Minari beef tartare and doenjang jjigae at Cheongju grill house Yugi

I visited a while back with a friend and had the most amazing yangnyeom galbi (marinated short rib), and I couldn't forget that taste. 🤤 So this time I came back to demolish some thick-cut Iberico pork neck! 🏃‍♀️💨

There are honestly countless BBQ restaurants near Dongnam district in Cheongju. 🏢 But places that put this much heart into the quality of the raw meat itself are rare. 👍

The first thing that caught my eye at the entrance was the 2026 Blue Ribbon Survey certification sticker! 🎀 Just being selected for the Blue Ribbon Survey instantly boosted my trust in the taste and quality. 🔒

What Yugi Dongnam District Main Branch looks like inside

Inside, the whole place is very clean and well-organized. ✨ The staff greeted us warmly and kindly, which put me in a good mood the moment we walked in. 😊

We sat down and ordered right away without hesitation. 📝 As soon as the order went in, neat side dishes appeared in a flash. 🥗 They quickly set up a strong charcoal fire and had the main meat ready to go. ♨️

Iberico pork neck for two, plus minari beef tartare

The moment I saw the meat this time, my jaw dropped and I gasped. 😮 It really lived up to its reputation with that gorgeous premium Iberico pork neck look. 🥩

We ordered two servings of pork neck plus, as a side, the minari (water dropwort) beef tartare. 🌿 Last time we filled up too much on galbi and missed out on the tartare, which was a shame. 🥺

Finally seeing the tartare in person, it was truly fresh with seasoning that was just right, not overdone. 🎯 A big wrap of the fresh tartare with fragrant minari melted in my mouth the second it went in! 🫠

Eating it, I thought this minari beef tartare alone would be perfect to order for a quick solo drink on the way home from work. 🍺 It completely hit my taste! 💘

How to eat the pork: salt and wasabi or geotjeori kimchi

I picked up a thick, nicely browned piece of pork neck and first tried it simply dipped in salt with a bit of wasabi on top. 🧂 The savory juices bursting in my mouth combined with the sharp wasabi was genuinely moving. 😭

It's also a fantastic match with the sweet-and-sour fresh-tossed salad served alongside, or vegetables dunked in the special veggie sauce. 🥗 Thanks to the delicious meat and side dishes, I couldn't put my chopsticks down. 🥢

Is the self-service side dish corner clean?

If you run low on any side dishes while eating, you can help yourself at the self-service corner. 🔄 Just like the overall atmosphere of the restaurant, the self-service corner was spotlessly clean and well-managed. 🧹

The hygiene was excellent, so I could use it freely with total peace of mind. 👏

Finishing with tofu-packed doenjang jjigae

We were already stuffed from all the meat and tartare, but of course the Korean way to finish is with a K-dessert: doenjang jjigae! 🍚 Feeling like we couldn't leave without it, we ordered an extra bowl. 🍲

Whether it's the base doenjang itself being deep and delicious, or the chef's special touch, the savory broth was truly excellent! 💯 It was packed with tofu, so scooping it up with a spoon was pure joy. 🥄 With a stew this good, I felt like I could easily finish a whole bottle of soju! 🍾

Honestly, I wanted to mix rice into the doenjang jjigae and eat it like a soju side dish jjaglee-style. 🤤 But sadly I was so full I had no room left for that. 😭 Next time I'll make sure to come with an empty stomach and finally try that doenjang rice-mix challenge! 👊

I overate so much at dinner that I had to walk ten big laps around the neighborhood just to digest before heading home. 🏃‍♂️ It really was a completely satisfying dinner from start to finish! 🌈