meet friends. The Moran Station area is famous for its many BBQ places, but if you care about both meat quality and service, this is a Moran pork belly spot I'd recommend.

Atmosphere and staff service

The inside was bigger and tidier than I expected. The tables are spaced out comfortably, which makes it good for eating in a group, and I liked the neat overall feel. It has that lively BBQ-restaurant energy, yet it's still a comfortable place to eat.

The staff were great from the start. They were friendly when showing us to our seats, and ordering was easy. Even with lots of customers, they paid careful attention to us, which impressed me. I think this place deserves good marks for service, not just for the meat.

How much should three people order?

The three of us ordered the A Set plus one extra portion of pork belly, 550g in total. After looking over the menu we chose the A Set, and I thought it was a good composition for three people. With doenjang stew and rice added, it made a hearty lunch.

How was the quality of the pork belly?

The quality of the pork belly caught my eye the moment it arrived. The lean meat and fat were nicely balanced, and the meat looked to be in great condition, so I was looking forward to it even before grilling. I like pork belly and visit lots of BBQ places, and this one gave me the feeling that it pays real attention to meat quality.

Do the staff grill the meat for you?

Staff grill the pork belly for you here, and that was what I liked most of all. Taste and texture of pork belly change a lot depending on how it's grilled, right? When you grill it yourself, you sometimes overcook it while chatting or miss the right timing, but here I didn't have to worry about that.

The staff member put the meat on the grill, checked how it was cooking, and flipped it at just the right time. Watching the surface turn golden brown looked really appetizing. They were skilled at it too, so the meat never burned or overcooked, and it was ready at its most delicious.

I took a bite of the well-grilled pork belly, and the quality was really good. The outside was golden with a nutty flavor, while the inside was moist and tender. The juices and savory depth spread through my mouth as I chewed, and it was delicious even without any seasoning.

The balance of fat and lean was especially good. Too much fat in pork belly can feel greasy, and too much lean can feel dry. Here, the richness of the fat and the tender texture of the lean blended well. For the thing people looking for Moran pork belly care about most, the taste of the meat itself, I was very satisfied.

At first I wanted to taste the meat itself, so I ate it without any side dishes. The nutty flavor of the properly grilled pork belly came through clearly, and the chew was great. I truly felt the saying that good meat is delicious even without elaborate seasoning.

What does grilled white kimchi taste like?

At this restaurant you can grill white kimchi (non-spicy kimchi) on the grill and eat it with the pork belly, and it was one of the side dishes I liked most. Regular white kimchi is tasty, but grilling it on the grill gives it a different charm. Eating the lightly cooked white kimchi with pork belly, they went together really well.

The white kimchi cut the richness of the meat and added a refreshing flavor. Warmed slightly on the grill, it blended naturally with the pork belly, and the texture when chewing was good. It had a cleaner taste than grilled regular napa cabbage kimchi, which impressed me.

With a piece of pork belly and grilled white kimchi together, I could taste the nutty meat and the fresh kimchi at the same time. When you eat fatty pork belly, a side dish like this keeps you from getting tired of it until the end. I think grilling the white kimchi is one of this place's strengths.

Pickled chili peppers and meljeot on the side

The pickled chili peppers (gochu jangajji) were also a great match for the pork belly. The distinctive aroma of the peppers and the salty tang of the pickle brought out the flavor of the meat even more. When the meat started to feel a bit greasy, eating it with the pickled peppers left my mouth feeling fresh.

The pickled peppers had a nice savory depth that went well with meat, and a different charm from the white kimchi. If the white kimchi is a light, soft combination, the pickled peppers felt like they brought out the nuttiness of the pork belly with a sharper flavor. With such a variety of side dishes, the same pork belly could be enjoyed in several ways.

I can't leave out the meljeot (salted fermented anchovy dip) for dipping the meat. I usually like meljeot, and the one served here was really good too. Its salty, rich savoriness blended well with the nutty flavor of the pork belly. Lightly dipping a well-grilled piece into the meljeot made the meat taste even deeper.

Meljeot divides people because of its distinctive smell, but with pork belly its charm really comes through. The meljeot here doesn't overpower the meat and adds savory depth, which I liked. Personally, I had a lot of fun alternating between the white kimchi, pickled peppers and meljeot.

Were the doenjang stew and rice filling for lunch?

The doenjang stew here isn't just an extra that comes with the meat; it's good enough to order on its own. The broth had great depth and went well with rice, so I kept reaching for it between bites of meat. Since we came for a late lunch, the warm stew and rice were especially welcome.

Three of us ate 550g of pork belly this time, and the amount was just right. Enjoying plenty of meat along with the stew and rice made for a hearty meal. Pork belly is even better when you come in a group and grill it together, and since the staff grill it for you, it was nice that we could chat and eat comfortably.

When choosing a Moran pork belly restaurant, I think the grilling service matters as much as meat quality. Even great meat loses its texture if overcooked, but here the staff grilled it at the right timing, so we could enjoy the meat at its best.

Is Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch worth going back to?

Overall, this place was excellent in atmosphere, service, flavor and friendliness. The pork belly quality was good, and since the staff grilled it for us, we could eat comfortably. The combination of white kimchi, pickled chili peppers and meljeot was especially great and made the meat even tastier.

If you're looking for a Moran pork belly restaurant, you might want to visit Mat Chandeul Wang Sogeum Gui Moran Branch. It's easy to reach from Moran Station and the place is tidy, so I'd recommend it for family meals or get-togethers with friends. Next time I crave good pork belly, I'd like to come back.