Omokgyo Korean BBQ full course: spicy hagfish with mayo at Gamgol

After work on a weekday, I decided to treat my wife and me to some really good meat and wash away a whole week of built-up fatigue.

Is Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong close to Omokgyo Station?

Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong (감골연탄집 목동점) is a briquette-grilled BBQ restaurant just a short walk from Omokgyo Station. I agonized over where to go for a long time, then settled on a revisit here because it's close to the station and famous for meat grilled over briquette fire.

The access is great, and the smoky smell of briquette-grilled meat drifting from far away already had my appetite going before we even stepped inside.

Atmosphere and seating at Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong

The inside was very spacious and pleasant, with homey round pocha (Korean street-tavern style) tables. The air conditioning was blasting, so even sitting right in front of the briquette grill, it was pure coolness with no worry about the heat.

Even on a hot weekday evening, I could enjoy my meat without a drop of sweat, which I think is an ideal setting.

The tables are also widely spaced and roomy, so it looked well suited for office dinners like ours or all kinds of group gatherings.

What two people ordered: pork belly and pork neck to hagfish and noodles

For grilled meat we first ordered pork belly and tender pork neck, then added spicy hangover tofu stew and savory shrimp egg custard. On top of that, we went all in on a full course with spicy hagfish (kkomjangeo) as a special treat and cold young radish kimchi noodles for a clean finish.

• Grill: pork belly, pork neck
• Soup and sides: hangover tofu stew, shrimp egg custard
• Special treat: spicy hagfish
• Finish: young radish kimchi noodles

Side dishes and ssam vegetables

Once we ordered, the side dishes were set neatly and generously on the table. There was spicy-sour scallion salad, well-fermented whole-cabbage kimchi and green onion kimchi, and the savory depth of the kimchi was outstanding, promising a fantastic match with the meat.

The basket of ssam (wrap) vegetables was packed with fresh lettuce, fragrant perilla leaves, crunchy chili peppers and sliced garlic, and just looking at it made my mouth water.

How do the briquette-grilled pork neck and pork belly taste?

The pork neck had a perfect look: thick, rustic cuts with marbling running through the rosy meat. Grilled over the briquette fire with a gentle smoky aroma, it was crisp outside and locked in juices inside.

The pork belly that followed also had a wonderful ratio of lean meat to fat. Coarse salt sprinkled on the surface really lifted the meat's natural savory flavor.

On the heated grill we put the pork belly and pork neck along with ripe kimchi and green onion kimchi and sizzled them all together.

I dipped a piece of well-cooked meat lightly in the oil dip (sesame oil with salt), and the moment it hit my mouth it melted softly like cream ice cream, with bursting savory juices filling my mouth.

The gentle smoky flavor unique to briquette fire was really infused in the meat, and the savoriness exploded the more I chewed.

I topped a fragrant perilla leaf with pork belly, stir-fried green onion kimchi and garlic and took a big wrapped bite. Heavenly, honestly.

Shrimp egg custard and hangover tofu stew

Just as I was inhaling the meat like a storm, big earthenware pots of shrimp egg custard and hangover tofu stew arrived.

The shrimp egg custard, packed with plump shrimp and sprinkled with ground sesame, was soft and wobbly like pudding, with a full savory richness.

The hangover tofu stew, with its spicy, deep broth, reset my greasy mouth and was more than worthy as a hearty meal.

Spicy hagfish is best dipped in mayo

The spicy hagfish came dressed in a sweet-and-spicy red marinade with a white mayonnaise sauce on the side. It was the highlight treat of the meal.

I put the hagfish on the wire grill, cooked it golden, and took a bite. The chewy, springy texture was honestly a work of art.

Dipping the spicy marinade into the nutty mayo, the sweet-salty and savory flavors blended so wonderfully that my wife and I kept exclaiming.

Finish with ice-cold young radish kimchi noodles

For the grand finale we had young radish kimchi noodles (yeolmu kimchi guksu) with ice floating in the broth. Crunchy young radish kimchi and chewy thin somyeon noodles in a cool, refreshing broth gave a perfectly clean finish that cleared my chest.

Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong as a couple's dinner: our verdict

Overall, the homey yet hip atmosphere, the cool indoor temperature where I didn't sweat at all, the kind staff who put you in a good mood, and the overwhelming quality and taste from pork belly to hagfish made it an evening that was better than expected in every way.

My wife and I ate until we were about to burst, a generous and delicious meal, and finished happily.

If you want rich, reliable briquette-grilled meat and a varied menu near Omokgyo, I sincerely and strongly recommend Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong.

Restaurant info

• Name: Gamgol Yeontanjip Mokdong
• Location: 1F, 27 Mokdongdong-ro 12-gil, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul (as written in the original)
• Hours: 16:00 - 23:00 (last order 22:30)