Korean BBQ for group dinners in Bongmyeong-dong, Daejeon: Sanjang

What is Sanjang Samgyeop Daejeon Bongmyeong on Usan-geori in Bongmyeong-dong?

Sanjang Samgyeop Daejeon Bongmyeong (산장삼겹 대전봉명점) is a pork belly restaurant on Usan-geori in Bongmyeong-dong, Daejeon. They grill the meat for you, and you can also get Hanu daechang jjageuri (spicy beef intestine stew). I heard there was a barbecue place in Bongmyeong-dong that everyone's been talking about lately, so I went. The name means "mountain lodge," and it really does have that cozy lodge feel, plus grilled-for-you pork belly and daechang stew, so my expectations were high!

Sanjang Samgyeop sits right in the middle of Bongmyeong-dong's food alley, so it's easy to get to. It was packed with customers even late in the evening, so it already seems to have become a Bongmyeong-dong favorite.

An exterior with full mountain-lodge vibes

The first thing I noticed when I arrived was the exterior, just as lodge-like as the name promises. The wooden outer wall and warm lighting felt like arriving at a campsite or a pension in the mountains. It stands out even on a street full of pubs and barbecue restaurants.

Lodge-style interior and a spacious hall for group dinners

The interior is every bit as lodge-themed as the outside. The ceiling is done up to look like logs, and the wooden tables and lighting come together for a cozy atmosphere.

There are plenty of large tables, good for company dinners, family meals or meeting friends. Best of all, the tables are spaced generously, so it never felt loud or cramped.

What's in the Minari Pork Belly Set and how much is it?

The Minari Pork Belly Set for 3 is ₩52,000 and comes with 450g of domestic fresh pork belly, minari (water dropwort), bracken, mushrooms and Hanu daechang jjageuri. We ordered the 3-person set to match our group, and it looked like great value.

Easy ordering by tablet

Kiosk and tablet ordering is convenient these days, and every table here has a tablet. You can see photos of the dishes, and extra orders can be placed right from your seat.

Self-serve bar available

There's a self-serve bar where you can pick up wraps and side dishes yourself. After ordering, I looked around and found lettuce and perilla leaves, plus all kinds of side dishes and sauces, neatly arranged. I liked that you can grab more sides without feeling awkward about asking. A tidy self-serve bar matters at a barbecue place, and this one was kept clean overall, which made me even happier.

Even the basic side dishes pass

The basic table setting includes pa-jeori (seasoned scallion salad), pickled onions, wrap vegetables, myeongi-namul (pickled wild garlic-like greens), bracken and seasoned bean sprouts, plus wasabi, salt and a special sauce. It was a lineup that really goes well with pork. You could feel the care in each one, from the crunchy scallion salad to the sweet-and-sour pickled onions.

The myeongi-namul in particular brought out the savory depth of the pork belly, and I kept reaching for it. With wasabi, salt and the special sauce all on offer, you can eat it however you like.

How does the Hanu daechang jjageuri in the set taste?

Please do try the Hanu daechang jjageuri included in the Minari Pork Belly Set. It was really impressive. The bubbling jjageuri (a thick, reduced stew) was packed with kimchi, tofu, assorted vegetables and plenty of Hanu daechang (Korean beef intestine).

The moment I spooned up the broth, a spicy, deep savory flavor hit. When you eat some stew broth in between bites of meat, your mouth feels refreshed and you want more meat again. It's a magical combination! There was quite a lot of daechang too, so it was fun to chew.

A pre-grilled Minari Pork Belly Set that wins on looks alone

The Minari Pork Belly Set at Sanjang Samgyeop comes with the pork belly already grilled on a stone plate, so you can eat right away. Soon the star of the day arrived: a stone plate piled with nicely grilled pork belly, with generous portions of minari, bracken, seasoned bean sprouts and whole king oyster mushrooms beside it.

It looked generous in photos, but in person the amount looked even bigger. Best of all, the meat arrives already nicely grilled, so you can eat straight away. Instead of being busy grilling, we could chat and enjoy the meal in comfort.

Juicy domestic fresh pork belly

The domestic fresh pork belly was golden on the outside and moist and juicy inside. The moment I took a bite, the juices burst out and a rich, nutty flavor filled my mouth. The fat-to-lean ratio was just right, so it wasn't greasy, and the richness deepened the more I chewed. It's delicious with just a dab of salt, and it also went really well with wasabi on top.

A dream pairing of minari and bracken

The charm of Sanjang Samgyeop is really pork belly enjoyed with minari. Fragrant minari and rich pork belly need no explanation. Adding bracken made the texture even richer. The minari was served generously, so we never ran short, and it was fresh too, which made me even happier.

Even better as a wrap (ssam)

I ate the pork belly as a ssam (leaf wrap): lettuce and perilla leaf topped with minari, scallion salad and garlic, plus a little wasabi. The juices filling my mouth along with the fragrant greens were fantastic. Personally, adding myeongi-namul too was the best combination. The savory richness of pork belly and the umami of myeongi-namul go so well together.

The finishing fried rice is a must

The meal ends with fried rice made from the leftover jjageuri broth. They stir-fry it with kimchi, bean sprouts and seaweed flakes, and it makes your mouth water just looking at it. The fluffy fried rice was spicy and nutty, and I loved the bite of the bean sprouts here and there. Even though I was full, I kept eating, so it made for a perfect meal right to the end.

Verdict: why I recommend Sanjang Samgyeop for pork belly in Bongmyeong-dong

If you're looking for a good pork belly place in Bongmyeong-dong, I really recommend Sanjang Samgyeop Daejeon Bongmyeong.

• Easy pork belly that arrives already grilled
• A fragrant combination of minari and bracken
• Good-quality Hanu daechang jjageuri
• A tidy self-serve bar and a spacious hall
• An atmosphere that works for company dinners, family meals and get-togethers

I was happy with the meat, the set and the atmosphere, so next time I'd like to come back with my family. If you want tasty pork belly and spicy jjageuri together on Usan-geori in Bongmyeong-dong, I recommend Sanjang Samgyeop Daejeon Bongmyeong.