Sindorim bossam restaurant for a first gabrisal lunch: Sonjeong Bossam

Curious what gabrisal bossam tastes like

I went to Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch (손정보쌈 신도림점) in Sindorim to try gabrisal bossam for the first time. Have you ever had gabrisal bossam, everyone? I only heard of it this year, and apparently people really do make bossam (boiled pork wraps) with gabrisal (the pork ridge meat)!! I've only ever had the pork belly kind, so I was dying to know how juicy and tender gabrisal would be. So I ran to Sonjeong Bossam, a gabrisal bossam hotspot 🤤

Exterior and atmosphere of Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch

Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch is a ground-floor shop, and the sign says in big letters "Bossam · Algon-i Sonjeong Bossam Kalguksu Specialty Restaurant," so you see the menu at a glance. Being on the first floor makes it easy to walk in, and the clean exterior made a good first impression.

Sonjeong Bossam has several branches, but the Sindorim one seems fairly newly opened, and I really liked how tidy it was ☺️ Even though I went right at opening time, quite a few people were already eating! Lunch kalguksu must be popular too. I also loved how friendly the staff were!

Menu and prices at Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch

You order at a kiosk. The best-selling menu items are shown right away, so I could choose without agonizing.

• Gabri kimchi bossam (small) ₩42,000
• Seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) ₩18,000

Gabrisal sits between pork neck and jowl, and it's known for a tender, juicy, chewy texture, so I really wanted to try it!!

And!! When you come to Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch, definitely join the Naver receipt review event. Scan the QR code, leave a review, and you get fried dumplings as a free side. I really recommend it!! You'd be missing out otherwise haha

Seafood kalguksu and side dishes

First to arrive was the ₩18,000 seafood kalguksu! Overwhelming looks, right? Blue crab, sea squirt (mideodeok), mussels and more fill the pot to the brim. Seeing all that fresh seafood just as it is got me so excited

The mussels are plump, and with bean sprouts and chives in there, it felt like it would make a refreshing broth base. With a spread like this, a Sindorim group dinner would go through a ton of soju lol

A staff member boils the seafood kalguksu for you, and as it bubbles away the seafood aroma wafts up. This is where I swallowed hard lol

The side dishes are neat too. Kimchi, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and even buchu-jeon (chive pancake) were all clean and tasty. They went well with the kalguksu 😄

Gabri kimchi bossam (small) ₩42,000: how did the first taste go?

Finally, the star of the Sindorim bossam experience: gabri kimchi bossam (small) for ₩42,000. The ratio of lean meat to fat was just wonderful, and my mouth watered just looking at it ㅠㅠ The point is that the fat isn't greasy but pleasantly chewy!

Big cabbage leaves, pungent garlic and Cheongyang chili, plus red kimchi filling and radish kimchi. What a combo, right?

Put a slice of gabrisal on the cabbage, top it with kimchi filling and a bit of chili, and take a bite! Wow… it really melts in your mouth. Sometimes a place has great meat but disappointing kimchi, you know? But at Sonjeong Bossam the kimchi filling and radish kimchi are really good too. I almost wanted to buy just the kimchi to take home lol

See the cross-section of the gabrisal? It has just the right marbling, so it's juicy rather than dry. Now I get why everyone raves about gabrisal.

Free fried dumplings from the Naver review event

And here are the free fried dumplings I got from the Naver review event at Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch! Textbook crispy outside, juicy inside.

They're really packed with filling. Chinese-style dumplings, so when you bite in, the juices burst a little and the savory flavor spreads. You'll regret it if you skip these!

When do you add the kalguksu noodles?

When you're almost done with the bossam, add the kalguksu noodles to the seafood kalguksu. Once the 3-minute hourglass on the table runs out, it's the perfect time to eat. So thoughtful haha

The crab turned red as it cooked and the broth got really refreshing. The savory depth from the sea squirt and mussels is the real deal. I almost started drinking soju in broad daylight.. haha

The noodles didn't stick together and cooked up nicely chewy. Filling up on bossam and finishing with a bowl of seafood kalguksu is pure happiness. Among Sindorim restaurants, it's rare to find a place where you can enjoy both like this!

Overall verdict on Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch

To sum up, Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch nails the chewiness of gabrisal, the depth of the kimchi and the refreshing seafood kalguksu. It suits company dinners, family gatherings and meetups with friends alike, so do go! And don't forget the Naver review event 😉

Location and hours of Sonjeong Bossam Sindorim Branch

• Address: 1F, 16 Saemal-ro 16-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul, South Korea (on foot from Exit 3 of Sindorim Station)
• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–23:00 / Sun 11:00–22:00
• Break time: 15:30–16:30