Seokchon Lake Korean BBQ on a rainy day by the window: Sutbul Seonghwa

Dodging the rain at Sutbul Seonghwa during a Seokchon Lake walk

Sutbul Seonghwa (숯불성화) is a beef BBQ restaurant at 1F, 17 Songpa-daero 48-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, near the east lake of Seokchon Lake and the start of Songnidan-gil. Not long ago a friend and I went to Seokchon Lake in Jamsil for a change of mood and a walk. We were chatting away when the sky suddenly went dark and the rain came pouring down.

We had no umbrella and panicked, then hurried to the nearby start of Songnidan-gil.

And there in the rain, as if by fate, we found Sutbul Seonghwa, famous as a Michelin-listed restaurant. Thanks to the rain (?), we wandered in by accident and had the beef of our lives. Here's my honest report.

Sutbul Seonghwa info

• Location: 1F, 17 Songpa-daero 48-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul (near the east lake of Seokchon Lake and the start of Songnidan-gil)
• Hours: daily 11:00–24:00
• Highlights: Michelin-listed, group seating and private rooms, corkage-free premium service, free parking
• Menu: Seonghwa platter (2-plus-plus sirloin + wine-marinated rib meat), 1% snowflake beef, ribeye and more

What's the atmosphere like? Window seats on a rainy day

Inside, Sutbul Seonghwa is spacious and comfortable, with soft lighting that feels like an upscale bar. The moment I opened the door, a roomy, pleasant space opened up and I felt relieved.

The soft, stylish lighting throughout made it feel like we'd walked into a fancy bar.

Bottles of all kinds were displayed in the cabinets, which was fun to look at. Inside there are group seats, private rooms, cozy booths and regular tables, so plenty of variety.

We sat at a seat where you can see outside through the big window, and grilling beef while watching the rain fall was so romantic and lovely. It's a perfect space for a date or a family gathering.

Banchan and sauces at Sutbul Seonghwa

The banchan (side dishes) were minari (water dropwort) salad topped with grapefruit, shredded radish, white kimchi and scallion salad, served with salt, special salt, wasabi, whole-grain mustard and soy-pickled onions. Once we sat down, tidy side dishes were set out one by one, soothing our bodies a little worn from walking in the rain. The first thing I tried, the minari salad, was crisp and refreshing, just great.

Unusually, it had grapefruit on top, and the citrusy flavor really woke up my appetite. The shredded radish was cool with a great sweet-salty balance, perfect to alternate with the meat.

The white kimchi and scallion salad were clean and not harsh either, so the whole spread felt very upscale. Our individual small plates came with a variety of sauces to lift the beef.

Regular salt, Sutbul Seonghwa's own special salt, wasabi and whole-grain mustard came neatly arranged. The sweet, crunchy soy-pickled onions were ideal with the marinated meat later.

What's in the 400g Seonghwa platter?

The Seonghwa platter (400g), Sutbul Seonghwa's signature menu, comes with 2-plus-plus sirloin and wine-marinated rib meat. That's what we ordered.

It's a generous set: top-grade 2-plus-plus sirloin and rib meat marinated in wine. When the meat arrived, my friend and I gasped at the same time at how it looked.

The sirloin, with marbling packed in like snowflakes, came neatly shaped into pretty rounds, almost like a work of art.

A built-in table grill that keeps smell off your clothes

Sutbul Seonghwa uses a grill built into the table, so smoke goes straight out through the vent. The grill system was really something else. The built-in grill was simple and very classy, in both design and function.

As soon as smoke rose, it got sucked right into the vent, so the air in the restaurant was really pleasant. With no worry about meat smell sticking to our clothes, my friend and I kept marveling at the grill system the whole time.

2-plus-plus sirloin: the staff-grilled first piece and special salt

The sirloin in the platter is grilled first without marinade, and a staff member grilled the first piece while showing us how. We put the unseasoned sirloin on the grill first. The expert staff member kindly showed us the tastiest way to grill it and cooked that first piece for us.

At the perfect moment, with just a hint of pink left, I picked up a piece and dipped it in the special salt. The moment it hit my mouth, rich juices burst out, and it was so tender it practically melted, which surprised me.

I couldn't believe sirloin could be this soft even as I ate it. The more I chewed, the more the meat's own nutty fat flavor came through, and it was moving.

With the whole-grain mustard I always like, it felt like eating a quality steak, and with wasabi it was a clean, Japan-style yakiniku (grilled meat) experience. With so many sauces there was no time to get bored, but the special salt, which brings out the meat's natural flavor best, was our top pick.

Button mushroom garnish with butter

The button mushrooms served as garnish at Sutbul Seonghwa had butter in them, a clever touch. I blew on a mushroom cooked moist on the grill and popped it in whole, and the rich butter and mushroom aroma filled my mouth.

It was so good that my friend and I swore we'd definitely do this the next time we grill meat at home.

Wine-marinated rib meat and soy-pickled onions

The wine-marinated rib meat in the platter had deep savory flavor and a chewy texture, and went well with the soy-pickled onions. After inhaling the sirloin in no time, we grilled the wine-marinated rib meat next. Maybe because it was carefully marinated in wine, its deep savory flavor was no joke.

The signature chewiness of rib meat was alive and well, so it was very satisfying to chew. With each bite I tasted the marinade's subtle sweetness and then the meat's own aroma in turn, which was appealing.

Eaten with the soy-pickled onions we'd set aside, it finished clean and crisp.

Dessert and service at Sutbul Seonghwa

Toward the end of the meal at Sutbul Seonghwa, a staff member brings a vanilla ice cream dessert to the table. Just as we finished our happy, full meal, the staff timed it well and brought dessert over. After beef your mouth can feel a bit greasy, so it was really nice to sit comfortably and have dessert right there.

It was a common, familiar kind of ice cream, but clean, smooth vanilla was a great way to end the meal. One sweet, cold bite and my mouth felt perfectly reset. I was really touched by the kind, attentive service, and amazed once more by the quality and taste of the beef.

From appetizer to main to a tidy dessert in the restaurant, the meal flowed smoothly without a break, and I really felt treated like a guest. We only went in by chance because of the sudden rain, but my friend and I both left thoroughly satisfied; it was a top-notch restaurant. If you want foolproof premium beef near Seokchon Lake in Jamsil or Songnidan-gil, definitely stop by Sutbul Seonghwa, which Michelin recognized.