Sanbon date night BBQ: minari shabu and 300g pork belly, Geobugi

Geobugi Dongne (거북이동네)

In sweltering weather like this, you start craving something restorative, right? :) On days like this I think you need good meat to fill you up and get your energy back. Today I'm introducing Geobugi Dongne, where I enjoyed a great meat meal near Sanbon Station 🍗 The place is spacious and pleasant, so I thought it would be good for company dinners, and the relaxed atmosphere would suit a family meal too. So, shall we take a closer look~?

Location: Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch, a walk from Sanbon Station

Geobugi Dongne Gunpo Sanbon Branch is within walking distance of Sanbon Station, so it's easy to get to. It sits near Rodeo Street, so it wasn't hard to find, and after the meal it was nice for dropping by a nearby café or taking a light stroll.

A spacious, pleasant interior with group seating

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was how roomy and pleasant it was *_* I went on a weekday and it was already busy, so I could really feel why this is a go-to date spot in Sanbon. There were couples, families and company dinner groups, and the mood was great.

The tables are spaced generously, so I could eat comfortably without feeling cramped, and there are group seats too, which makes it perfect for company dinners and gatherings haha The whole place was kept clean, which made it even more pleasant, and I had a good time all the way through the meal.

Geobugi Dongne: what to know before you go

• The first order starts at 500g
• Additional orders can be made in 200g units
• No default side dishes are served; you use the self-bar
• A ₩5,000 charge per table is added separately

The menu: from chilled pork belly to hanwoo sliced beef

As a proper Sanbon date spot, the menu was really varied. There's chilled pork belly, aged pork belly, aged pork neck and marinated pork ribs, plus beef options like "two-plus" hanwoo (Korean beef) thinly sliced beef and brisket, so you can choose to your taste haha If you want to try several things at once, I recommend the set menus. The shabu-shabu & pork belly set and the jjolmyeon (chewy noodle) five-layer pork belly set are the popular ones, and I liked that you can taste a lot of Geobugi Dongne's menu in one go.

A self-bar instead of default side dishes

As I mentioned earlier, Geobugi Dongne doesn't serve default side dishes. Instead there's a self-bar where you can grab whatever side dishes you like :)

There's a wide range, from wrap vegetables to all sorts of accompanying side dishes, and I liked that you can take just as much as you need.

From sauces to corn salad and kimchi, I could freely grab any side I ran short of without feeling awkward about it, which made me even happier.

There are also vegetables that go well with meat, including pickled scallions, lettuce and perilla leaves, and you can take as much as you want~

What comes with the shabu-shabu & pork belly set?

I ordered the shabu-shabu & pork belly set. The shabu-shabu comes generously loaded with fragrant minari and chewy mushrooms, along with thinly sliced hanwoo and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) for finishing off. You can choose a clear or a spicy broth to your taste.

The set also includes 300g of pork belly, so you get both shabu-shabu and grilled meat in one meal, which I loved. The portion is generous too, just right for two people to share and leave full and happy :)

Here are the various side dishes I brought from the self-bar. Only take what you'll eat! You know, right haha?

Thick-cut pork belly

The pork belly sizzling away looked delicious from the start~ Watching it turn golden brown on the grill really got my appetite going. The quality of the meat looked good at a glance, which made me look forward to it even more.

The pork belly was thick yet fresh, with a rich savory aroma from the moment it started cooking, and I could fully enjoy the juicy flavor!

Spicy shabu-shabu with minari

Geobugi Dongne's shabu-shabu holds its own against dedicated shabu-shabu restaurants. The spicy broth, fragrant minari and tender hanwoo slices came together for a deep, rich flavor.

With the clean yet savory broth and the generous ingredients added in, every bite was satisfying. The fragrance of the minari and the nutty taste of the hanwoo slices went together really well, so I could fully enjoy what makes shabu-shabu great.

Extra cauldron rice and dessert ice cream

Partway through I started craving carbs, so I ordered the cauldron rice (gamasot-bap) as an extra.

It wasn't ordinary bowl rice but came in a hot cauldron, which made it extra special. Maybe because it was freshly cooked, every grain felt sticky and tender, with a nutty flavor on top, and it went really well with the meat. It was a dish that let me finish the meal feeling full and happy right to the end :)

We even got ice cream for dessert, which put me in a great mood hahaha From shabu-shabu to pork belly to cauldron rice, it was a generous feast, and the thoughtful touch of finishing with dessert made the meal even better :) When you want a hearty meal with lots of different dishes in one place, I'd recommend Geobugi Dongne!