Gwangju pork barbecue set at Jeju Oktop JEJU BBQ

I visited Jeju Oktop JEJU BBQ, Gwangju Gyeongan Branch (제주옥탑 JEJU BBQ 광주경안점) for pork in Gwangju, Gyeonggi. This time, I ordered the Jeju grilled pork Baby Pig Set.

What is the restaurant atmosphere like?

The stone walls and dol hareubang stone statues first caught my eye outside. Even before entering, it felt a little like arriving in Jeju.

The stone-wall and dol hareubang decor continued indoors. One wall displayed autographs from celebrities who had visited, which I looked at while eating.

What kind of pork do they serve?

This is a pork barbecue restaurant where you can try several cuts, centered on black pork. The restaurant says it serves pork that has gone through wet-aging and dry-aging processes.

Wet-aging matures meat in vacuum packaging to retain moisture, while dry-aging controls moisture to deepen its taste and aroma, according to the restaurant. There was also a separate dry-aging room inside.

What are the Baby Pig Set price and contents?

At the time of my visit, the Jeju grilled pork Baby Pig Set was ₩39,900. It is a set recommended for two, including 500g of Jeju grilled pork, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), and two bowls of rice.

The basic spread came with ssam vegetables, chili peppers, kimchi, and pickled side dishes. There was ssamjang, several sauces, salt, and seasoning, so it was easy to try each piece with a different combination.

The pork came in thick cuts, and I grilled mushrooms, zucchini, and green onions alongside it. The meat was moist and became nuttier as I chewed, making for a filling meal with rice.

Do staff grill the meat for you?

A staff member grilled the meat, so I could eat comfortably. They timed the thick cuts for when they were ready to eat, so I did not need to worry about how done they were.

What accompaniments went well with the pork?

There were many accompaniments, including Himalayan pink salt, sea salt, pepper, and steak seasoning. At first, I also liked lightly dipping the meat in salt to taste the pork itself.

The cooked pork had a thick texture and moist juices. To my taste, it was clean without any off smell and became nuttier with each bite.

Changing between salt, wasabi, and sauces gave the meat slightly different flavors. I also wrapped it in lettuce and perilla leaves.

One combination that stayed with me was wrapping the pork in grilled kelp. The kelp's subtle sea aroma and chewy texture went well with the nutty pork.

How were the doenjang jjigae and the dish my child ate?

The doenjang jjigae included in the set had sweet shrimp in it. Its hearty soybean-paste flavor was joined by seafood notes, making the broth rich; a spoonful between bites of meat cut through the richness.

My child ate the myeongnan gyeran-jjim (steamed egg with pollock roe) well. The fluffy, soft steamed egg had savory-salty pollock roe, but it was not too strongly seasoned for the child eating with us.

To finish, I had mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles in broth). The sweet-tart, clean broth and chewy noodles refreshed my palate after the meat.

Where is the restaurant, and what are its hours?

Jeju Oktop JEJU BBQ, Gwangju Gyeongan Branch is at 1F, 11-13 Gwangju-daero, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (경기 광주시 광주대로 11-13 1층). The hours listed at the time of the original post were 15:00–24:00 Monday through Friday and 12:00–24:00 Saturday through Sunday.