Myeongdong pork barbecue with staff grilling: Yuk Tongryeong

How close is it to Myeongdong Station, and is the restaurant spacious?

Yuk Tongryeong Myeongdong Main Branch (육통령 명동본점) is at 37-2 Myeongdong 8na-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul. It was within a 10-minute walk of Myeongdong Station and easy to find in the center of Myeongdong. I visited around 5 p.m. on a weekend and made a reservation in advance in case there was a wait.

Several Blue Ribbon stickers were displayed by the restaurant entrance.

The restaurant operates from the first through the third floor. The space was roomy and comfortable, with generous gaps between the tables. There was group seating, so I thought it would work well for gatherings with friends or company dinners.

What side dishes and sauces come with the pork?

The basic side dishes were set out when we sat down. The spread included salad, scallion salad, pickled perilla leaves, pickled cucumbers, aged kimchi, and wild garlic leaves, and everything was neatly arranged.

There was also a good variety of pastes and sauces for the pork. We had salted seafood, doenjang, omija syrup, saeujeot (salted shrimp), salt, and wasabi, so it was fun to try each bite with a different accompaniment.

How much are the pork belly and neck, and how do they taste?

We first ordered one serving each of the omija-aged Gwanggaeto black pork belly and pork neck. Each serving was ₩17,000. The pieces of meat were noticeably thick.

The staff grilled the meat themselves from start to finish. They handled the heat and timing, so we could wait while chatting. The service was friendly too, which made the meal comfortable.

The well-cooked pork belly had a pleasantly chewy rind, and I could feel the juices when I chewed it. The pork neck was tender rather than dry, with a mild flavor.

I liked the pork belly enough to order another serving. I put it on a wild garlic leaf, added a little wasabi, and lightly dipped it in omija syrup. The combination was sweet and savory, with a sharp kick from the wasabi.

Was the aged kimchi stew worth ordering too?

The aged kimchi stew was ₩8,000, and steamed rice was ₩1,500. We ordered both to have with the meat.

The stew contained plenty of well-aged kimchi and thick pieces of meat. The broth was spicy and rich, making it good with a bowl of rice.

What was disappointing about visiting on a weekend evening?

It was a little disappointing that the restaurant can get busy and develop a wait during the weekend evening peak. I was glad I had made a reservation in advance.

I especially liked the chewy pork belly, tender pork neck, and having the staff grill everything for us. The spacious layout and generous table spacing also made me think of it as a place for gatherings, and I would like to return when I am craving pork.