Geomdan Incheon pork barbecue lunch: Taedon

I went near Geomdan Sageori for an errand and had a late lunch with my husband at Taedon Geomdan Sageori Branch (태돈 검단사거리점). I am sensitive to the smell of pork and usually prefer Korean pork, so I decided to visit after hearing that the restaurant uses selected Korean pork cuts. The private parking lot and no-break-time operation were also reasons I chose it.

Is parking convenient at Geomdan Sageori?

Taedon is on the corner near Geomdan Sageori, and the large storefront was easy to find. There was a spacious private parking lot behind the restaurant. I have had trouble finding parking nearby before, so I appreciated how easy it was this time.

The address is 139 Wanjeong-ro, Building B, 1st floor, Geomdan-gu, Incheon, South Korea. The meat prices and hours were posted outside the restaurant. According to the original notice, it is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., with no break time.

Can you eat here at 3 p.m.?

We arrived around 3 p.m. Because there was no break time, we could have a late lunch, and the quiet hour made for a peaceful meal. I heard there can be a wait in the evening, so we visited during a less busy time.

The interior was clean, with many tables. The spacing between tables felt reasonable, and there were also sofa seats. There are no private rooms, but with so many tables, I thought it could work for a group dinner.

During our visit, a notice said bone broth soup was provided as a service for infants aged five and under. It seemed like it could be helpful when dining with children. A photo review event was also underway.

What did we order for two, and how were the included sides?

We ordered the 600 g Korean pork assortment, whole-tofu cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), and two bowls of steamed rice through the table kiosk. We heard that several dishes came included with a meat order, so we started with the assortment.

After we ordered, a staff member placed napjak mandu (flat dumplings), kimchi, and gosari (bracken fern) on the grill. The included napjak mandu had a pleasantly chewy texture.

Taedon's Dubai chewy ssamjang (dipping sauce) contains kadaif. I mixed it well with garlic before scooping some out. It added savory depth to the meat, and I liked the texture of the kadaif as I chewed.

Jjolmyeon (spicy chewy noodles) also came included. With scallion strips, bean sprouts, and a generous amount of noodles, it felt more like a separately ordered side dish. Its tangy flavor was good before grilling the meat, but I started to feel a little full before really getting into the pork.

The ssam vegetables were lettuce and Cheongyang chili peppers. There was no self-service bar, so staff brought additional side dishes when we asked. We put on the sanitary gloves provided with the jjolmyeon and mixed the noodles and vegetables by hand.

For a drink, I ordered a nonalcoholic ginger highball. There were many highball options, but I chose the nonalcoholic one because I planned to drive.

The 600 g Korean pork assortment consisted of samgyeopsal (pork belly) and kkoddeulsal. We decided to grill the two cuts one after the other.

Steamed egg also came included with the meat order. I was glad to see it, since it is usually something I order separately at Korean barbecue restaurants, and I liked its fluffy texture. With so many included dishes, the overall spread felt generous.

Was the samgyeopsal easy to grill, and did it pair well with the sides?

We put the samgyeopsal on first and grilled the kimchi and gosari at the edge of the grill. We also added the two kinds of mushrooms and eggplant that came included. I like grilling meat and gosari together, so I enjoyed this setup.

The grill was wide enough to hold the meat and vegetables at the same time. Its design let the fat drain to one side, which made grilling easy, and the heat was strong, so the samgyeopsal cooked quickly. I like a crisp texture, so I grilled it until quite browned.

I did not notice any pork odor while eating. I wrapped the grilled samgyeopsal in lettuce and ate it with grilled eggplant.

Of the accompaniments, the Dubai chewy ssamjang was especially memorable. Even a small amount dipped onto the meat paired well with it.

The samgyeopsal also went well with gosari and musaengchae (seasoned shredded radish). I could alternate it with jjolmyeon and mushrooms, so I did not have to stick to just one combination.

What was the texture of the kkoddeulsal I tried for the first time?

After finishing the samgyeopsal, we put the kkoddeulsal on the grill. It was my first time trying this cut, and the fatty part had a chewy texture. It was relatively thinner than the samgyeopsal, so it cooked quickly, and I thought it would also pair well with drinks.

How were the extra cheonggukjang and mul-naengmyeon?

Partway through the meal, the whole-tofu cheonggukjang arrived. It contained a whole block of tofu and beef rib meat, giving the broth a deep, savory flavor. The seasoning tasted balanced to me, and it was good to spoon up with the meat.

The cheonggukjang also had a generous amount of zucchini, in addition to the whole tofu and rib meat. I was satisfied that it tasted savory and fermented rather than strongly seasoned with artificial flavor.

At the end, we added mul-naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth) for dessert. The portion was generous even for a dessert dish, and I liked the broth. It refreshed my mouth after the meat and made a good finish to the meal.