Weekend Korean BBQ in Jayang-dong: turmeric-salt pork belly, Ssamchae

A Jayang-dong BBQ spot that left me completely satisfied with its generous portions: Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal (쌈채솥뚜껑삼겹살)!

Where is Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal, and is it crowded?

Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal is a new iron-lid pork belly restaurant in the Jayang Haneulchae Vere shopping arcade in Jayang-dong. I pass by here from time to time and was curious about this place I'd never seen before. The storefront looked pretty, and there was always a wait at peak hours, so one evening when I was really craving meat, I went and stuffed myself with beer on the side!

It's in the Jayang Haneulchae Vere arcade, so it was easy to get to and easy to visit~

Menu and what we ordered

They sell a range of beef set menus, including emperor beef rib finger, as well as pork set menus, but~

We ordered 2 portions of iron-lid pork belly from the à la carte menu! Draft beer is ₩3,900 a glass, and we added one cold noodle (mul naengmyeon) as a side. Every single thing was delicious, so this Jayang-dong BBQ place gets a huge, huge thumbs up.

They also gave us 5 fresh, tasty side dishes, and nibbling on them between bites of meat really wakes up your appetite~

Pork dipped in turmeric powder and salt is a treat too! They gave us separate small plates and sauces, so the meal stayed neat and clean haha

What time should you go on a weekend evening to avoid a wait?

We visited at 5pm on a weekend, and after 6pm it quickly filled up and a wait started. I think it's only been open a few months, but clearly customers spot a generous, good-value place fast.

Iron lid or charcoal brazier: how to choose?

Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal specializes in iron-lid pork belly, but you can choose either the iron lid or a charcoal brazier to suit your taste! We naturally chose the iron lid, but for beef I bet the charcoal brazier would be great too haha

The moment 2 portions of pork belly hit the thick cast-iron lid, the sizzling sound and aroma hit every sense,,, Thanks to the way an iron lid spreads heat, the meat cooks evenly, and maybe that's why the pork here was juicy outside and inside, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that was fantastic.

You can grill bracken namul (seasoned fern shoots), seasoned bean sprouts and kimchi on the lid alongside the meat, and since "ssamchae" (wrap vegetables) is right there in the name, there's a self-serve wrap vegetable bar on one side where you can take as many fresh greens as you like. That's the killer feature haha

Staff came and went and grilled all the sizzling iron-lid pork belly for us, which was so convenient. Charcoal is good too, but grilling on an iron lid instead of a regular grill plate has a vibe and flavor an ordinary grill can never imitate lol

How is the meat, and is it good value?

The meat quality for the price is crazy. They say both the pork and beef are premium grade, yet prices are easy on the wallet, so this was one of the few Jayang-dong BBQ places where you can eat without worrying about the bill T_T A good-value place like this is rare these days,,

The pork belly turning golden brown~ You could see with your own eyes that the meat itself was fresh and good, and the tender texture, with juices bursting out as you chew, kept me reaching for more even when I was full.

The pork belly cooks slowly from the heat of the iron lid, not over direct flame~~ Golden brown with the juices sealed in, so every bite felt juicy.

₩3,900 draft beer: how did it taste?

We also ordered draft beer (₩3,900). ₩3,900 for a glass, and it was reeeally cold and tasty too. If you can get beer this good at a BBQ place, I thought, you don't even need to go to a bar lol

Just because it's cheap doesn't mean they cut corners on anything at Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal! The beer was so cold and good that I happily had a drink with my meal, with quality meat as the snack haha

Is 2 portions enough for two people?

The meat portions were much more generous than I expected. Two of us ordered 2 portions plus fried rice and cold noodles and we were stuffed... If you order a set menu, the lineup is even better, so you can enjoy both beef and pork in one go. Great value!

But the meat is sooo good that even small eaters might end up overeating. That's a secret.

The greens, lettuce and perilla leaves alike, were fresh and plentiful, and with unlimited refills I could eat until I burst. A paradise for wrap-vegetable lovers,,

Fried rice and Hamheung-style cold noodles to finish

For a finishing dish I ordered fried rice, with finely chopped minari (water dropwort) mixed in, and you could really taste the fluffy, separate grains!!!

It was the classic BBQ-restaurant fried rice with no over-seasoning, so I was sooo happy to see it and it was delicious haha

Slightly crisped outside and still moist inside, and with the kimchi and bracken and bean sprout namul grilled on the lid alongside it, the savory depth was amazing,, a side dish as good as the meat~~

They also sell cold noodles to finish, so I tried them: Hamheung-style naengmyeon (cold buckwheat-starch noodles) with ice floating on top.

It would be a shame not to have a "K-dessert" after meat T_T I'm not really a naengmyeon person, but the cold noodles here were so good that lately, once I turn around, I'm craving them,,

Even the chewy noodles left me completely satisfied. A Jayang-dong BBQ spot I'd happily recommend!

Opening event: spicy minari kalguksu

As an opening event, Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal also serves spicy minari kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup). After you've eaten your fill of meat, you can ask for a hot, kick-of-spice bowl to finish. We wanted naengmyeon, so we didn't order it, but I hear the noodle soup, with its faint minari aroma, is excellent~

A place near Guui Station where you can eat plenty of pork belly: Ssamchae Sotttukkeong Samgyeopsal! I want that spicy minari kalguksu, so I'll probably go again soon lol