Korean BBQ platter by cut and silkworm pupa soup in Ulsan: Daewol

On a Friday, wrapping up the week with something delicious and a drink feels like a small kind of happiness, doesn't it?

I heard there was a new barbecue restaurant that just opened in Dal-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan, so I paid a visit. Turns out it was a black pork place. When you hear "black pork," you tend to think of Jeju, but this was Jirye black pork from Gimcheon in North Gyeongsang, which I'd never tried, so I went in with some anticipation about the flavor.

It really did feel different from the pork I usually eat, and it's stuck with me, so I wanted to share it.

Where is Daewol Charcoal Barbecue in Dal-dong, and where do you park?

Daewol Charcoal Barbecue is at 삼산로122번길 6, 1st floor, Nam-gu, Ulsan, right behind Goodmorning Hospital in Dal-dong, so it wasn't hard to find. Hours are 10:00–22:00, closed every Sunday.

For parking, they said using the Tworu Parking lot in Ulsan Dal-dong gets you 2 cars per table with 3 hours covered, so if you're driving, keep that in mind.

Inside Daewol Charcoal Barbecue: retro dining room and a private room

Daewol Charcoal BBQ, the newly opened hotspot in Dal-dong! Since it was Friday, I made a reservation beforehand just in case there weren't any tables left.

The interior has a strong retro vibe! It felt like stepping back in time, which was fun. There seemed to be more people reserving tables than I expected, since quite a few tables were marked reserved.

There was also a private room further inside. If you're coming with a group, reserve ahead and enjoy a more private meal.

They also had baby chairs so families with kids could eat comfortably.

Near the entrance there was a station where they prep the meat right after you order. Any side dishes you run out of can be refilled from the self-bar set up in front of the kitchen.

Daewol Charcoal Barbecue menu and Gimcheon Jirye black pork

Gimcheon Jirye black pork is raised three months longer than regular pigs, which apparently gives the fat that crunchy texture.

There was a full menu board on the wall, so it was easy to see everything at a glance. You can order the Jirye black pork by individual cut, or if you want variety, ordering the platter is a good option. The side dishes to go with it were pretty solid too.

You order through a tablet. Since it was our first visit, we went with the platter to try a bit of everything.

There was also a little guide on how to enjoy Daewol Charcoal BBQ, so I gave it a read. It says the meat tastes best grilled in the order pork belly → pork neck → shoulder. Handy to know before ordering.

The standard spread: bean sprout soup, silkworm pupa soup, cold boiled pork

Since we'd reserved ahead, the basic setup was already in place when we arrived. It was a nice lineup of side dishes to go with the meat, and there was also cool bean sprout soup to sip on in between.

The wrap vegetables and pickled scallions were brought out after we ordered.

Pupa soup (beondegi-tang) also comes standard. It had been a while since I'd had it, and it was tasty — quite spicy, actually.

The cold boiled pork (naengsuyuk) that came as a basic side dish is apparently also sold as a lunch menu item. It made a great drinking snack before the grilled meat was ready. There wasn't much fat on it, but it wasn't dry either — the sauce seasoned it just right, and it was quite good. Eating this made me want to come back for lunch too.

A slice of cold boiled pork with a shot of soju — such a nice touch!

Jirye black pork platter by cut: pork belly, pork neck, shoulder

The Jirye black pork platter was made up of pork belly, pork neck, and shoulder, plus vegetable skewers on the side. Compared to regular pork, it seemed to have a deeper pink color.

My friend who really knows meat started grilling the pork belly from the skin side.

Once fully cooked, the pork belly was cut into nice bite-sized pieces. Doesn't that glossy sheen look delicious?

I tried a piece dipped lightly in salt to taste it in its purest form. The savory flavor was incredible. Compared to other pork, you could really feel that crunchy texture. Jirye black pork clearly has its own kind of charm.

Daewol Charcoal BBQ also gave us perilla leaves. I didn't try them myself, but my friends said the perilla leaves went surprisingly well with the pork. Everyone was satisfied, saying not many barbecue places offer perilla leaves.

Next up, we grilled the pork neck.

If the pork belly had a bit of crunch, the pork neck was pure tenderness! I think this cut would be great for families coming with kids.

After that, we grilled the shoulder cut. The shoulder had a chewy texture. Each cut had its own texture and flavor, which made me glad we'd ordered the platter. Tasting all three, then ordering more of whichever cut you like best, sounds like a great way to go.

Adding fresh galmaegisal (pork skirt meat)

We spotted galmaegisal on the menu, so we added it too.

The raw galmaegisal had no off-putting smell, just a pleasant meaty aroma and a chewy texture that made it stand out. Cut into the right size, it almost felt like chicken heart. Even though everyone was pretty full by then, we still managed to enjoy the galmaegisal.

Is Daewol Charcoal Barbecue worth a visit in Ulsan?

I went in thinking all pork tastes the same, but Jirye black pork turned out to be a whole new world. Every cut has its own charm, so you really can't go wrong with anything you order. Daewol Charcoal Barbecue in Dal-dong exceeded my expectations — if you're craving good pork, give it a visit.