Seoul Korean BBQ in Sinnonhyeon via Catch Table: pork belly, gabrisal

Deo Bareun Jeongyuk Sikdang (더바른정육식당), a Sinnonhyeon favorite in Seoul! It's known in Gangnam for 1++ hanwoo and black pork at reasonable prices, and I finally went! They offer a grilling service, and I'm sharing my very satisfied review of the juicy Jeju black pork I had there.

Deo Bareun Sinnonhyeon main branch: hours and parking

The Gangnam Sinnonhyeon Station main branch is open Monday to Saturday, 11:00–23:00, and closed on Sundays. On weekdays there's a break time from 14:30 to 16:30, and last order is at 22:30.

• Open days: Mon–Sat (closed Sundays)
• Hours: 11:00–23:00
• Break time: 14:30–16:30 (weekdays)
• Last order: 22:30
• Parking: available in front of the restaurant
• Inquiries/reservations: phone or Catch Table

If you park in the lot out front, it's free while you eat, and if it's full you can easily use valet instead! (₩5,000 for the first 120 minutes, ₩5,000 for each additional 60 minutes, max ₩50,000)

It's a 1-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 3, so it's really convenient by public transport too!

There's a menu board at the entrance, so you can check the menu and prices before you go in. Handy!

How do you make a reservation at Deo Bareun?

The main branch takes reservations by phone or Catch Table (a Korean restaurant booking app). I booked through Catch Table ahead of time and was shown straight to my reserved seat!

Atmosphere and seating: good for a company dinner?

The Gangnam Sinnonhyeon main branch has a calm, tidy interior in warm wood tones, and the vibe is lovely! The seats are sofa-style with high backs, so it feels more private and comfortable for chatting over a meal.

With its clean interior and plenty of group seating, it's a good spot for a company dinner or gathering near Sinnonhyeon Station. On one side of the restaurant the meat is displayed neatly, and you can feel the freshness and the gorgeous marbling just by looking!

Deo Bareun menu and drinks

The menu is well stocked: single cuts of 1++ hanwoo and Jeju black pork, set menus, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), meal dishes and lunch specials. Drinks cover traditional spirits, wine, champagne, whisky, cognac and beer, so there's something for every taste!

I also heard they offer free corkage if you order a whole cow! (1 bottle of wine per table, 750ml)

What I ordered and the prices

This time I ordered Jeju black pork belly for two and gabrisal (pork neck-end cut), plus nurungji with doenjang stew (scorched rice with soybean paste stew) as a meal and Hamheung bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) for dessert.

• Jeju black pork belly for 2: ₩40,000
• Jeju black pork gabrisal: ₩21,000
• Nurungji + doenjang stew: ₩7,000
• Dessert Hamheung bibim naengmyeon: ₩6,000

Basic table setting and side dishes

What a thoughtful touch: the spoons and chopsticks come sanitized in hot water! The sides that go well with meat are neatly laid out: cabbage salad, myeong-i namul (pickled wild greens), pickled radish, lettuce geotjeori (fresh-tossed salad), green onion kimchi and garlic. Salt, wasabi and ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste) also come in little bowls so you can scoop what you need!

Jeju black pork belly, grilled for you over charcoal

The Jeju black pork belly here is thick and finely scored, so it already looks delicious!

Deo Bareun has a grilling service, so you just sit back and wait while the pork is cooked to its best on a charcoal brazier!

Just watching the thick Jeju black pork belly being grilled so the juices stay in got me excited!

If you love grilled garlic, ask separately for the oil dip (gireumjang) and you can grill garlic on the brazier too!

And of course black pork needs its myeoljeot (salted fermented anchovy sauce), bubbling away!

Once the pork belly was nicely grilled, the staff moved it to a stand so it wouldn't burn and stayed warm while we ate!

How does the pork belly taste? Salt, wasabi and myeong-i namul

I dipped my first piece of Jeju black pork belly in salt, and rich juices with a faint charcoal aroma came out, filling my mouth with a nutty savoriness! The skin is still attached, so the chewy texture is great, and topped with wasabi and wrapped in myeong-i namul, it's a fantastic combination!

Grilled white kimchi wrapped around a piece is amazing too! If you visit Deo Bareun, I highly recommend the pork belly!

Adding Jeju black pork gabrisal

After the pork belly, I added Jeju black pork gabrisal (₩21,000) and grilled that too!

The gabrisal is clean-tasting with a deep meaty flavor that spreads gently, and the more you chew, the more the savoriness comes out!

Meal menu: nurungji + doenjang stew

The nurungji + doenjang stew meal at Deo Bareun is ₩7,000. Scorched rice and soybean paste stew? How could I not order that combination!

You also get kimchi when you order a meal dish!

After the meat, a bite of nutty nurungji with a spoonful of rich doenjang stew broth warms you all the way through...

Finishing with Hamheung bibim naengmyeon

The dessert Hamheung bibim naengmyeon is ₩6,000. With its icy, slushy cold broth and chewy noodles, it was a clean, refreshing way to finish!

Deo Bareun had a classy atmosphere and juicy Jeju black pork belly that I loved! If you're looking for a Jeju black pork restaurant in Sinnonhyeon, I recommend the Deo Bareun main branch.