Jongno Korean BBQ with shiitake wasabi sauce: Cham Dwaejitgan

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch near Jongno 3-ga Station

A Korean BBQ restaurant just one minute from Jongno 3-ga Station, where you can enjoy quality Jirisan black pork and Bosung Nokdon pork! 🥩

Location

A few days ago, I was really craving delicious pork belly, so I went to Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch! If you come to Jongno often, you probably know Piccadilly CGV—it is on the first floor of that building, and it is so accessible that you can get there in just one minute on foot from Exit 2 of Jongno 3-ga Station :-)

What are the space and atmosphere like?

The restaurant opens at noon, and I went in right as it opened, so I got to photograph the empty interior haha. It was much more spacious and pleasant than I expected—great for two, but also perfect for a group. As it turns out, it is really famous among Jongno office workers as a go-to spot for company dinners :-)

Menu and prices

Cham Dwaejitgan is a place to try Bosung Nokdon and Jirisan black pork! They sell a range of cuts, from pork belly and neck to five-layer belly, pork jowl, and gabrisal.

• Cham pork belly (Bosung Nokdon) — ₩16,000
• Flower pork neck (Bosung Nokdon) — ₩16,000
• Jirisan black pork five-layer belly — ₩19,000
• Jirisan black pork neck — ₩18,000
• Cheongyeopsal (Bosung Nokdon pork jowl) — ₩19,000
• Gabrisal (Bosung Nokdon special cut) — ₩19,000
• Jirisan arrowroot mul-naengmyeon (cold noodle soup) — ₩7,000
• Jirisan arrowroot bibim-naengmyeon (spicy mixed cold noodles) — ₩7,000
• Kimchi stew — ₩7,000
• Soybean paste stew — ₩6,000
• Steamed egg — ₩5,000
• Fried rice — ₩3,000
• Margarine soy sauce egg rice — ₩3,900
• Steamed rice — ₩1,000

There were two of us, so we ordered 🪽 two portions of cham pork belly, 🪽 one portion of cheongyeopsal, and 🪽 Jirisan arrowroot bibim-naengmyeon.

Banchan you keep reaching for before the meat arrives

One thing you cannot leave out at Cham Dwaejitgan is this banchan (Korean side dishes) spread 💛 It comes out after you order the meat, and the selection is so varied and solid that I found myself picking at one thing after another before the meat even arrived lol.

First, there is minari (water parsley), bean sprouts, and whole kimchi to grill with the meat, along with seasoned shredded scallions, cabbage salad, and pickles.

There is also a wide range of sauces: spicy sauce, wasabi, shiitake wasabi sauce, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), salt, and more. It is not easy to find a Korean BBQ place with shiitake wasabi sauce, so I was so happy they had it here ㅠㅠ

And you can comfortably refill all of it as much as you like at the self-serve bar :D

My cham pork belly and cheongyeopsal combinations

Our two portions of cham pork belly and one portion of cheongyeopsal came out with mushrooms, shishito peppers, and potato slices to grill alongside them. But meat lovers know at a glance, right? Whether it is good meat or not ‼️ It was nicely thick and looked in great condition, so I was excited even before it hit the grill.

A staff member grills all the meat for you, so you can eat comfortably 😊

I started with the cham pork belly, which uses Bosung Nokdon pork 🌿 Maybe that is why it had absolutely no unpleasant smell; it was thick, juicy, and so delicious. The meat itself is good enough to eat with just a light dip in salt haha.

Pork belly with the minari and bean sprouts that came alongside it was another special treat! The distinctive fresh fragrance of the minari and the crisp texture of the bean sprouts cut through the richness of the meat.

Then there was the potato slice + pickles + meat + shiitake wasabi sauce combination, written up as a recommended pairing. I simply tried it as instructed, but it was so much better than expected that I was surprised haha. The potato slice was nutty and fluffy, and the tangy-salty pickles and sharp shiitake wasabi sauce made it all work so well. I think being able to mix and match so many things like this is another strength unique to Cham Dwaejitgan.

You cannot have meat without naengmyeon, so midway through we also ordered the Jirisan arrowroot bibim-naengmyeon. For bibim-naengmyeon, it was so thoughtful that it came with a lightly iced broth too.. 💛 It was wonderfully refreshing.

Personally, I think pork jowl is the meat that goes best with bibim-naengmyeon, and sure enough, the springy, rich pork jowl with sweet-and-tangy bibim-naengmyeon completely cut through the richness and really woke up my appetite. I truly recommend the pork jowl + bibim-naengmyeon combination! Thanks to it, we enjoyed every bite right to the end.

Overall

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch had meat quality that needs no explanation, plus such a satisfying banchan selection of minari, bean sprouts, whole kimchi, and more! The restaurant is spacious and pleasant, so it would be great for a Jongno 3-ga company dinner or group gathering too. If you are looking for a great pork belly restaurant near Jongno 3-ga, I really, really recommend Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch 💌