Hongdae Korean BBQ with English menus and pork skin, Chopilsal

Chopilsal Pork Grill from Busan, now in Hongdae?

Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch is a Korean BBQ spot where you can eat again the Chopilsal Pork Grill (초필살돼지구이) I really enjoyed in Busan, this time in Hongdae, Seoul. I couldn't not visit when that same flavor was here.

The pork belly is good, but the pork skin (gyeopdegi) is so delicious that I think of it from time to time, and the Hongdae branch was just as good, yay~ >_<

Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch location and hours

Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch is on the 1st and 2nd floors at 172 Donggyo-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Hours are Mon-Thu 12:00-24:00 and Fri-Sun 12:00-02:00, with last order one hour before closing.

It's close to Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station.

Is this a good Hongdae pork belly place for foreign friends?

Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch even has menus in English, Japanese and Chinese. Maybe because it's one of the popular Hongdae pork belly places with foreign visitors, but with those menus I think it's a good place to come with friends from abroad.

The restaurant is spacious and has big, cool windows, so it was nice to eat with a fresh breeze coming in.

What we ordered at Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch

We ordered pork skin, salted pork belly (ogyeopsal, five-layer pork belly), mixed cold noodles and a Coke Zero. Since this place is known for its pork skin, that was a must.

The meat came out quickly, and the ratio of fat to lean looked just right, so I couldn't wait to dig in. Staff grill the pork skin for you: once you've finished the meat, call them over and they'll grill the skin deliciously.

Okay then, let's eat well~ >_<

How is the salted pork belly?

The salted pork belly (ogyeopsal) at Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch is so good when grilled golden brown. The balance of fat and lean is fantastic, and the springy texture meant I couldn't stop reaching for more.

Personally I like ogyeopsal more than regular samgyeopsal, and this one tasted clean, chewy and delicious.

Sauces and side dishes for the pork belly

Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch offers seasonings that go well with the pork belly, such as salt, salted fish (jeotgal), garlic and pollock roe (myeongran). It's tasty on its own, but even better with these.

Dunking it generously in the house special sauce is delicious too.

Eat it with well-grilled mushrooms, myeongi namul (pickled wild garlic leaves), jangajji (soy-pickled vegetables) and seasoned radish strips, and it's heavenly.

Wrap it up neatly in a pickled perilla leaf and it tastes even fresher and better.

Do staff grill the pork skin at Chopilsal Pork Grill?

At Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch, after you finish the meat, staff swap the grill plate and grill the pork skin for you. They grilled it so well that I could just sit back and eat.

Crispy outside and super chewy inside, this texture is so good. It's tasty plain, but dipping it in soybean powder and seasoned sauce is a real treat, and I couldn't stop.

Mixed cold noodles for dessert

The mixed cold noodles (naengmyeon) make a great finish at Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch. They're piled with egg garnish, which makes them tasty.

They're good on their own, go well with the meat too, and the broth neatly cleans up your mouth.

Why Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch keeps coming to mind

I still think about the pork skin here from time to time, and I'm regretting that I didn't eat more of it then. I love pork skin and always order it at BBQ places, but the skin at Chopilsal Pork Grill Hongdae Branch seems even chewier and thicker, and so tastier.

It's near Hongdae Station, so it works well as a Hongdae date spot, and with its foreign-language menus it seems like a good place to introduce delicious pork belly to visitors from abroad~ >_<