Gyeongsan Korean BBQ date: dinner and drinks in one set, Kkotdwaeji

What kind of BBQ restaurant is Kkotdwaeji Sikdang in Gyeongsan?

Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch (꽃돼지식당 경산점) is a BBQ restaurant at 102 Seongam-ro, 1st floor, Gyeongsan, open 12:00 to 23:00 with a parking lot. It had been a while since my boyfriend and I took a day out in Gyeongsan, and we went to Kkotdwaeji Sikdang, a BBQ place whose word-of-mouth in Gyeongsan is honestly huge these days.

Inside Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan

The inside of Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch is really spacious, and it felt pleasant even though it's a BBQ place. We came a bit early for dinner, yet it was already full of customers, so we could trust it for sure.

The meat-aging cabinet in the middle of the dining room

There's an aging cabinet in the middle of the restaurant. They say they age selected top-20% domestic Korean pork (hanjeon) for a suitable time before selling it, so of course it tastes even better.

How much is the Kkotdwaeji Set + Daechang Hot Pot set?

The Kkotdwaeji Set + Daechang Hot Pot set was ₩76,000. The menu at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang ranges widely from single items to sets, and the set menus especially felt like great value!

We ordered the Kkotdwaeji Set + Daechang Hot Pot set. ₩76,000 feels a little high, but since you get dinner and drinking food in one go, it was a really satisfying meal, you know?

Side dishes and steamed egg at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang

The side dishes at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang Gyeongsan Branch are neat and tidy. They're also all things that go well with the meat, so it's really easy to enjoy them to your own taste.

• Jaeraegi (seasoned vegetable side)
• Onion pickle (yangpa-jam)
• White kimchi (baek-kimchi)
• Gungchae (pickled stem lettuce)
• Pickled radish
• Garlic
• Curry powder
• Roasted soybean powder (kongga-ru)
• Seed jeotgal (salted seafood)
• Wasabi
• Ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste)

They also serve freshly made, piping hot steamed egg (gyeran-jjim), so even if you come with kids, feeding them is no problem at this Gyeongsan BBQ place, Kkotdwaeji Sikdang.

Which pork cuts come in the Kkotdwaeji Set?

The Kkotdwaeji Set consists of pork belly, pork neck, gabrisal (the pork rib-cap cut) and pork skin. They show you the raw meat first and then grill everything in the kitchen and bring it out, so it's even better to visit in hot weather like now, and the garnishes are all things any Korean would love.

They grill just the right amount of each cut so you can eat it at its best, which makes it great for a company dinner too!

Kitchen-grilled pork belly

The pork belly at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang is the king of nuttiness, with a wonderful ratio of fat to lean meat and truly bursting with juice.

Gabrisal (pork shoulder-loin cut)

The cut my boyfriend raved about was the gabrisal. It has a different charm from the belly, with a chewy texture and not too much fat. Even dipped lightly in salt, the meat's own juices make it plenty delicious.

Pork neck

No lie, the pork neck wasn't dry at all and was so tender that it surprised me, and the more you chew, the more the flavor comes up!

Pork skin

My favorite was the pork skin (kkeopdegi). Kkotdwaeji Sikdang grills it just right, so your jaw never gets sore no matter how much you eat, and it was chewy yet soft. Dipped lightly in roasted soybean powder, it was seriously amazing.

Is the Kkotdwaeji Sikdang daechang hot pot good for a drinking round?

The daechang hot pot (daechang jeongol, a beef intestine stew) at Kkotdwaeji Sikdang comes out filling a really big pot. It felt like having a second round without changing places. If you're having a drink like us, please, please order the daechang hot pot set.

The hot pot was generously packed with daechang, meat, glass noodles and lots of vegetables. The broth was something nobody could dislike, and the daechang especially was full of nuttiness with no gamey smell! The drinks just kept going down, you know?

Kkotdwaeji Sikdang is a perfect Gyeongsan BBQ place for a meal or for a drink. I'll probably be back soon.