Seohae Korean BBQ with uni sirloin: Suksung Myeongjak Cheongna

I visited Suksung Myeongjak Cheongna, a Seohae Korean beef restaurant where you can enjoy aged Korean beef in lots of delicious combinations in a casual setting. It has also been listed in the Blue Ribbon Survey for seven consecutive years, so let me share my visit to this Korean beef spot and all the different ways I enjoyed the beef.

Suksung Myeongjak Cheongna (숙성명작 청라)

Today’s menu and the table setting

Since I had made a reservation, the complimentary table setting was arranged so prettily and generously. There was a salad with nuts and cherry tomatoes, too.

Complimentary Korean beef doenjang-jjigae

The Korean beef doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew) comes as part of the basic setting! It was full of tofu and vegetables, and I loved that it was not overly salty, with a deep, savory flavor.

Pyongyang naengmyeon that paired beautifully with Korean beef

Pyongyang naengmyeon in broth

I’m a huge Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) fan, so I absentmindedly ordered it when I saw it on the meal menu... Then I took one sip of the broth and was honestly shocked! It was mild, yet rich with beef flavor and so nutty and delicious?! It was easily on the level of a decent Pyongyang naengmyeon specialty place, so I was so surprised that I finished every drop of the broth. It was so good that I asked about it, and they said they make the broth in-house... As expected from a Korean beef restaurant! Haha.

Mix up the noodles and have some between bites of Korean beef, and they cut through the richness. It was cool and gently seasoned, which I loved. The portion is enormous, too!

Spicy Korean beef hangover noodles

These hearty, spicy Korean beef hangover noodles come with corn noodles. There are regular spicy and mala versions, and I ordered the mala one. Its tingly, spicy broth also helped cut through the richness. >.<

Fresh truffle yukhoe and uni combinations

Fresh truffle & Korean beef yukhoe

Yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) is already one of my favorites, and so is fresh truffle, so this incredibly delicious fresh-truffle Korean beef yukhoe felt extra special. It had lots of fresh truffle and lots of cheese, so the aroma and flavor were wonderful even on their own. The yukhoe itself was nicely seasoned with a nutty flavor, making it perfect to pair with all sorts of things.

Uni

Ahh, uni at a Korean beef restaurant... And I loved the idea of pairing uni with grilled Korean beef, so I had to order it. It arrived beautifully plated with plenty of radish sprouts and microgreens. The uni itself was rich, creamy, and sweet; wrapping the fresh-truffle Korean beef yukhoe and uni together in gim (roasted seaweed) was also an exceptionally soft, nutty, sweet treat.

Highballs and ade

You can’t leave out something to drink with grilled Korean beef, right? Haha. As a port-wine lover, I was so happy to find a port wine highball. Haha.

Aged striploin grilled for us

Suksung Myeongjak striploin

Suksung Myeongjak’s aged Korean beef striploin, the result of so much time and care! Isn’t that color gorgeous? The marbling was nicely balanced, too. And there were plenty of garnishes.

And this is how our full spread came together. So abundant and varied, right? This may be the most glamorous way to enjoy Korean beef! They even grill it for you. >.< I think great ingredients are best when finished by an expert’s hands, so I absolutely loved that.

They drizzle on oil, then put on the striploin. At first they ask whether you would like it all cooked at once or in halves. Since we eat slowly, we asked them to grill half first.

They grill the garnishes beautifully as well, cut everything into bite-size pieces, and place it on a tray. The garnishes get nicely golden, too.

First, I tried the striploin just as it was. The juices were sealed beneath that golden-browned exterior. It had a pleasantly chewy texture and a nutty flavor—so delicious. >.< I also tried it with whole-grain mustard.

Then I added the uni I had been so curious about. As the sweet, rich uni melted away, it contrasted playfully with the chewy striploin. It was not overly rich, but fresh wasabi suited it wonderfully as well. They grill the king oyster mushrooms, too. Haha. It was delicious aged Korean beef: golden, nutty, and tender!

Birthday and wedding-anniversary lettering service

If you let them know in advance that it is a special occasion, they prepare a cheese cake like this. It made me think it would be such a lovely place to visit for an anniversary.

At Suksung Myeongjak Cheongna, you can enjoy aged Korean beef grilled with long hours of care in varied, unexpected ways. It could be a great option for a date or special occasion.