Jeongja-dong lamb BBQ with my sister: candle-warmed lamb, Nokji

What is Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch, the aged lamb restaurant in Jeongja-dong?

Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch (녹지 분당정자점) specializes in beef and lamb aged at the ideal time and temperature for a rich, tender texture. I was out in Jeongja-dong with my older sister for the first time in ages, and we went looking for a lamb place to get our protein fix. That's how we found it.

It specializes in aging and selling lamb, so I was really looking forward to it before we even arrived :)

Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch hours, parking and facilities

Nokji is open every day from 4 PM to 10 PM, at 13 Jeongja-ro, 1st floor, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, South Korea. Parking is free, and corkage is free too.

• High chairs available
• Group seating available
• Separate men's and women's restrooms
• Free corkage
• Parking available (free)

Nokji is a beef and lamb specialist! Lamb is said to be rich in protein, iron and zinc, and well-trimmed lamb is wonderfully tender and nutty~! They say they care most about the true flavor and texture of the meat and focus on making each meal satisfying...★

Seating and interior at Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch

Inside, there were lockers where you can store your belongings, and the seating was split between bar table seats and regular tables :) There was even a big table that can fit a large group!

Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch menu and what we ordered

After a lot of back and forth with my sister, we ordered the shoulder rack (₩32,000), lamb rib meat (₩32,000), pollock roe scallion rice (₩6,000) and fresh buckwheat noodles (₩8,000)!

Side dishes and sauces at Nokji

Once we ordered, the staff neatly set out sides and sauces: wasabi, lightly seasoned pollock roe, siraegi (dried radish greens) tossed in doenjang (soybean paste), chili peppers and aged kimchi :) With so many sides and sauces to go with it, we could enjoy the lamb even more!

Shoulder rack and lamb rib meat for ₩64,000: do the staff grill everything?

At Nokji, the shoulder rack and lamb rib meat (₩64,000 in total) come on one plate, and a staff member grills each piece carefully. Wow~ the lamb looks delicious from the very first look...! Already looks amazing...!

Since the staff grill every piece so carefully and well, we spent the whole time chatting away~★

A candle-warmed board keeps the shoulder rack hot to the end

Wow.. the look of it is just insane, right~? The well-grilled shoulder rack is laid neatly on a small board so it's easy to eat, and there's a candle underneath, so we could eat it piping hot until the very last bite. Rather than heavy seasoning, they grill it so the flavor of the meat itself shines, and honestly~~ it was delicious the whole way through~

Besides the lamb, there were vegetables and mushrooms to eat with it, like scallions, mushrooms and onions, and I loved how the light, clean taste mixed with the sweetness of the vegetables.

Best way to eat the lamb: salt with wasabi

My number one pick is salt with a generous dab of wasabi~! If you come to Nokji, definitely try it with the salt + wasabi combo!

Pollock roe and scallion rice for ₩6,000: is it worth ordering?

Nokji's pollock roe scallion rice (₩6,000) is rice topped with top-grade low-salt pollock roe, a special sauce that adds depth, sharp scallions, nutty seaweed flakes, and a generous finish of sesame seeds! Wow.. the smell the moment it came out was just amazing...! If you come to Nokji, everyone, you have to order the roe rice.

I mixed it well and took a bite, and wow~ the taste is just incredible~ It's a perfect side to order with lamb or beef!

Shoulder rack vs lamb rib meat: which cut was better?

At Nokji, as soon as we finished the shoulder rack, the staff went right on to grilling the lamb rib meat :) The lamb rib meat is cut from the rib bones and is known for its rich meaty aroma and chewy texture.

Personally, I found the lamb rib meat more tender~ and I liked its chewy texture, so next time at Nokji I'm going to order the lamb rib meat first! haha

Fresh buckwheat makguksu for ₩8,000 to finish

From Nokji's meal menu, I ordered the fresh buckwheat noodles (₩8,000, memil-guksu) because I wanted another palate cleanser. Made with fresh buckwheat noodles that wrap around your mouth, packed full.. the savory depth is amazing (ㅠㅠ)...

When the lamb felt a little greasy, the seasoned sauce knocked it right back down~ The combination of everything we ordered was so good, and we really enjoyed it~

Want delicious lamb and beef in Jeongja-dong, Bundang? I recommend Nokji Bundang Jeongja Branch, where the roe rice and lamb are so good and it's comfortable to stay~