Siheung samgyeopsal restaurant: 800g mixed pork platter at Gongdan

This is Gongdan Gamjatang Samgyeopsal Siheung Main Branch, where I went with my family for meat in Jang-gok-dong, Siheung. I thought it was just a samgyeopsal (pork belly) place, but once I got there the platter setup was pretty generous. Order the meat and you get gamjatang (pork bone soup) as a free side too, and there were plenty of side dishes to go with it. But most of all, the Motijeo Bul-naengmyeon (cold noodles) I had at the end of the meal was really intense — if you like spicy food, stick around till the end. The big yellow Gongdan Gamjatang sign wasn't hard to spot. The gamjatang prices were posted right by the entrance, and once inside, the seating was more spacious than I expected.

Inside Gongdan Gamjatang Samgyeopsal Siheung: room and seating

Once inside, the space was roomier than I'd imagined. The tables were arranged in long rows, and there was a separate inner area too, so it looked like a good spot for larger groups. There was also a butcher-shop-style area where you could see the meat directly, which gave it a slightly different vibe from a typical samgyeopsal joint.

Each table had its own grill and portable gas burner, and orders were placed via tablet. The tablet even had tips for eating it right — one that caught my eye was grilling aged kimchi and doenjang (soybean paste) right on the pan once the pork starts releasing oil.

What's in the 800g mixed pork platter?

Each table came with a grill and burner already set up, and you order via tablet. We ordered the 800g mixed pork platter. It comes with three cuts together — samgyeopsal, pork neck, and gongdan-sal — plus free gamjatang, stir-fried pork, spicy oyster jeotgal, bossam kimchi, scallion salad, aged kimchi, grilled doenjang, and salad.

The meat arrives piled high on a big plate, looking hearty just from the sight of it. Being able to taste samgyeopsal, pork neck, and gongdan-sal all at once was more fun than sticking to just one cut. The meat looked thick and in good condition, and once grilled, the quality was genuinely satisfying. The samgyeopsal was savory and juicy, the pork neck was clean and light, and having gongdan-sal alongside meant each cut had a different texture to switch between.

Samgyeopsal with doenjang and aged kimchi grilled on the pan

Here's the combo I genuinely loved. Once the samgyeopsal starts releasing oil on the grill, you throw aged kimchi and doenjang on the pan alongside it. Doenjang is fine on its own, but grilling it lightly on the pan and eating it with samgyeopsal was so much better. It had a savory depth with a clean finish that paired really well with the fatty pork. Once I put doenjang on a well-grilled piece of samgyeopsal, I couldn't stop reaching for more. The aged kimchi grilled in the pork fat also deepened in flavor and was great alongside the meat.

The side dish we remember: eoriguljeot (spicy salted oysters)

Lettuce and cabbage came out too, along with a variety of side dishes like scallion salad and bossam kimchi. But the one that stuck with me the most was the spicy oyster jeotgal (salted oysters). The oysters felt fresh and had a rich umami flavor, and wrapping them with samgyeopsal gave a totally different taste. Switching between bossam kimchi, scallion salad, and spicy oyster jeotgal meant even 800g of meat never got boring.

How much free gamjatang do you get?

Order the mixed pork platter and gamjatang comes as a free side. I figured it'd be a small, simple serving since it's free, but it actually came out in a whole pot. Simmering it right at the table, the hot broth paired really well with the meat. Taking a spoonful of gamjatang broth between bites of meat cleared the palate nicely, and for a free menu item, the portion felt quite generous. The gamjatang itself was delicious and went well with the meat.

The bowl of spicy stir-fried pork that came with it was also worth mentioning. The spicy seasoning was well soaked in, making it great with rice, and pairing it in between bites of grilled meat added yet another flavor. I liked that there was so much to eat all together — the meat, gamjatang, stir-fried pork, and all the side dishes.

How spicy is the Motijeo bul-naengmyeon?

If I had to pick the one menu item that left the strongest impression that day, it's the Motijeo Bul-naengmyeon (cold noodles). The name alone hints at it, and it really is spicy. Apparently the owner makes the spicy sauce for this fiery naengmyeon by hand. My first bite had me thinking 'wow, this is really spicy,' but oddly enough I kept going back for more. It wasn't just heat — there was umami depth within the spiciness that kept pulling me in. Even though I was already pretty full from the meat, I kept eating the noodles anyway. Putting a well-grilled piece of samgyeopsal on top of the bul-naengmyeon worked especially well — the savory richness of the meat tempered the strong heat, making the noodles taste even better while keeping the meat from feeling greasy.

The spice level is definitely intense. If you're not good with spicy food, it could feel quite strong. But for my own spice-loving palate, this wasn't a naengmyeon that just stopped at 'spicy.' It's the kind of flavor where you say it's spicy while reaching for another bite anyway — I get now why it's called 'unforgettable' fire naengmyeon. Personally, out of everything I ate that day, this bul-naengmyeon is the one I keep thinking about. If you love spicy naengmyeon, it's worth ordering after your meat.

Is Gongdan Gamjatang Samgyeopsal worth it?

The owner was kind too, which made the whole meal comfortable. They showed us how to eat everything and took good care of what we needed, so it was a pleasant meal overall. This is a place where the 800g mixed pork platter lets you try samgyeopsal, pork neck, and gongdan-sal, and the free gamjatang plus sides made for a hearty spread. Especially memorable were the combo of samgyeopsal with grilled doenjang, and the Motijeo Bul-naengmyeon at the end. If you're looking for a restaurant in Jang-gok-dong, Siheung, where you can eat generous amounts of different pork cuts, or want to finish with a spicy fire naengmyeon, this is a good one to keep in mind. The meat was great, but personally the doenjang-and-samgyeopsal combo and the Motijeo Bul-naengmyeon stuck with me the most. The bul-naengmyeon was really spicy, but the sauce itself was so good it kept coming to mind — I think I'd order it again next time.