Jonggak bar for a school reunion: BBQ platter and cheese, Sudowonui

I met up with a high school friend I hadn't seen in ages, and we wanted somewhere with a different vibe from our usual meat-and-soju routine. So we headed to Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo (수도원의 비밀 저장고), a bar in Jonggak.

Where is Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo near Jonggak Station?

Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo is a basement-level cooking pub about a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station.

You go down through a small entrance tucked between buildings, and it feels like stepping into a secret space, so the mood is special from the very start. Doesn't it feel like walking into a Harry Potter movie?

Medieval monastery interior and group seating

Head down the stairs and through a passage, and a spacious interior opens up. Candles dotted around give it a strong medieval feel, and there's group seating in the back too, so it looked good for gatherings.

What we ordered: menu and prices

Once you sit down, a staff member opens the keypad and walks you through ordering. The moment we saw the menu, the Monk's Feast BBQ Platter (수도사의 성찬 바베큐 플래터) caught our eye, so we ordered it.

• Monk's Feast BBQ Platter - ₩54,900
• White Blessing of the Monastery cheese - ₩14,900
• Saero soju (새로) - ₩6,900 × 2 bottles
• Beer - ₩18,000
• Zero Cola - ₩3,000

Free pretzels and mixed peanuts

After we ordered, the owner said the BBQ platter would take a while and brought out pretzels and mixed peanuts first. They were mild and just right for cleansing the palate. We finished them before the main dish arrived, so we got one refill.

Soju served in a "holy" bottle

The beer and soju came out soon after, and instead of a regular bottle, the soju is poured into a sacred-looking bottle to match the theme. That detail surprised me all over again.

What comes on the Monk's Feast BBQ Platter?

They said it would take a long time, but after waiting only about 10 minutes, the Monk's Feast BBQ Platter arrived.

Salad, pickles and olives sit on one side, 24-hour slow-aged ribs and roast chicken in the middle, and fries and ciabatta alongside. It's a really generous spread.

Housemade Alabama, chipotle and garlic sauces

The sauces were Alabama, chipotle and garlic. They're made by a chef who used to work at the Hilton, and they clearly had a deeper flavor than store-bought sauces. Personally, the Alabama sauce was my favorite.

How do the slow-aged pork ribs taste?

My friend cut the ribs and chicken into bite-size pieces for us. The ribs are lightly crisp outside and juicy and moist inside, and they practically melt in your mouth. The faint smoky aroma and sweet-salty barbecue sauce blended with the meat, and it was really delicious.

If you put the ribs and pickles on the ciabatta, it turns into a simple homemade burger, so there are lots of ways to enjoy it. There's a reason it gets recommended as a Jonggak bar worth visiting.

Extra side: White Blessing of the Monastery cheese

To keep chatting longer, we ordered the White Blessing of the Monastery cheese (수도원의 하얀 축복 치즈, ₩14,900). It comes with a whole burrata, plus olives, pretzels and peanuts, so it's an easy snack. The cheese is salty and nutty, and it seemed like it would pair especially well with wine.

Who should go to Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo?

This Jonggak bar has a big space with a private feel, which made it easy to chat comfortably, and the food quality was good too. I'd recommend it for gatherings or dates.