Sanbon Korean BBQ for a cold coming on: 336-hour aged pork, Geobugi

A cold coming on: pork for strength in Sanbon

336 hours of aging, deep flavor, and the best-value BBQ near Sanbon Station! Maybe it was the big swings in temperature, but my throat was scratchy from the air conditioning and a cold was starting to creep in. On days like this, I thought, you just have to eat well and get your strength back. I was actually about to head to the gym after work, but I boldly changed plans and decided to look after myself with good food.

A friend happened to be in Sanbon, so we arranged to have dinner together and headed to a special place near Sanbon Station where you can enjoy both pork belly and shabu-shabu. It's Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch (거북이동네 군포산본점), famous for its 336-hour aged meat.

Where is Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch, and what are the hours and parking?

Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch is at 24 Sanbon-ro 323beon-gil, 2F, Gunpo, Gyeonggi, just a 3-minute walk from Sanbon Station, so access is excellent. There's no parking, so I'd go by public transport. Here is some handy info to know before you visit. The place is huge and comfortable, and it gave me a strong feeling that it's perfect for group gatherings, company dinners and family meals out.

• Address: 24 Sanbon-ro 323beon-gil, 2F Units 201 and 202, Gunpo, Gyeonggi, South Korea (3-minute walk from Sanbon Station)
• Hours: Mon–Thu 11:30–23:00 (last order 22:30), Fri–Sun 11:30–24:00 (last order 23:30)
• Parking: Not available
• Reservations and facilities: Reservations accepted, groups welcome, high chairs available, wheelchair-accessible entrance
• Restrooms: Separate men's and women's restrooms inside the restaurant, neatly kept and convenient.

What's in the Geobugi Dongne self-bar?

Another charm of Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch is its well-stocked, unlimited-refill self-bar. It was packed with fresh vegetables and side dishes, and it was a feast for the eyes.

Besides kimchi, pickled radish (ssambu) and corn salad, there's plenty of bracken, bean sprouts, mung bean sprouts and onion, all fantastic grilled alongside the meat.

There's also a full lineup of sauces to bring out different flavors in the meat: sesame oil, teriyaki sauce, wasabi, salt, curry powder and more.

The fridge held fresh lettuce, perilla leaves and even precious angelica (danggwi, an aromatic herb).

My friend plated the side dishes to my taste, so prettily and appetizingly that I was in a good mood before the meal even began.

The 336-hour aged couple set for ₩32,500: what's in it and how does it taste?

The couple set at Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch comes with 200g of pork belly plus 100g each of pork neck, jowl and gabrisal (the cut next to the ribs), for ₩32,500. As soon as a friendly staff member put the hot charcoal into the table, a plate piled with bright pink, glistening meat arrived. Perhaps because the pork is aged for a whole 336 hours using a patented technique, I could feel its exceptional springiness and quality even before grilling.

The prices are reasonable enough that parents could confidently tell their kids, "Eat as much as you like." We wavered between à la carte and sets, then ordered the great-value couple set.

It's an even mix of 200g pork belly plus 100g each of neck, jowl and gabrisal, and at only ₩32,500 it felt no burden at all.

The 336-hour aged pork belly was crispy outside and bursting with juice inside the moment I bit in. Dipped in just a little salt, the nutty, deep flavor filled my mouth, and topping it with sharp wasabi or wrapping it in fragrant angelica was an amazing combination too. The grilled jowl and gabrisal kept both their crunchy texture and tenderness, and I couldn't stop marveling the whole time.

Finishing with nurungji tea and mul makguksu

With the meat, we added freshly cooked pot rice for 2!

The pot rice arrived with a nutty aroma. I scooped out the rice, poured in water to make sungnyung (scorched-rice tea), and it filled my stomach with warmth. It felt just perfect.

While the meat cooked, icy mul makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles in broth) arrived. Thoughtfully, the noodles weren't cooked too soft but left chewy, so you can eat them slowly while grilling. One sip of the cool, refreshing broth and my throat, stuffy from the cold, felt wide open. Wrapping a bite of well-cooked pork belly with a chopstickful of noodles in that sweet-and-sour broth was a superb combination.

Soft-serve after the meal, and the verdict

Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch has soft-serve ice cream available after meals, so on my way out, happy with the meal, I made sure to grab one. Soft, sweet ice cream on a crunchy cone, and one bite left my mouth clean and cool after all that rich food. Even the dessert was great.

If you're looking for a BBQ place in Sanbon that won't let you down, or want a meal with top value and quality in a bright, roomy space, Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch is absolutely the answer. From the excellent meat to the friendly service and the well-stocked self-bar, nothing was lacking, and it was a satisfying time. Body and mind both feel fortified, so next time I plan to go back for a family meal with my parents!