Lamb BBQ after work in Jeongja-dong: 3 à la carte cuts, Nokji

What is Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch like?

Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch (녹지) is a new beef and lamb specialty restaurant at 13 Jeongja-ro in Jeongja-dong, where a chef grills the meat for you. It sits in the old Ramujin spot. After work I was craving meat, so I went for lamb with my partner. I'd wondered about this place every time I passed by, and since they grill for you, my expectations were sky-high!!

Hours, parking and reservations at Nokji

Nokji is open daily from 16:00 to 22:00, and booking through CatchTable is recommended. It's near Jeongja Station, so it's easy to reach by public transport.

For parking, skip the spot out front and use the Jeongja Station Transfer Public Parking Lot (6 Seongnam-daero 331beon-gil, Jeongja-dong), about a 5-minute walk. It costs ₩400 for the first 30 minutes and ₩200 per 10 minutes after that, so about ₩2,200 for 2 hours, with a daily cap of ₩6,000. Not too painful.

Atmosphere and seating at Nokji

The interior is neat and tidy with wood throughout, and you feel it the moment you walk in. It's a meat restaurant, but it isn't chaotic and doesn't smell. The calm, clean mood was a big plus.

Floor-to-ceiling windows open up a great view, there are both counter and table seats, and there are even lockers for your belongings, so you can relax without worrying about coats or bags. There's also an 8-person group table, which looks perfect for company dinners!! I'm totally sold~~ ♥️ The vibe works for anything from dates to small gatherings. We sat at a table rather than the counter~!

My partner fell for the atmosphere, haha.. Once you sit down, the basic setting is pretty generous. The staff are really kind, and the chef is so warm and friendly too 😭

What side dishes and sauces come at Nokji?

The basic setting includes wasabi, salted herring roe, young radish (yeolmu) kimchi-style side dressed with doenjang (soybean paste) and sesame oil, a nutty kimchi seasoned without chili flakes, a special soy sauce, and salt with the bittern removed. The tableware is gorgeous, and the staff explained each side and sauce in detail.

I don't like spicy food or chili flakes clinging to my food, so a kimchi like this was so thoughtful, haha. The special soy sauce was seriously delicious too..!! Every single item here is a kick. And the bittern-free salt placed to the right of the small bowl really had no bitter taste, just clean!! They recommended dipping the first bite of meat in this salt, haha.

Even the spoon rests are so stylish~ The dishes and cutlery are all so pretty 😭 Little things like this build a restaurant's image. The water is Diamond mineral water, too!

Nokji menu and prices

At Nokji we ordered three single dishes: French rack ₩34,000, lamb rib meat ₩32,000 and marinated lamb loin ₩32,000. The menu book was really thick, with a huge range covering lamb (羊), beef (牛) and drinks. It was our first visit and we wanted to try a bit of everything, so we went with single dishes.

There are set menus too, so a beef and lamb (牛·羊) set for 2–3 people would be good. Next time I'll try a set, haha.

How is the French rack grilled?

The chef puts the French rack on the grill and brushes it with olive oil as it cooks. The meat is finally here!! The French rack came first, two bone-in lamb chops, and they were really big.

From the moment it hit the grill 😭 the aroma was already insane. Not a hint of off-smell, just a really delicious meat smell!!

Egg yolk soy sauce and mashed potatoes

While the French rack grilled, two dipping sauces arrived. Egg yolk plus soy sauce: this combo is seriously crazy. Dip the meat lightly in the egg yolk sauce and the flavor goes up another level. It's my absolute favorite sauce. How can something be this salty and savory?!! I was smitten.

And the mashed potatoes! They told us it's good on its own or spread on the meat, and it was delicious and went with the meat better than I expected!

How does the French rack taste? OK for lamb first-timers?

Nokji's French rack was tender and clean-tasting without that typical lamb smell, so even someone trying lamb for the first time could eat it without any worry!! When it's done, a staff member slices it and puts it on a tray, and the moment I took a bite, wow..

Dunked it deep in the special sauce and chomp!!

The meat clinging to the bone, which is hard to eat, gets carved off and grilled for you, haha. It came stir-fried with minari (water dropwort), so it felt like we'd ordered several dishes from a single menu item.

Lamb rib meat with basil pesto sauce

The lamb rib meat is grilled together with onion, so the flavor is even crazier 😭 This was the second meat that followed.

The lamb rib meat came with a special dipping sauce too. The chef kindly asked whether we had nut allergies before giving us the basil pesto sauce!! You can mix it up or spoon it on separately. I mixed it and put the meat on top, and the aroma was insane 😭😭😭😭 How did they come up with this combo?!

Marinated lamb loin with yuzu-garlic sauce to finish

The marinated lamb loin is delicately brushed with a yuzu and garlic base sauce as it's grilled 😭 This was the third and last meat.

My husband, who really knows his meat, said you have to finish with the marinated one. Right on!! It was the best choice. With its own charm, the savory-sweet flavor really comes up.

Paired with grilled garlic stems (maneuljjong) 😭😭😭 The marinated lamb loin is already seasoned, so just add a little wasabi and it's the best!!

Is Nokji's mentaiko rice a good finish?

Nokji's mentaiko rice (myeongran-bap, rice with pollock roe) comes with the roe on top of seaweed and shredded scallion, and mixing it up makes it the perfect finish after meat.

Nutty and salty, it's the best palate cleanser!! I cleaned the bowl~

Tips for visiting Nokji

• Order a set menu first, then add extra portions of the cuts you liked
• Don't skip the mentaiko rice to finish!!
• For parking, use the Jeongja Station Transfer Public Parking Lot, a 5-minute walk, not the spot out front
• Reserve via the KakaoTalk channel or by phone; same-day booking works, but check before visiting

When Nokji is a good pick

• When you want both beef and lamb
• When you want to try lamb without worrying about the gamey smell
• When you're looking for a restaurant that grills for you
• When you're looking for a nice date spot
• When you want a clean, private-feeling place for a company dinner