Rainy-night pork bone grill and mayo salad refills in Daejeon: Yeonam

Why we went for charcoal-grilled pork bones in Daeheung-dong, Daejeon

Yeonam Charcoal-Grilled Pork Backbone & Gamjatang (연암숯불뼈구이&감자탕) in Daeheung-dong, Daejeon, serves seasoned pork backbones grilled over charcoal. We were visiting Daejeon and wanted something a little special for dinner, so we went for charcoal-grilled pork bones.

I've eaten plenty of gamjatang (pork bone stew), but seasoned backbones grilled over charcoal? It looks so good it's hard to imagine it tasting bad, haha. The signature dish here is the hot-stone pork bone grill (맥반석 뼈구이): big bones coated in thick, spicy sauce, with chives piled on top.

We ordered the medium size, chose less spicy, and added udon noodles. But don't underestimate "less spicy"! Haha. To my mouth it was as fiery as Buldak ramyeon, with a sweet sauce and smoky char flavor mixed in. I think spice lovers will especially like this Daeheung-dong dinner in Daejeon.

Inside and outside Yeonam Charcoal-Grilled Pork Backbone & Gamjatang

From the street, the sign reads "Yeonam Charcoal Pork Bone Grill" in big letters, so it wasn't hard to find. We went on a rainy evening, and the lit-up sign was easy to spot from far away.

Inside, it wasn't the loud, rustic vibe of a typical meat restaurant; it felt clean and stylish overall. It looked like a good place for a drink with dinner in Daeheung-dong too.

The cutlery box beside the table was very neat. There were also paper cups, which was unusual.

Hot-stone pork bone grill prices and spice levels

The hot-stone pork bone grill at Yeonam is ₩34,000 (small), ₩39,000 (medium) or ₩44,000 (large), and the menu also had dishes like gamjatang and black-sauce pork bone grill. There were two of us, so we ordered medium.

You can pick the spice level too, and since I'm not a big spicy-food eater, I chose less spicy.

Side dishes and refillable mayo salad

Side dishes came out first after we ordered: a refreshing white kimchi-style side, a salad with mayonnaise, stir-fried anchovies, and chili peppers with ssamjang (dipping paste), a lineup that goes well with the pork bones.

When you're eating spicy food, you really need cool, soft sides like these, right? The mayo salad especially cooled down the heat, so I got a refill.

Complimentary gamjatang broth with every pork bone grill

At Yeonam, ordering the pork bone grill also brings out a hot broth. It arrives bubbling in a earthenware pot like in the photo, and since the bones are spicy, it's nice to sip a spoonful now and then.

It tastes like classic gamjatang, with plenty of siraegi (dried radish greens) inside. There are no bones, but it felt like getting a bowl of gamjatang for free, haha.

Medium hot-stone pork bone grill: portion size and looks

And here comes the main dish, the hot-stone pork bone grill! The looks alone are something, right?

Huge bones come piled up like a mountain, all coated in thick sauce.

Chives are heaped on top with sesame seeds sprinkled over, so it looked totally appetizing from the start. The portion was also quite generous, more than I expected.

Each bone is so big you have to hold it with your hands, which makes the gnawing part fun. Haha.

How spicy is the less-spicy hot-stone pork bone grill?

By my standard, the less-spicy pork bone grill at Yeonam was about as hot as Buldak ramyeon. We ordered it less spicy, but one bite and, wow, it's hotter than I expected!

It's not just heat, though. The sweet sauce and savory depth come in together, and then the spice shoots up. I think spice lovers will find it totally addictive. If you're not a big spicy eater like me, I recommend starting with less spicy, haha.

Eating the pork bone grill with the chives on top

I'd read on another blog that you should eat the greens on top together with the meat, so I tried it, and wow, great combo. The fragrant chives added to the sweet-spicy meat make it feel less heavy than eating the meat alone.

Add udon noodles with your first order

The udon noodles at Yeonam have to be added when you first order, so if you like noodles, it's best to order them from the start. They arrive on the side of the pork bone grill, tossed in the sauce.

The spice hit harder in the udon than in the meat. I guess the noodles soak up so much sauce, haha. One bite and the sauce flavor floods the chewy noodles. If you like spicy food, definitely add the udon. You'll really feel the heat.

Verdict: Yeonam Charcoal-Grilled Pork Backbone & Gamjatang in Daeheung-dong, Daejeon

The pork bone grill at Yeonam isn't a bone dish sitting in broth like gamjatang; it's big backbones coated in thick sauce and charcoal-grilled. We ordered the medium hot-stone pork bone grill, and with such big bones and so much meat attached, it was plenty for two.

We ordered less spicy, but to my mouth it was fairly fiery, about like Buldak ramyeon. It's not just heat; the sweet sauce and savory depth come along with it. If you pride yourself on handling spice, I recommend trying the original level once~