Teukmokssal and squid mulhoe at a Cheongna BBQ: Gimgol Yeontan-jip

I love meat in general, so on some days after work I find myself craving pork more than usual, haha. Yesterday was one of those days — I wanted to load up on protein after work, so my mom and I headed to Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch (감골연탄집 청라점), a Cheongna Korean BBQ spot!

My mom said she was coming down with something and had no appetite. I figured she wouldn't be able to eat much meat, but later when the squid mulhoe (cold raw squid soup) arrived, she said her appetite was coming back — which somehow made the whole meal taste even better to me :)

Where Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch is, and parking tips

Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch is located in the Cheongna dining alley. It's about a 3-minute drive from Cheongna Lake Park, so it's a good option if you're looking for somewhere to eat nearby.

The restaurant is on the ground floor, so it wasn't hard to find. The exterior is a deep green, and there's a big model briquette out front that really catches your eye as you walk by!

There was a waiting area set up outside. A waitlist machine was there too, which suggests there's usually a line — they even had waiting-time event notices posted.

Booking ahead: the dining room and the self-bar

I booked ahead this time! Since I had a reservation, our table was already prepared when we arrived, so we could start eating right away.

Inside, it was bigger and more comfortable than I expected. Everything was kept clean, and the overall retro vibe gave it a different feel from a typical Korean BBQ place!

The kitchen was open-style, and each table had a tablet ordering device, so adding more food was easy. There were also instructions on how to best cook each cut of meat, which would be handy for first-time visitors.

There was also a self-bar set up on one side!

Lettuce, perilla leaves, peppers, and garlic, along with napa cabbage kimchi, green onion kimchi, and shredded green onion — a good variety of side dishes to eat with the meat.

In front of the counter there was also plum slush and omija (schisandra berry) slush. You can have these for free as dessert after your meal, which is a nice way to finish up.

Once we sat down, the charcoal grill was already set up at our table. At first we were served hyeoggae (hovenia) tea, which came in a container shaped like an old-fashioned orange juice bottle — a little unique, I thought, haha.

The basic side dishes were shredded green onion, napa cabbage kimchi, and green onion kimchi! Lettuce, perilla leaves, and cheongyang chili peppers were served alongside as well.

I also noticed that each person got their own ssamjang (dipping sauce), salt, and even basil served separately. Apparently Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch uses a patented clean-burning briquette!

The Gimgol Yeontan-jip menu and what we ordered

Being able to enjoy that distinctive charcoal flavor from grilling over briquettes was another thing that stood out about this place :) Looking through the menu, there was a wide variety of cuts, from charcoal salt-grilled samgyeopsal (pork belly) to teukmokssal and kkodeulsal.

You could also order side dishes like fried rice, bibim myeon (spicy cold noodles), or stew.

We ordered two servings of julzuli teukmokssal, one serving of seolhwa kkodeulsal, squid mulhoe, and diced charcoal fried rice!

Julzuli teukmokssal: thick cuts with charcoal smokiness

The meat came out in individual earthenware bowls, one serving each, and with three bowls on the table it filled up fast. Just the deep red color of the meat looked pretty appetizing, haha.

We started with the julzuli teukmokssal first! The cut was thick, and from the moment I saw it I knew it would be my kind of meat.

Teukmokssal can turn tough if overcooked, so we turned it on all four sides to cook it evenly.

As it browned, that gentle charcoal aroma came through more and more. Taking a bite, the thick texture really delivered!

The outside was nicely browned and the inside stayed juicy, so every bite had that burst of meat juice, haha. I usually prefer thicker cuts of pork over thin ones, so this was exactly my type!

The more I chewed, the more savory it got — it felt like proper post-work protein. We also grilled some napa cabbage kimchi and green onion kimchi on the side, using the fat rendered from the meat.

Once the kimchi browned and its savory flavor deepened, it went really well with the meat, haha. We also tried wrapping it in lettuce and perilla leaves with shredded green onion,

and I also tried dipping it in the basil, which I'd been curious about! I like basil in general, and the combination of savory pork and fragrant basil was actually pretty good!

How is seolhwa kkodeulsal different from teukmokssal?

Next up was the seolhwa kkodeulsal, sold in limited quantity each day. The texture was clearly different from the teukmokssal, and I was glad we'd ordered both, haha.

If teukmokssal's appeal was its thickness and juiciness, kkodeulsal had that chewy, springy texture the name suggests! There was a bit more fat, so the more I chewed, the richer and more savory it tasted.

The two had such different textures that it was fun to switch back and forth between them.

If you're a pork lover like me, I think it's worth trying both, haha.

The cuttlefish mulhoe my mom kept eating with no appetite

Right around the time we were digging into the meat, the squid mulhoe arrived! My mom had said she had no appetite because of feeling under the weather.

I thought she wouldn't be able to eat much meat either, but after one spoonful of the mulhoe she said it was good and kept eating, haha. Seeing her enjoy it made me even more excited to try it myself :)

The broth, with bits of ice floating in it, was so refreshing. It was loaded with minari (water celery), perilla leaves, noodles, and shredded squid.

Taking a bite, it wasn't just cold — the seasoning had real depth while still being refreshing, so I kept spooning up the broth. Eating it between bites of meat also cleaned my palate!

My appetite-less mom ate it happily, and I'd want to order it again next visit — I'd recommend it as a side dish to go with the meat, haha.

Finishing with diced charcoal fried rice

Last came the diced charcoal fried rice! It was served on a shovel-shaped pan with the fried rice shaped like a briquette on top, and it caught our eye visually the moment it arrived!

It was topped with mozzarella cheese, flying fish roe, bracken, and a fried egg, and we mixed everything well before eating.

The diced radish kimchi gave it a savory depth, and the little pops of flying fish roe were a nice texture too :) I personally like fried rice pressed down a bit more, so next time I'd like to try it cooked crispier.

What kind of day is Gimgol Yeontan-jip best for?

After this visit to Gimgol Yeontan-jip Cheongna Branch, with so many cuts of meat and side dishes on offer, I want to come back and try other menu items too! If you're looking for a Cheongna Korean BBQ spot for a day when you want a hearty pork meal after work like I did, it's worth a visit.

The teukmokssal and kkodeulsal were great to enjoy for their contrasting textures, but honestly, what stuck with me most was the squid mulhoe that my appetite-less mom actually enjoyed, haha. I'd recommend this place to anyone who loves charcoal-grilled pork or wants a refreshing side dish alongside their meat!