Songpa Korean BBQ: beef, scallops and doenjang at Chowon Salt Grill

I was looking for somewhere in Bangi-dong where we could have meat and a drink, and ended up at Chowon Salt Grill (초원소금구이), which has that wonderfully old-school feel. As the weather warms up, I’ve really been craving this kind of outdoor drinking-stall vibe. Bottom line: I found a gem of a restaurant in Bangi-dong . . 💎

Chowon Salt Grill exterior and parking

The exterior of Chowon Salt Grill was exactly my kind of style from the start—such an old-school feel. Parking isn’t available, but the nearby Hyochang Plaza paid parking lot is an easy option!!

An interior full of old-school charm

The minute I walked in, I could smell that this was a proper good restaurant. It didn’t feel decorated or manufactured; it had the real, lived-in vibe unique to a longtime local favorite, which I loved. The owner was kind too, so we immediately ordered drinks.

The three-person samhap menu and table setting

📍 Please refer to the photo above for the menu 📍 We ordered the three-person samhap (₩86,000).

• Three-person samhap: 350 g specialty cuts including beef brisket
• 200 g scallops
• Aged kimchi

For the basic table setting, they brought shredded scallions, sesame oil dipping sauce, and seasoning. The table was clean and comfortable too.

What is the three-person brisket samhap like?

This is a menu where you eat beef, scallops, and aged kimchi together, and the visuals alone are absolutely insane.

For three people, you get 350 g of cuts including brisket. Since it is 100% Korean beef, the color and quality looked amazing. These are specialty cuts you do not get to try every day, so Korean-beef lovers really have to order this ..

I was also surprised by how many scallops came with it. They were neatly prepared and so fresh and springy that they looked good enough to eat raw. You only need to cook them until they turn opaque, so I sort of poached them in the beef fat—rich and delicious.

The aged kimchi was personally the real kick for me. They use aged kimchi from Haenam, and it was nicely tangy and spicy, so it paired perfectly with the beef and scallops. It was delicious even on its own. I wanted to take a whole plate home ..

Who knew samhap could be this delicious?

They grilled the fatty brisket and nutty scallops together. They cooked quickly, and the aroma rising up made my mouth water so badly—I got instantly hungry.

When I ate the perfectly cooked brisket, scallop, and aged kimchi together, I immediately understood why it is popular. Rich, light, and tangy—the combination was unreal. Whoever thought of brisket, scallop, and aged kimchi, where are you? I will bow in your direction ..

Do you really need to order the brisket doenjang stew?

The doenjang stew (Korean soybean-paste stew) at the next table smelled so good that we ordered one too. It has brisket in it, so the broth was richer and more savory than regular doenjang stew. Taking a spoonful of broth between bites of meat was heaven ,,!

It comes out as a generous bowl for only ₩8,000. On top of that, steamed rice is free. And anyone who does not order this? A fool, that’s who ~

After we finished the brisket, we grilled the other cuts one by one, and they were delicious even by themselves. Maybe because it was Korean beef, it melted in the mouth without being greasy, and I finished a bowl of rice in no time.

Adding two portions of salt-grilled beef

As we ate, the meat was so good that we decided we had to order more, so we added two portions of salt-grilled beef. The three of us had the three-person samhap plus two portions of salt grill, and we were beyond full—I thought we might burst.

Still, a true big eater cannot resist something delicious, even when full. This time, we changed to a fresh grill plate and ate it with mushrooms. It is the kind of flavor that makes drinks go down so easily. Trying all the samhap combinations first, then adding the salt grill afterward? A perfect 100-point order.

Finishing with one serving of fried rice

We finished with fried rice, the ultimate Korean-style dessert. We were definitely full, so we ordered only one serving . . ? Owner, is this really one serving? Since we had already eaten so much meat, the portion was genuinely huge even split among three people. Even if you are full, you really should try at least one fried rice.

The three of us went, ate the samhap, salt-grilled beef, and fried rice as a full course, and all three of us shed tears of emotion. On a day when you want meat and a drink in Bangi-dong, or a truly delicious dinner with an old-school outdoor-drinking vibe, I give Chowon Salt Grill five stars 🪄