Gyeongsan pork skin platter grilled in the kitchen: Kkotdwaeji Sikdang

Today I'm introducing a restaurant in Oksan-dong where the meat comes out already grilled cleanly from the kitchen — Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch.

Where is Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch? Beside the Namcheon stream in Oksan-dong

Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch sits right beside the Namcheon stream in Oksan-dong, Gyeongsan. The location is great, making it a perfect spot for work dinners, gatherings, or family meals out in Gyeongsan.

Inside Kkotdwaeji Sikdang: seating with room for groups

Next up is the interior of Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch. The place felt spacious, clean, and stylish. There was plenty of seating all the way to the back, and I saw a lot of groups there for gatherings.

Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch menu: pork belly to pork skin and hot pot

Here's a photo of the full menu at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang. Their signature dishes include pork belly, premium pork neck, gabrisal, hangjeongsal, pork skin, and hot pot — quite a lineup.

We debated what to order and ended up going with the Kkotdwaeji Mixed Grill, which lets you try pork belly, pork neck, gabrisal and pork skin all on one platter, plus the essential doenjang sul-bap.

Side dishes at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang: sauces, steamed egg and wrap vegetables

After ordering, they first set us up with a generous spread of side dishes. There were so many different sauces to go with the meat, which totally suited my taste. On top of that, they gave us plenty of fluffy steamed egg and fresh lettuce wraps.

The Kkotdwaeji Mixed Grill platter, grilled in the kitchen

While we looked around the restaurant and waited, our Kkotdwaeji Mixed Grill platter arrived, generously loaded. No need to grill it ourselves — it comes cooked from the kitchen ready to eat from start to finish, which looked great and was even better to eat.

There was a lot to go with it too — kimchi, mushrooms, rice cakes, and potatoes all grilled together, doubling the flavor and texture. We kept trying everything until the grill plate was suddenly empty — every bite was that good.

First, the thick pork belly that made your mouth water just looking at it, then the juicy pork neck, plus the savory gabrisal and pork skin — all exactly my taste! Having so many types of meat all cooked to perfection made for a really comfortable meal.

Meljeot and mustard leaf kimchi: how the pairings taste

They also gave us wonderfully savory kimchi, mustard leaf kimchi, chives, bean sprouts, and their house melजeot (fermented anchovy sauce). I personally dipped the thick cuts of meat deep in the melजeot, and the salty, rich umami that spread through my mouth was amazing.

Pork belly

I took a bite of the freshly grilled pork belly first. Dipped in just salt, the fatty part melted right in my mouth — pure honey flavor! Paired with the tangy, crunchy lettuce salad, both the taste and texture were top notch.

Premium pork neck

Next was the premium pork neck, striking for its thickness. The meat had a nice glossy sheen and was thick in a way that was totally my style. Dipping this delicious pork neck generously in the melज sauce, the juices burst and the melज flavor came through fully — the best.

Gabrisal

Then I dug into the chewy, appealing gabrisal. Gabrisal is light but has great texture, so it was the cut I personally kept reaching for.

There was also mustard leaf kimchi, made even tastier by grilling it in pork fat, plus onion sauce to cut through the richness of the meat. Personally, the meat wrapped in mustard leaf kimchi was the tastiest of all.

And of course, we couldn't skip the lettuce wraps, loading them up and eating without pause. With so many side dishes and sauces to mix in, the wraps were delicious too. This is definitely a Gyeongsan restaurant that earned its word-of-mouth reputation.

Pork skin

Last was the pork skin — crispy outside, chewy inside. The thickness of the skin was no joke, and the texture that stuck to your teeth the moment you bit in was exactly my taste.

Doenjang sul-bap: a full earthenware pot, enough for two

While we were busy eating meat, the doenjang sul-bap we ordered showed up too. It came filled to the brim in a large stone pot, plenty enough for two people.

Blowing on it to cool it down and taking a bite, the deep, nutty, rich umami flavor made me want to applaud. Even though we were already stuffed, the doenjang sul-bap was so good we scraped the stone pot completely clean.

Is Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch worth a visit?

From the clean atmosphere to the juicy meat, everything about Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch was satisfying. I visit Gyeongsan often, and this is a place I'd love to come back to next time for a family meal or a group dinner.