Osong-eup pork BBQ restaurant with 30-day aged platters: Dot Osong

How we found Dot Osong while looking for BBQ near Osong 2 Industrial Complex

We took my mother- and father-in-law out for a rare meal, since they'd been working hard taking care of our kid. My husband said there's a busy restaurant along the pedestrian path that runs straight from the Osong Station parking lot up to the Osong 2 Industrial Complex, and suggested we check it out.

Honestly, every time I passed by, the windows looked so dark I assumed the place was always empty. But my husband said whenever he passed it on his way home from work, it was always packed, often fully booked. So curious, we decided to finally visit with the parents this time.

Where is Dot Osong, and is there parking?

Dot Osong is close to the office area near Osong Station, and about a 5-minute walk along the path leading from the Osong Station parking lot to Osong 2 Industrial Complex. If you're driving, there are plenty of open lots nearby so parking is easy.

A BBQ restaurant that feels like a wine bar

Opening the door, you don't immediately see the dining room — there's a long entryway first. Once inside, the open kitchen catches your eye, and wine glasses are placed here and there, giving off a very different vibe than what you'd guess from outside.

Instead of the usual bright, bustling BBQ restaurant feel, the lighting is dim with a spotlight over each table, so it feels more like a pub or wine bar!

One whole wall being an open kitchen adds to that mood. If it weren't for the smoke extractors sucking up the meat smell, it could almost pass for one of those trendy bars young people go to these days~ We arrived right at opening at 5:30 pm, and by around 6:30 pm nearly every table was full.

Dot Osong's basic table setting: tofu kimchi with free refills

One standout of the basic table setting was tofu kimchi, a perfect pairing with drinks.

The tofu kimchi came cut into cube-sized pieces, about one piece per person... I thought, is this all we get? But luckily, they'll keep refilling it if you ask. Isn't that basically the best banchan ever?

Since we came with a kid, we were given separate kid-sized utensils too, and it was interesting that instead of putting out a big shared pile, the utensils came on a plate portioned exactly for the number of people.

A plate of shredded scallion loaded with chili flakes also came out~

The insanely good-looking steamed egg is basically free if you leave a receipt review or book through Naver Reservation, so you could really call it part of the basic menu too. Bottom line: the quality of the basics here was great.

They also brought out something like Korean beef yukhoe (raw beef) dusted with snow-like cheese powder. These complimentary side dishes really make you want a drink~~~

So we ended up opening a bottle before the meat even arrived, just snacking on the sides. My husband poured a drink for his dad, who'd been working so hard for us! A little bribery toast, in a sense — please keep taking care of our kid, haha.

The menu at Dot Osong and how the pork is aged

On the menu, each cut of pork is labeled with something like '720H aged mokssal, samgyeopsal,' though honestly I'm not totally sure what that number means.

But one thing I can say for sure: the meat itself was some of the best I've ever had!😍

They said it's aged pork: 20 days of wet-aging plus 10 days of salt dry-aging.

There was some kind of delicious seasoning dusted on top of the meat. The X-shaped scoring also looked really appetizing.

Staff grill the pork for you, start to finish

I kept wondering why a restaurant that's barely visible from outside had so many customers — but once you eat there, you get it. First off, staff grill the meat for you.

Since the cuts are so thick, they grill it slowly, so we could just relax, sip a drink, and enjoy the meal at an easy pace.

Looking around, I noticed quite a few couples drinking wine. So they do serve wine here too — such a fun, unexpected spot!

When I was younger I hated the fatty parts, but ever since becoming an 'ajumma' my tastes have shifted a bit. The fatty part~ so chewy and delicious.

Every cut was so thick that the texture was incredible. The juices just melt away~~

Once grilled, the meat gets moved to an empty dish in the center of the table for us to enjoy slowly.

The half-cut king oyster mushrooms that came out with the meat get grilled golden and pulled apart with tongs, then set on our plate. The look of it was... exactly like mushrooms grilled over charcoal on a camping trip. More mushrooms please — these were a real treat.

Honest taste review: the special mixed platter and the Dot set

Since we were four adults and one child, the 3-4 person platter felt a bit short, so we added the 2-3 person set on top.

But there was this subtle, wine-or-liquor-like aroma coming through the meat. 'Wait, what flavor is this?' I thought, while also finding it incredibly savory. I guess that's the distinct depth that comes from aging.

That day really drove home how much the aging technique matters for pork. Personally, out of all the BBQ I've had in Osong, the meat itself here truly earns my respect.

Is Dot Osong a good place to bring kids and parents?

With several kid chairs on hand, it worked well as a family outing with a child, and since staff grill the meat from start to finish, we could just relax and enjoy the meal without worrying about the grill.

• Multiple kid chairs available, separate kid-sized utensils provided
• Staff grill the meat from start to finish
• Wine is available, so it also works well for a romantic couples' meal
• About a 5-minute walk from Osong Station, easy to get to
• The doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) can be a bit spicy

If you're someone who says 'the taste of the meat is what matters most to me,' I'd personally recommend Dot Osong.