Steak charcoal grill and gyukatsu combo, weekend lunch: Momo Lab

Momo Lab — famous as a lunch spot on Seongan-gil in Cheongju!!

We were out in Cheongju wanting something good to eat, so we searched "anywhere to eat around Seongan-gil in Cheongju~?" and that's how we ended up here.

12:30 on a weekend: the atmosphere at Momo Lab on Seongan-gil

There were more people inside than I expected, so it must be a pretty popular place. Turns out Momo Lab is a Japanese-style restaurant that serves both gyukatsu and steak. We came for gyukatsu, but since steak was on the menu too, I ordered the steak and my husband ordered the gyukatsu.

When you order, they bring out a pre-meal drink (omija tea), so we sipped that while reading the "how to eat it deliciously" instructions posted on the wall, chatted for a bit, and the food came out pretty fast.

Gyukatsu tasted best lightly grilled on the mini brazier

The gyukatsu came out crispy on the outside, as expected. You know how fun it is to grill the inside to your own preferred doneness when eating gyukatsu? This place does that too, with a mini brazier so you can grill it to your own taste.

At first we just tried it as is, then put a little on the brazier bit by bit. Personally, I found it tasted best when only lightly grilled.

Crispy outside, tender inside — anyone who likes gyukatsu would be satisfied with this. And grilling it a little at a time right in front of you meant we could eat it warm the whole way through, which was great.

The steak charcoal grill I was most curious about

And then the steak charcoal grill we ordered together. Honestly, this was the dish I was most curious about that day, and it was really delicious too.

The steak is also grilled a little at a time on the brazier so you can cook it to whatever doneness you want, which makes it fun to change things up as you go.

Ordering the gyukatsu + steak combo was much more satisfying

If gyukatsu is about the crispy, tender texture, steak is more about enjoying the meat's own aroma and bite. Eating with my husband, ordering the gyukatsu + steak charcoal grill combo instead of just gyukatsu alone was so much more satisfying.

Even though both are meat dishes, they felt different enough that we didn't get tired of it. We were just visiting Cheongju and didn't go in with high expectations, but in the end both the gyukatsu and the steak were delicious.

I think Momo Lab suits you better if you go in thinking "I'm going to eat meat that's fun to grill myself on a brazier" rather than just "a gyukatsu place." When we visited around 12:30 on a weekend, every seat was full, and once we ate, I understood why people keep coming back.

If you want a good meal on a date on Seongan-gil in Cheongju, or if you like gyukatsu and steak, I think this is worth a visit at least once. Both dishes were delicious for us, so it was a satisfying meal. If you're wondering what to eat in Cheongju, I'd recommend Momo Lab.

Visitor info for Momo Lab Cheongju Downtown Seongan-gil Main Branch

If you're looking for somewhere to eat on Seongan-gil in Cheongju, the location is convenient and there's a good range of menu options, so it seems great for couples or friends. If you like both gyukatsu and steak like we do, I'd also recommend ordering both dishes to share.

• Address: 9-1 Jungang-ro, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea
• Signature menu: Gyukatsu, black gyukatsu, steak charcoal grill, and more

※ Business hours and menu prices may vary depending on when you visit, so it's a good idea to check before you go.