Daegu beef barbecue with fresh ribs and skirt steak: Gogi 9dan

At my older sister’s suggestion, I had dinner with her and my brother-in-law at Gogi 9dan Chimsan Direct Branch (고기9단 침산직영점) in Buk-gu, Daegu. We ordered half platters of fresh beef ribs and skirt steak to compare their textures, along with the 9dan set.

Was parking and entry after reserving convenient?

There was a spacious parking lot on the building’s first floor, so parking was easy. Since we had reserved in advance, we went straight up to the second floor and were shown to our table.

The hours listed in the original post are 11:00–21:50, with a break from 15:00–17:00 and last orders at 21:00.

Can you order half platters of fresh ribs and skirt steak?

The menu included fresh beef ribs, skirt steak, boneless rib meat, emperor rib meat, freshly marinated ribs, fresh pork belly, and fresh pork neck. The first order had to be at least one platter, but we could combine two cuts as half platters, so we chose half a platter each of fresh beef ribs and skirt steak.

There were three of us, but I had eaten a late lunch and my sister was not feeling quite well, so we ordered less meat than usual. We also added the 9dan set, which included Korean beef yukhoe (seasoned raw beef), pork kimchi jjigae, jjolmyeon (chewy noodles), fresh wasabi, and sushi.

Are the seats suited to family meals or group gatherings?

The interior felt reasonably open, while partitions between the tables made it comfortable for a family meal. There were also long, wide tables that looked suitable for a larger group.

I prefer wide square tables when grilling meat, so I liked our table. Beverage glasses, plates, cutlery, and wet wipes were stored beneath it, making them easy to take out when needed.

What side dishes came with the meal?

There was a varied spread of side dishes, including japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), pa-kimchi (green onion kimchi), marinated raw crab, baek-kimchi (white kimchi), and salad. The table filled up quickly once everything was set out.

I ate the salad first before the meal. I usually like marinated raw crab at barbecue restaurants, and the one served that day suited my taste too, so I ate all three pieces.

How did the fresh beef ribs and skirt steak differ in taste and texture?

A serving robot brought our order. We put the fresh beef ribs and skirt steak on the grill with mushrooms, and my brother-in-law grilled the meat.

While the meat was grilling, the Korean beef yukhoe, jjolmyeon, and sushi from the 9dan set arrived. We were told the pork kimchi jjigae could be eaten a little later, so we set it aside for the moment.

At first, I lightly dipped the meat in salt, and its own savory flavor came through nicely. Once it was partly cooked, we each cooked it a little more to the doneness we preferred.

Pairing the meat with jjolmyeon or pa-kimchi gave it a different flavor from eating it alone. My brother-in-law put meat on top of sushi, while I ate it with the Korean beef yukhoe. The sushi was seasoned, so it was also good on its own.

We ate the grilled mushrooms as well. Alternating between the side dishes and set items made it enjoyable to try different combinations.

The fresh beef ribs were tender and juicy, while the skirt steak had a firmer bite. The difference between the two cuts was clear, and I thought ordering half platters of each had been a good choice.

How did we finish with pork kimchi jjigae and dessert?

Instead of ordering more meat, we brought the pork kimchi jjigae we had set aside to a boil. We ordered two bowls of rice to eat with it.

The stew was refreshing and spicy, with plenty of meat and kimchi. After the meat, the various accompaniments, and the stew, I was full.

After eating, I chose maesil-cha from the coffee and maesil-cha prepared on one side. Drinking it after the meat made my mouth feel refreshed.

The restaurant was clean and the staff were kind. What stayed with me most was being able to split two cuts of beef and sit comfortably with my family.