Samsong Korean BBQ with a curry salad self-serve bar: Neopttakjip

Samsong Starfield restaurant pick Neopttakjip Samsong Branch Recommended: pork belly, kkodeulsal

A Samsong pork BBQ dinner right after shopping at Starfield Goyang

My boyfriend and I went to Starfield Goyang on the weekend to shop and look around, and by the end our legs were aching and we were starving haha. There are plenty of restaurants inside Starfield, but I didn't want the noisy food court on a weekend evening — I wanted thick pork sizzling on a proper grill. So I searched like crazy for nearby restaurants!

I'd had Neopttakjip Samsong Branch on my list for a while since I'd heard it was known for its special cuts. Bottom line: the meat quality here is insane... Honestly the top BBQ spot I'd recommend near Starfield, no contest ㅠㅠ!

Inside Neopttakjip Samsong Branch: mood, seating and layout

It's a quick drive from both Samsong Station and Starfield, so the route from shopping to dinner was great. Walking in, the place has that retro, comfortable old-school diner vibe, and the tables were wiped clean with no greasiness — very pleasant. It's apparently already well known as a great restaurant, because even on a weekday evening it was buzzing with families and couples on dates.

Ordering the signature mixed grill 600g for 54,000 won

Looking at the menu, there were single-cut options like pork belly and pork shoulder, but the mixed grill set, which lets you try several cuts at once, immediately caught my eye.

What we ordered: Signature mixed grill 600g (₩54,000)

After ordering, Neopttakjip's signature thick cast-iron plate heated up, and the meat-thief side dishes were all set out — scallion salad, aged kimchi, lettuce wraps, and the special meat-sauce dip. There's also a big self-serve bar in the middle, so if anything runs low you can just go grab more! And when the meat came out, the color was a vivid red with the marbling still glistening — my mouth was watering before it even hit the grill haha.

How the pork belly tastes on the cast-iron griddle

My boyfriend, the grilling master, confidently grabbed the tongs again haha and started laying the meat on the grill! He's way better at grilling than me, so I always trust him with it..haha

With expert-level flair, he cut it at the perfect moment — crispy outside, juices sealed in — and the smell alone was a passing grade,,! haha I dipped the first golden-brown piece of pork belly in salt, and the moment I bit in, savory juices burst out. The ratio of lean meat to fat was absolutely perfect ㅠㅠ

Kkodeulsal for the first time: why the chewy texture stands out

The highlight of the night for me was the 'kkodeulsal.' I think it was basically my first time trying it ever... and wow, it's truly a special dish,,★ True to its name, it has a slightly firm yet springy, chewy bite, and the fatty part wasn't greasy at all — it was really savory and had a nice bounce!

Dipped generously into the spicy-sweet special meat sauce with a slice of chili pepper on top, my boyfriend and I couldn't stop reaching for more, both saying, 'what is this, why is it so good' haha

Don't skip the curry salad at the self-serve bar

House meat-sauce dip, aged kimchi and the rest of the side dishes

And this curry salad(?) at the self-serve bar — seriously, please everyone try it at least once ㅜㅠ It has this oddly memorable flavor 👀✨

Is 600g enough for two at Neopttakjip Samsong Branch?

The meat itself was so fresh with zero gamey smell that the 600g portion disappeared in what felt like magic — we ate so well our stomachs got round. Diet failed again today.. Thanks to my boyfriend grilling it so well, dinner tasted twice as good, and that's no secret.

If you're looking for a solid BBQ spot near Samsong Station or Starfield Goyang, or want to experience the texture explosion that is kkodeulsal, definitely visit Neopttakjip Samsong Branch! I'll happily stamp my recommendation on the signature mixed grill I had 👍