Toseong-myeon galbi restaurant, salt-dipped raw ribs: Yongchon

My husband was craving galbi during our trip, so I took him to Yongchon Gogi-jip, a Goseong restaurant I'd heard was a local favorite. I already knew it was popular with locals, but I was still surprised at just how busy this place turned out to be. Want to come along for a meal at this hot galbi spot?

Where Yongchon Gogi-jip is and when it opens

• Location: 20-3 Yongwon-ro, Toseong-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do
• Hours: Mon–Thu 12:00–21:00 / Fri–Sun 11:00–21:00
• Closed every Wednesday
• Break time 15:00–17:00

A 5 pm reservation, 7 parties already waiting at 4:30

We had a reservation for 5 pm but arrived a bit early, around 4:30. Seeing people gathered near the entrance, I went to check if we could go in — and was shocked to find 7 parties already waiting.

Cars kept streaming in one after another, filling up the parking lot completely, which made me realize all over again just how popular this place is. I was glad we'd booked ahead.

Inside Yongchon Gogi-jip: the room and the menu

The restaurant was smaller and cozier than I expected. There were hall tables and room tables, and it seemed like the rooms filled up first, mostly for reservation guests.

The menu was refreshingly simple — hand-butchered pork galbi and raw pork belly for the meal, plus dessert and drinks. The hand-butchered pork galbi came in a choice of raw or marinated. Just two main dishes, pork galbi and raw pork belly — that takes real confidence! We ordered two servings of raw pork galbi to start, along with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) for dessert.

Side dishes and the complimentary steamed egg

After ordering, the basic side dishes were set out — neatly arranged banchan that would pair well with the meat. It was nice that gyeranjjim (steamed egg) came free as a service item.

Two servings of raw galbi arrived along with a chunk of pork fat for greasing the grill. I loved the pretty, deep red color of the pork galbi.

After greasing the grill, the pork galbi went straight on. The moment it hit the grill it let out a sizzle and a savory aroma rose up — my mouth was watering instantly. The charcoal heat was just right, so the meat cooked evenly without burning.

The doenjang jjigae for dessert was a basic version with tofu, potato, and zucchini. Salty and savory, it went really well with the meat.

The gyeranjjim was soft and delicious — it was great mixed into rice, too.

How the raw pork galbi tastes with just salt

First, I dipped a piece of the nicely browned pork galbi in just salt and tried it — the moderate amount of fat was savory and the meat was wonderfully chewy. The umami was off the charts.

Shredded scallions, baek-kimchi and soy-pickled cabbage

It was so good with just salt that I kept eating it that way for a while, then tried wrapping some in shredded scallions. The scallion dressing wasn't overpowering — mild and tangy-sweet — and it added just the right brightness without overwhelming the galbi flavor.

The combination of baek-kimchi (white kimchi), garlic, and ssamjang with the pork galbi felt refreshing and moist, cleansing the palate.

The soy-pickled cabbage sauce was clean and not too strong either — the crunchy cabbage was refreshing and slightly sweet, great in both texture and flavor.

Pa-kimchi (scallion kimchi) with the ribs

Scallion kimchi can easily go too sweet or too salty, but at Yongchon Gogi-jip it was just the right amount of tangy without being too salty, pairing well with the meat. It was also great eaten with rice.

As I grilled the rest of the pork galbi, I went back to just salt again and enjoyed the clean, plain flavor. It really made me say — the basics are the best.

Ordering one more serving of raw galbi

It felt too soon to stop, so we ordered one more serving of raw pork galbi. This second batch also had that gorgeous deep red color!

We grilled it carefully again — the savory galbi aroma was just as good, and I was still drooling the whole time, haha.

I can't seem to escape the salt-dipping loop with this pork galbi! Did you know that dipping pork galbi in just salt and eating it with rice is clean and savory and so delicious? I really hope you try it sometime.

Eventually breaking free from the salt-only routine, I tried it with the other side dishes too — the pickled onions were nice and crunchy, and the perilla leaf salad was soft and mild. And the scallion kimchi — need I say more? So delicious!

How to grill the rib bones, and the doenjang jjigae finish

We put real effort into grilling the rib bones — since they were curved, we rolled them carefully while grilling. They didn't seem to cook through in the middle, so we scored them with scissors, and they came out beautifully golden brown.

Taking a bite, the meat slipped right off the bone, which made me so happy. I told my husband it was so good I wanted to eat 50 pieces, and he said he wanted 100, haha. If you're traveling around Sokcho or Goseong and looking for a local galbi favorite, a gathering spot, or an affordable date-night spot, I recommend Yongchon Gogi-jip!

A walk on Kensington Resort beach after dinner

After eating, we took a walk at Kensington Resort beach, just 1 minute by car or 14 minutes on foot. There's a photo spot and a lovely beach to stroll along, so it's worth stopping by.