Yangjae Korean BBQ revisit, 5 dishes for two: Gamdol Yeontan Jip

Why I went back to Gamdol Yeontan Jip in Yangjae Citizen's Forest

Gamdol Yeontan Jip Yangjae Citizen's Forest Branch is a charcoal-briquette grill house run by a chef who trained at Le Cordon Bleu, no less. This was a return visit. I drove, parking was easy, and the meat and every single side dish were so good that I came back ❤️

Location and parking

The restaurant is right near Yangjaesiminuisup Station, so it's easy to reach, and you can park comfortably in front of the shop 🙌🏻 It's a chain, but the chef is a Le Cordon Bleu graduate, so the flavor is reliably good!

Atmosphere and seating for group dinners

The interior is decorated in a retro style that has all the warm, homey feel of a classic charcoal-grill place ➿

There are quite a lot of seats, and a partitioned space at the back too! If you're looking for a group dinner (hoesik) in Yangjae, I'd suggest reserving the partition area.

Side dishes and the basil ssamjang

The basic sides suit the rich meat: a spicy scallion salad, kimchi and lettuce wraps. You also get sweet potato salad and pickled chili peppers, plus ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste), basil ssamjang and sesame oil dip as sauces. And honestly, the basil ssamjang is so good... 🌱

What two people ordered

• Charcoal salt-grilled pork belly
• Sliced pork neck (2 servings)
• Honeycomb pork skin
• Hangover tofu stew
• Flat bibim noodles (spicy mixed noodles)

There were only two of us and we ordered all this.. The flat bibim noodles were great last time, and this time we added the hangover tofu stew as a side too! 🤍

Charcoal salt-grilled pork belly: how is the meat?

First up is pork belly, of course!? The salt-grilled pork belly here is in really great condition. Bright pink meat with just the right layer of fat..🐷❤️

The sliced pork neck is Gamdol's signature meat, and we liked it so much that we ordered one more later 🫶🏻 It comes in big, thick slices, and the color is vivid and bright, so it feels fresh ➿

Charcoal-grilled pork belly with ssamjang

We started by grilling the pork belly golden brown over the gentle heat of the charcoal. We grilled some kimchi on one side too! The rich, nutty fat...🤍

The nice thing about charcoal is the steady heat. Maybe it's because of the charcoal!? It really came out perfectly golden!❤️ The juiciness was insane...

I ate it topped with basil ssamjang plus the regular ssamjang. The regular one is spicy and salty, and once the basil ssamjang joins in..👍 that fragrant basil aroma was so good, and suddenly the whole flavor turned really upscale!

I also ate it with spicy kimchi and the scallion salad! The slight heat cuts the greasiness nicely, so it's a perfect match..🫶🏻

Why we added one more serving of the sliced pork neck

The pork neck here is different from other places! They say they use top-grade pork neck, the kind used for steak, and it comes out thickly sliced in a row 🐷

Pork neck can turn dry if done wrong, but how on earth do they age this?! It was incredibly tender and moist ➰

Can you see the juices beading up here..?! The neck felt bouncier than the belly, and maybe because it's so thick, it was packed with juice 💦 Clean, nutty and so delicious.

And the ending: one more serving added! One more serving of the sliced pork neck, please〰️

Flat bibim noodles: why we ordered them the moment we sat down

We loved the flat bibim noodles last time, so we ordered them right as we arrived 🫶🏻 They're topped with cilantro, water dropwort (minari) and cabbage, and you mix the thick noodles with the vegetables. The thick, chewy texture and sweet-and-sour sauce are so good, and wrapping meat with them is a real kick....

Thick honeycomb pork skin and bean powder

And the really delicious thick honeycomb pork skin! At Gamdol the pork neck is thick and the skin is thick too 🐽 Not thin skin, this place does thick, substantial skin.

It's scored, so heat spreads evenly and it grills up without turning tough or hard! On the charcoal it gets crispy outside and juicy inside, and the chewy, bouncy texture is insane.

Nutty fat drains through the honeycomb cuts, and the surface turns golden as if it were deep-fried in its own oil! Maybe the charcoal makes it even better? No off-smell at all, just really delicious..🤎

It's so nutty and tasty that even though I was already stuffed, my hand kept reaching for more 🙌🏻 The skin is great on its own, but dip it in the nutty, slightly sweet bean powder (konggaru) and it's twice as good...

Be sure to try the pork skin to finish!

Hangover tofu stew: a good way to finish after meat?

The hangover tofu stew (haejang sundubu jjigae) is loaded with egg, scallion, blue crab and soft, silky tofu ☁️ The broth is spicy and refreshing, and it has rice in it, so it's hearty like a rice-in-soup meal to go with drinks.

The crab gives it deep savory flavor, and I don't think there's a better way to settle your stomach after eating meat 🙏🏻

Final verdict on my return to Gamdol Yeontan Jip, Yangjae Citizen's Forest

Meat quality that shows the touch of a Le Cordon Bleu chef, plus tasty side dishes! If you're looking for a good Korean BBQ restaurant near Yangjae Citizen's Forest, Gamdol Yeontan Jip is worth a stop 🤍

• Thick, juicy pork neck
• Special basil ssamjang
• Tasty side dishes
• Convenient dedicated parking in front