Ansan Gojan-dong beef BBQ: house-sauce special platter, Yangsimso

When I crave beef with rich juices in every mouthful and that smoky char flavor, I go looking for a proper specialist. Today I'm sharing an honest review of Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch (양심소 안산고잔점), a Gojan-dong BBQ spot in the heart of Ansan's Gojan-dong district where you can eat plenty of high-quality beef. I'd strongly recommend it for company dinners or family gatherings!

A big charcoal galbi restaurant sign with a cute cow character logo hangs on the first floor of the building, so it stood out from far away.

What are the dining room and private rooms like at Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch?

Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch is split into a spacious main hall and private rooms at the back, and you can use the building's underground parking. Step inside and soft, warm lighting and modern wood interiors create a relaxed mood.

Parking and visiting tips for Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch

• Location: first-floor shop in the central shopping area of Gojan-dong, Danwon-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi
• Layout: besides the open main hall, there are cozy, quiet private rooms at the back, ideal for gatherings or dates.
• Ventilation: each table has a powerful exhaust hood, so you can enjoy charcoal grilling comfortably without worrying about smoke.
• Parking: underground parking in the building

Today my group wanted to chat quietly and comfortably over the meal, so we took a Yangsimso private room. Undisturbed by noise around us, grilling beef felt like being treated as guests, and I was very happy with it.

A vertical blind comes down so you can even divide the space. So neat, I was amazed!

Side dishes and dipping sauces at Yangsimso

As soon as you sit down, Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch sets out side dishes like seasoned bean sprouts, scallion salad and young radish kimchi, plus condiments such as salt and shiitake wasabi, and a beef brisket doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) comes too. The side dishes were laid out neatly on the table.

• Side dishes: crunchy seasoned bean sprouts, tangy spicy scallion salad, cabbage pickle, salad, young radish kimchi, wrap vegetables
• Condiments: salt, ssamjang (wrap paste), raw garlic, pickles and shiitake wasabi, all lined up to bring out the charm of each cut of beef.

None of the side dishes were harsh; they were clean and tidy, perfect for refreshing your mouth between bites of fatty beef.

They also bring a bubbling, tasty beef brisket doenjang jjigae. The broth is amazing.

Which beef cuts come in the Yangsimso Special Platter?

The Yangsimso Special Platter is a beef set with four cuts, hanger steak, LA galbi, galbisal (boneless rib meat) and kkotgalbi (flower-cut ribs), plus yukhoe (beef tartare). And here it finally is, the main menu item, on a long wooden tray, shining in gorgeous color!

The cuts are set out in order starting from the right side of the tray.

Special lineup: hanger steak ➔ LA galbi ➔ galbisal ➔ kkotgalbi, a generous mix of premium cuts, and fresh yukhoe comes along too.

Thick cuts with red meat and fine snowflake marbling were simply a work of art. It's a hearty set that lets you compare several cuts at once, so it's a must-order signature menu for a first visit.

My friend is a somaek (soju-beer mix) making machine~~~~ hehe. Delicious beef can't go without drinks, right!

How does the house sauce change charcoal-grilled beef?

At Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch the beef is grilled over a real charcoal brazier, so even with just salt it has a rich beef aroma with no gamey smell, and brushing on the special sauce adds a sweet-salty note. On the glowing red charcoal grill we first laid the mild hanger steak and galbisal and grilled them sizzling.

The strong heat quickly seals the surface and locks in the juices.

Even just dipped lightly in salt, a rich meaty aroma and tender texture burst through your mouth with no gamey smell at all. And the key secret you absolutely can't miss at Yangsimso is the Yangsimso-only special sauce!

Brush the special sauce from the sauce bowl onto the meat and grill it, and the sauce caramelizes into it, bursting with pleasant sweetness and deep savory flavor!

Grilled plain for the clean, natural taste of raw beef it's excellent, and grilled with plenty of special sauce for that sweet-salty charm it's a real treat, so I never got tired of it.

LA galbi and kkotgalbi (prime short rib)

I kept putting chewy bone-in LA galbi and melt-in-your-mouth kkotgalbi on the grill without a break and devoured them. The Yangsimso LA galbi was delicious!

I grilled the kkotgalbi too. The flower-cut rib meat had an unusual texture. And you know the meat stuck to that giant bone is super tasty too, right?

How was the naengmyeon (cold noodles) to finish?

The naengmyeon (cold noodles) at Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch comes with chewy noodles in icy slush broth and cleanly cuts the grease after beef. After eating beef until full, here is the naengmyeon I ordered to finish!

I slurped a bite of chewy noodles in the broth with floating ice, and it brought down the fatty beef taste cleanly and refreshingly. The savory depth of the broth was tremendous, and wrapping a leftover piece of special-sauce galbi over the naengmyeon and eating them together made a truly perfect full stop.

Verdict on Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch

Ordered: Yangsimso Special Platter (hanger steak, LA galbi, galbisal, kkotgalbi, yukhoe), naengmyeon

• A hearty beef platter set with hanger steak, LA galbi, galbisal, kkotgalbi and yukhoe
• Tasty plain, and the sweetness doubles when brushed on: the addictive Yangsimso special secret sauce
• Cool and zesty naengmyeon that cleanly cuts the beef grease, a must-order treat
• A Gojan-dong BBQ place with private rooms for an undisturbed, cozy meal
• Clean restaurant condition and friendly service, highly recommended for gatherings, company dinners and dates

If you want to enjoy high-quality beef over charcoal in a private room near Gojan-dong, Ansan, with good value and generous portions, I wholeheartedly recommend Yangsimso Ansan Gojan Branch! Do try the combo of galbisal grilled with plenty of special sauce and cool naengmyeon! 👍