Suyeong pork barbecue: snowflake sliced pork at Donbegi

My husband and I went to Donbegi Gwang-an Branch for pork barbecue in Gwangalli over the weekend. I was curious about the snowflake sliced pork belly, an aged pork cut with closely spaced scores, so we ordered it. The staff grilled it themselves, which made it easy to focus on the meal, and I remember its chewy yet tender texture.

Where is Donbegi Gwang-an Branch, and is parking available?

Donbegi Gwang-an Branch is on the first and second floors at 34 Millakbondong-ro 11beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan. It is fairly close to Millak The Market and Millak Park, and the large, noticeable building was not difficult to find. The hours listed in the original post were 12:00–23:00.

You can use the underground parking lot at Centum Primo Officetel directly across the street, and the restaurant supports one hour of parking. I liked that it eased the parking burden when bringing a car.

Can you visit with family or pets?

The restaurant was larger than I expected and had many tables. There were private rooms farther inside, which seemed suitable for a family meal or gathering. Reservations and group visits are also said to be available.

There was also information that high chairs are available. The restaurant was introduced as allowing pets, although I visited only with my husband this time.

What is on the menu, and what did we order for two?

The aged pork menu included French rack, shoulder rack, pork belly with skin, pork neck, and snowflake sliced pork belly. Meal and side options included cold kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), myeongranbap (rice with pollock roe), doenjang-jjigae (soybean paste stew), and kimchi-jjigae.

We ordered two servings of snowflake sliced pork belly, cold kalguksu, steamed egg, and two bowls of rice.

What was the texture of the snowflake sliced pork belly?

After we ordered, the staff quickly set the table. They placed meat and side dishes around the grill, and the shredded scallions and ssam vegetables were fresh.

The snowflake sliced pork belly is said to be scored closely to create a tender texture. The closely spaced cuts were visible in the meat that arrived.

As the meat cooked, its scored surface turned golden brown. According to the restaurant, it ages its pork for 480 hours. When I tried it, it had the characteristic chew of pork belly with skin but was not tough and chewed tenderly.

With both skin and lean meat, each piece had nuttiness and chewiness together. The meat itself was not heavily seasoned, so it was mild on its own and also went well with ssam or side dishes. I liked being able to eat the well-cooked meat right away.

Do staff grill the meat themselves?

The staff grilled the meat, cut it into easy-to-eat pieces, and placed it in front of us. They were quick and attentive, so I did not have to keep watching how it was cooking. It was comfortable to eat while talking with my husband.

We ate the grilled meat with shredded scallions, topped it with wasabi, and wrapped it in ssam. I liked alternating among the different accompaniments.

Did the steamed egg and cold kalguksu go well with the meat?

The steamed egg arrived warm and bubbling. It was easy to take a spoonful between bites of meat, and its soft texture made it easy to alternate with the rich pork.

Of the side dishes we had that day, the cold kalguksu went especially well with the meal. After the nutty, rich pork belly, the cold broth and noodles made my mouth feel refreshed. At the time of my visit, it was introduced as a summer-only menu item.