Suwon pork skin BBQ with soybean powder dip for two: Jipbul Taebaek

Today I visited Jipbul Taebaek, a well-known Korean BBQ restaurant in Suwon's Ingye-dong. I'd recommend it as a group dinner spot — it even serves a set meal (baekban) at lunch, so there were quite a lot of people there even in the daytime.

What kind of BBQ restaurant is Jipbul Taebaek in Ingye-dong, Suwon?

Jipbul Taebaek Suwon Ingye Branch sits tucked into a corner of the busy Ingye-dong strip. It's a straw-fired BBQ restaurant, and the exterior has a slightly retro vibe that catches your eye right away.

Since it opens from morning, there's a set meal (baekban) available and a range of meats to enjoy — the premium prime ribs are apparently especially famous.

The interior was very spacious, with mostly 4-person tables. And true to the name Jipbul Taebaek, the meat comes pre-grilled over a straw fire. We sat straight down at a table and ordered.

The grill plate is square and cooked over charcoal. We ordered straw-fired pork jowl, pork skin, and triple cheese steamed egg.

The self-bar and retro-tray side dishes at Jipbul Taebaek

At Jipbul Taebaek there was a self-bar with side dishes to help you enjoy the meat even more. They even had yogurt drinks, which you don't often see. Lettuce wraps and sauces were all free to help yourself to, which was great.

As soon as we sat down, the side dishes were set out right away. They came on old-school retro trays, which gave the whole thing a nostalgic charm.

There were plenty of side dishes that paired well with the meat. At first I mistook the potato salad for ice cream and scooped up a big spoonful — turns out it was just potato salad, haha, I got fooled.

The zero-sugar cola we ordered! They brought it with a cup of ice, so we could enjoy it nice and cold.

Starting with the triple cheese steamed egg

Before the meat arrived, the triple cheese steamed egg came first. The visual looked like the cheese might spill right over — three types of cheese piled generously up and over the earthenware pot.

The soft, fluffy steamed egg and the rich cheese flavor made a fantastic combination. I scooped up a bite, and it was so good it just kept disappearing spoon after spoon.

Straw-fired pork jowl grilled with bracken fern and kimchi

And then the straw-fired pork jowl arrived! Since it's pre-grilled over a straw fire, a subtle smoky aroma hit my nose the moment it reached the table.

We grilled it alongside the bracken fern and kimchi that came as sides, and it was so good. I especially love bracken fern, so I really enjoy grilling it together with meat. It pairs so well with pork jowl too, and it means you get to eat meat in a slightly healthier way.

There wasn't a trace of the dryness pork jowl can sometimes have — the inside stayed moist and the outside held in all the juices, so the flavor kept building with every bite. The staff grilled it for us themselves, and they did it perfectly, even pulling the fully cooked pieces to the side of the grill so they wouldn't burn — such a thoughtful touch that made it even more enjoyable to eat.

The straw smoke completely cut through any gamey smell, leaving just the savory flavor behind. Even though it was just the two of us, the portion turned out to be more generous than expected.

Why pork skin dipped in soybean powder is the order to get

Jipbul Taebaek's pork skin had a thick yet chewy texture that really stood out — thanks to the pre-grilling, the excess fat was gone and only the chewiness was left, maximized. Dipping it lightly in soybean powder made it a delicacy among delicacies.

Wrapping it in lettuce and pairing it with the various sauces let us enjoy even more variety in the meat's flavor. Jipbul Taebaek, a well-known BBQ restaurant in Suwon's Ingye-dong, was a genuinely well-rounded spot — from the quality of the smoky meat to the clean interior and the appetite-boosting side dishes.

I honestly didn't expect much from the pork skin we ordered alongside, but it turned out to be so delicious. It completely broke my preconception of 'why would anyone order pork skin?' If you're looking to spend a good time with delicious meat on a special day, definitely give this place a visit!