Songpa Korean BBQ with a toddler: Dangsan Odol Bangi Branch

Dangsan Odol, a truly delicious Bangi-dong spot that has been around for eight years, serves chewy pork special cuts as well as shoulder-rack lamb ribs. Near Olympic Park, Dangsan Odol is a restaurant where you can enjoy only the best cuts of beef, lamb, pork, and chicken. Our 17-month-old even gnawed on the lamb ribs at Dangsan Odol.

Dangsan Odol Bangi Branch after a walk at Olympic Park with my child

It is the perfect season to take a walk around Olympic Park with a 17-month-old. We stopped by Dangsan Odol, a popular meat restaurant near Bangi Station, for dinner with the little one. It is already famous locally as a genuinely great meat spot that has lasted eight years in Bangi-dong.

Dangsan Odol Bangi Branch is close to Byeokje Galbi, Bongpiyang, and an Ollyga Whole Foods store. It is also just a three-minute walk from Olympic Park.

Having been open for a long time, Dangsan Odol has welcomed countless celebrities and has a spacious dining room that can accommodate nearly 40 people for group gatherings.

With free parking in front, it is considered one of the few restaurants around Jamsil where you can park for free.

We came with our child at around 5 p.m. and ate at a relaxed pace. By about 6 p.m., though, the dining room fills up quickly—it is that well known as a meat restaurant near Bangi Station. You can enjoy a good range of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken cuts here. Given the neighborhood, the meat quality is excellent, naturally. If it has survived eight years around Bangi-dong, that says it all, right?

Facilities that made dining with a baby easy

There is a washbasin at the entrance where you can wash your hands. It is so convenient to be able to clean up before and after eating. Handwashing is essential for parents dining with children, especially. Honestly, I loved that it was set up right inside the restaurant.

Ordering lamb ribs and kkodeulsal

• Australian shoulder-rack lamb ribs ₩25,000 × 1
• Kkodeulsal ₩19,000 × 2
• Cass bottled beer ₩6,000

The charcoal looks great too, right? The assortment of side dishes is perfect for eating alongside the meat. There was radish kimchi, pickled onions, pickled perilla leaves, myeolchi jeot (fermented anchovy sauce), radish pickles, and more. There is a separate self-service zone, so you can help yourself to more whenever you need it.

Chewy special pork cuts and tender lamb ribs

If you visit Dangsan Odol Bangi Branch, you absolutely have to order kkodeulsal, a rare special cut with only 400 g available from each pig. Everyone who comes seems to order it. As the name suggests, kkodeulsal has a wonderfully chewy texture, and it was so delicious to bite into. It is definitely different from ordinary pork belly or pork neck.

We ordered the Australian shoulder-rack lamb ribs because of our 17-month-old. The baby likes lamb skewers and lamb ribs, so we got them. Dangsan Odol's lamb ribs are very tender, so the baby eats them really well. And the freshness is definitely so, so good.

We grilled the lamb ribs first. Premium lamb ribs plus good charcoal—really delicious. Lamb ribs are at their juiciest when there is still a slight blush of pink inside. If you overcook them, that tender texture disappears.

Our 17-month-old ate almost an entire serving of lamb ribs alone. Ahem. It made me think that when you take a baby to a meat restaurant, you really need to be prepared for your wallet to take a hit. Haha.

When you order lamb ribs, they bring cumin seasoning powder. Dip the meat in it and it is definitely so, so good.

The meat was so good that I could not help ordering a ₩6,000 bottle of beer. How could you have charcoal-grilled meat this delicious without a drink? While grilling and feeding the baby, I sipped it alone, thinking of it as a hard-work beer.

Mom's mealtime: kkodeulsal with salt

Finally, it was time for Mom to eat. I came to Dangsan Odol for the kkodeulsal, after all. This cut feels tough even when you cut it with scissors, you know? But once you grill and eat it, the chewy, springy texture is a work of art. Do not grill this one too long either; cook it just right and give it a dip in salt.

The salt had nicely substantial crystals and a savory flavor.

We even played with the lamb-rib bones together. Haha. Having a quiet meal at a meat restaurant, just the two of us—such a small, happy moment. Later, my child may not even want to eat with me, so I want to make lots and lots of memories like this.

Then we went on a little nighttime outing to Olympic Park to help digest. Bangi's Olympic Park always reminds me of New York's Central Park, and I love it so much. It is especially beautiful in autumn, right? Today again, we left our little footprints and made memories. ♥