Gyeongsan beef intestine BBQ with tripe and makchang: Kkotdwaeji

I was trying to decide where to have dinner nearby the other day, and ended up going back to Kkotdwaeji Sikdang (꽃돼지식당), a place I'd been to before.

Is parking easy at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch?

Yes. There's a big private parking lot behind the restaurant, so parking is easy. Oksan-dong has a ton of restaurants and parking is honestly not easy, so having a private lot here is a real plus.

The Kkotdwaeji bandana event

Right now, the restaurant gives out a Kkotdwaeji bandana when you order a set menu. You get one, first come first served, if you order the Gourmet Set, the Daechang Hot Pot Set or the Kkotdwaeji Hot Pot Set.

Is there seating for group gatherings?

The inside is spacious, and there's group seating at the back, so I thought it would work well for a group dinner. I've been dropping by since the opening days, and it's a good spot for getting together with friends or close acquaintances.

The menu and ordering the mixed daechang grill

I looked over the menu. I was going to get the Gourmet Set, but I suddenly had a craving for daechang (large beef intestine) after a long time, so I ordered the mixed daechang grill instead.

How much is the pig cake, and how do you reserve it?

The pig cake costs ₩100,000 and has to be reserved 3 days in advance. There were plenty of other sides and meal dishes too, but a pig cake on the menu was unusual!

Meal options include gopchang ramyeon, doenjang sulbap (rice in soybean paste) and fried rice. Personally, I'd recommend the fried rice.

Daechang hot pot is also a popular order here. But I like meat more, so I skipped the hot pot and ordered just the grilled meat.

The drinks are varied too: not just soju and beer, but also non-alcoholic options and highballs.

Side dishes and recommended sauce combinations

The side dishes at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch are really varied. We got onion jang (soy-pickled onion), shredded lettuce salad, gungchae pickles, white kimchi, pickled onion, bean powder, curry powder (?), garlic, wasabi and ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste). They all go well with meat, and you can taste the care in each one.

With pork, I'd recommend ssamjang, fresh wasabi or the seed-based salted seafood (jeotgal). With the daechang, the onion jang was a really great match.

The spicy sauce goes well with daechang. There are lots of sauces, so dipping is half the fun.

What cuts come in the mixed daechang grill?

The mixed daechang grill gives you daechang along with gopchang, brisket and makchang. It used to be grilled right at your table, but now they show you the raw meat first and then take it away to grill it for you.

Steamed egg came out too, softly cooked and nice to eat warm.

Then the golden-grilled meat arrived. There were various cuts like daechang, makchang and brisket, with lots of sauces and sides, and vegetables like bean sprouts, green onion kimchi and napa cabbage kimchi were grilled and served along with it.

How was the daechang?

I started with the fattiest cut, the daechang. It was grilled just right, and maybe because it's so full of fat inside, the nutty richness spreads through your mouth and you just keep eating it.

It came with mustard leaf kimchi, napa cabbage kimchi, garlic chive kimchi and seasoned bean sprouts, and I could dip it in the soy sauce too. The staff even explained in detail how to eat it.

The texture of teugyang and so-makchang

The makchang and teugyang (premium beef tripe) at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch had that signature chewiness. I didn't expect much from the so-makchang (beef abomasum), but the chewy bite kept me going back for more.

The daechang was outstanding for its richness, while the teugyang and so-makchang were the cuts I loved for their chew. With so many sauces to dip in, you have lots of options and can try one thing after another.

Eat the brisket fast while it's tender

The brisket in the mixed grill was nutty and tasted great wrapped with the various kimchis and vegetables.

Brisket is a thin cut, so eat it quickly after grilling and it stays tender instead of getting dry.

Gopchang ramyeon or fried rice: which finish is better?

To finish, I ordered the gopchang ramyeon, but it felt less like ramyeon and more like udon noodles cooked in hot pot broth. Personally, I'd recommend the fried rice over the gopchang ramyeon.

Back a few days later for pork

A few days later I was still thinking about how good the daechang was, so I came back, this time for pork. Three of us ate one plate of pork and then went on to a second. It's a restaurant where you can eat and leave really satisfied.