Ansan Korean barbecue couples’ grill feast: Songnim Bok Jangeo

My husband and I have properly discovered the joy of eel lately, and Songnim Bok Jangeo makes us so happy~ We can enjoy unlimited freshwater eel along with pork belly and chicken neck meat, so what could be better? It’s Songnim Bok Jangeo Freshwater Eel Unlimited Refill, Sadong Branch in Ansan, where you can eat deliciously and heartily without worrying about your wallet~

Songnim Bok Jangeo Sadong Branch: location and atmosphere

It is at 61 Chodang-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, and open daily from 11:00 to 22:00. Free parking and valet service are available.

Inside, it had the feel of a Korean barbecue restaurant with a well-equipped ventilation system~ It was spacious, with tables on both the right and left sides of the entrance~

How the unlimited eel refill works

The menu centered on unlimited eel, with meals plus drinks and alcohol~ The 2-hour unlimited-refill window is plenty, so just go back for as much as you can eat rather than risking an environmental-waste charge~ Alcohol is self-service too, so you can take it directly from the refrigerator without placing a separate order~

The self-service bar sits in the middle of the restaurant, so it is easy to reach from any table~ I also liked that it was kept nice and tidy~

I was also happy that rice and bean-sprout soup were unlimited at Songnim Bok Jangeo Sadong Branch~ The soup was pleasantly spicy and refreshing, so I think it is worth getting yourself a bowl~ It would also be great as a soothing finish after drinks!!!

From thick eel to a grill packed with food

After ordering the unlimited refill for two adults, our basic setting arrived right away~ I was shocked at how thick the eel was, already cleaned of innards and bones~ It honestly felt like the biggest eel I have ever seen!!!

The eel was cleaned so beautifully~ It looked incredibly fresh, with not even a hint of fishiness~

We loaded the grill with eel and grilled it until golden, then added pork belly the instant a gap appeared~ Isn’t that a beautiful sight—never wasting any grill space? Haha. As the eel browned, its rich, nutty aroma spread everywhere, and I was salivating so much~ I was getting impatient!!!

The eel was beautifully golden and cooked through~ For my first bite, I tried it with only salt. It was tender yet chewy, rich and delicious~ I loved being able to taste its clean, savory flavor exactly as it was~

The eel sauce had a lightly sweet barbecue-sauce flavor, one that everyone from kids to adults would probably enjoy~

Eel pairings with white kimchi and garlic

The baekgimchi (mild white kimchi) was seriously amazing~ Its tangy flavor and crisp texture were so good~ It cleansed the palate so well that I felt like I really could eat unlimited eel~ Add pickled radish wraps to the white kimchi, and the crunch and freshness double—an absolute peak of refreshing flavor, so keep that in mind~

After diligently grilling one platter of eel and safely moving it to the wire rack, we immediately grilled another platter~ A grill must never be allowed to rest, after all~ Make a note: never leave the grill sitting idle~ And remember, the true winner at an unlimited-refill restaurant is decided by how efficiently they keep that grill working, haha.

The pickled perilla leaves were salty and tangy, perfect for wrapping around the eel~ I think this pairing would be delicious with a spoonful of rice too!!!

The combination with pungent garlic? Need I say more~ The garlic’s sharpness met the eel’s richness, making it taste lighter and so delicious~

I do not eat ginger even with eel, but my husband is a ginger lover and eats loads of it with eel, you know? I made a white-kimchi wrap packed with ginger just the way he likes it, put it in his mouth, and asked, “How is it?” His entire answer was, “It’s super good~” Haha. Of course it was good, but since I cannot eat ginger, I wanted to know how it was good~ Still, he said it was good, so there we are~

Eating pork belly and chicken neck meat too

We tried pork belly with garlic and ssamjang (savory soybean dipping paste), and also with white kimchi and ssamjang~ The pork belly was wonderfully rich without any off smell~ If you are someone who cannot eat much eel, I think you could definitely get your money’s worth with the pork belly!!!

We eat both eel and meat well, so we were really getting our money’s worth~ When you eat eel and pork belly together, their different rich flavors mingle and become twice as rich~ If it feels a little too oily, wrap it in pickled radish for both freshness and richness—please give it a try!!!

This time, let’s grill the neck meat too~ It was fresh as well, with no off smell at all~

The moment there was an empty spot, we quickly added more eel and pork belly too~ A beautiful grill with land, sea, and air all on one plate~ It was a picture in itself, haha.

The chicken neck meat had a lovely chewy yet tender texture~ Dipped in eel sauce, it tasted just like barbecue chicken~

The chicken neck meat and eel pairing was every bit as fantastic as pork belly and eel~ With the tang of white kimchi and the sharpness of garlic joining in, it was rich and fresh—like a festival had opened in my mouth~

Finishing with rice in bean-sprout soup

Finally, we grilled one more platter of eel and pork belly and agreed, “Let’s stop here,”~ I honestly could have eaten more eel, but it felt like we had eaten too much, so I restrained myself out of conscience~ Maximum-level self-control, right? Haha.

The moment I tasted the spicy bean-sprout soup, I had already decided that today’s dessert would be rice in bean-sprout soup, so I mixed rice into it~ I would have regretted not eating it~ The hearty rice mixed with the spicy soup was so delicious~ Top it with white kimchi, and the whole mouth turns fresh—I almost forgot we had eaten eel and beef! I strongly recommend finishing with bean-sprout soup rice!!!

This is my husband, unable to contain all the extra energy left after eating eel and going up and down the stairs~ If you are looking for a good-value spot for a gathering, family meal, or date, I recommend Songnim Bok Jangeo Sadong Branch!!!