Open-window September night at a Samsong BBQ house: Neopttakjip

I'm usually the type who just dips raw meat lightly in salt. But at Neopttakjip in Samsong, that changed. The meat itself was already really good, but coating it in sesame oil and dipping it heavily in perilla powder suited it so well that my hand kept reaching for the perilla powder more and more.

• A restaurant that felt more impressive for being long and wide
• Parking and the private rooms
• Meat that looked promising even before it hit the grill
• My personal pick: perilla powder
• Garlic scapes were the kick in the lettuce wraps

What is the Neopttakjip Samsong Branch dining room like?

Neopttakjip Samsong Branch is a BBQ restaurant with a structure that stretches back deep into the building. The first thing that caught my eye walking in was the layout — it extends much further back than a typical BBQ place, and despite the large space, there aren't that many tables, so it felt comfortably uncrowded.

On the day we went in particular, they had thrown the long windows wide open, so the outside air came right in — even sitting indoors, it felt like grilling meat at an outdoor night stall, and I loved it.

On a September night that was neither hot nor cold, with cool air drifting in from outside and the smell of meat cooking over charcoal, it was one of those days where I thought — what more do you need, this is happiness.

Parking and private rooms at Neopttakjip Samsong Branch

In front of Neopttakjip Samsong Branch there's space for about 2 cars, as far as I could tell. Inside, there are also 2 private rooms, which seemed good for larger groups or gatherings that need a bit of separated space.

There were quite a few cars parked around nearby Changneungcheon Stream too, but parking availability can vary by section, so it's worth checking the signs.

Kkodeulsal, hayansal and black pork raw ribs: the cuts before they hit the grill

And now, today's star.

As soon as the meat arrived, I liked it visually right away. The shape of the lean meat and fat was distinctly different across kkodeulsal, hayansal, and black pork raw ribs, which made it fun to grill and switch between the cuts.

But once we actually ate it, I kept saying 'the meat itself is just delicious here.' The outside browned and turned slightly crisp, while the inside stayed moist rather than dry. Even the fattier cuts didn't leave a heavy greasy aftertaste — the savory pork flavor came through first, which I really liked.

Kkodeulsal had a livelier chewy texture, and hayansal clearly showed off the soft, savory taste of the fat. The raw ribs, with meat and fat attached together, had a rich depth of flavor. This wasn't a place that tasted good because of seasoning — the meat was plenty delicious with just salt.

My top pick: sesame oil with perilla powder

My favorite combination at Neopttakjip Samsong Branch was meat coated in sesame oil, then dipped in perilla powder.

I'm normally a salt person with raw meat, but that day I kept eating everything with the sesame oil + perilla powder combo. Lightly coat the meat in sesame oil, then dip it generously in perilla powder — a rich, nutty aroma rises up right away, and rather than covering up the meat's flavor, it seemed to lift the savoriness of the pork even higher. I meant to try just a bite or two, but ended up dipping almost every cut in perilla powder.

Garlic scape relish is the kick in the lettuce wraps

Among the basic side dishes, the garlic scape relish also stuck with me. Piling meat, grilled kimchi, and garlic scapes together on a lettuce leaf brought in a tangy flavor that reset the palate.

Perilla powder when eating the meat plain, garlic scapes when wrapping it in lettuce — for me, these two combinations were the core of the meal that day.

There was also a self-serve bar on one side of the restaurant, making it easy to grab more basic side dishes as needed.

Mixed grill combo and the weekday lunch special

You can also order the mixed grill combo, but since Neopttakjip Samsong Branch specializes in specialty pork cuts, we ordered only the cuts we wanted that day. The mixed grill comes with grilled vegetables and other items included, so for a group it looked like a more affordable way to enjoy the meal.

On weekdays, there's also a separate lunch special menu at a decent price — if I worked nearby, I think I'd come by for lunch pretty often.