Cheonan Korean BBQ with deodeok and minari: Teolbo Samchon Jip

It was the weekend, and I was feeling too lazy to stay at home, so I headed to Buldang-dong in Cheonan, haha. After looking around and trying a claw machine, we got hungry and searched for good samgyeopsal (pork belly) in Buldang-dong. A truly unusual place serving minari + deodeok + samgyeopsal popped up, so we immediately rushed over to Teolbo Samchon Jip Main Branch (털보삼촌집 본점), haha.

Minari and deodeok pork belly in Buldang-dong

Teolbo Samchon Jip Main Branch in Buldang-dong, Cheonan, sits near apartment complexes, a dining alley, Cheonan City Hall, and the sports complex—such a prime spot where everything you need is gathered together, haha.

We had come to Buldang-dong to browse clothes and play claw machines, and the truly unusual combination of minari + deodeok + samgyeopsal caught my eye! With Teolbo Samchon Jip’s flashy night lighting and huge glass windows, it even has the feel of a pocha-style outdoor table. It seemed like such a great place to visit in this weather, haha.

We arrived in the early evening and luckily got the last table; the guests after us had to wait..! It really is a famous spot—people were lining up as soon as dinner time began, haha.

And luckily, we were seated by the window, where we could enjoy the pocha-style atmosphere and a wonderfully cool breeze while we ate, hahaha.

Ordering the Samchon Deodeok Set and visiting the self-serve bar

We ordered the Samchon Deodeok Set [five-layer pork belly/special pork neck/half-and-half (510g) + deodeok + minari + shepherd’s purse soybean paste], the signature menu that lets you try minari + deodeok + samgyeopsal all at once, haha. Every table around us was ordering it too, so I was incredibly excited!!

Before the food came out, we checked out the self-serve bar, haha. There were so many kinds of ssam (wrap leaves)! I’d recently become obsessed with the aroma of bang-a leaves, and they had them here too, haha. So I got ready to eat a big handful, haha.

Before the meat arrived, the owner brought over the side dishes. The colorful, tangy-looking shredded scallions, bracken fern, bean sprouts, and kimchi to eat with the meat all went together so beautifully, haha. And more than anything, I couldn’t wait to try the grilled deodeok and minari in our Samchon Deodeok Set, haha.

Thick-cut meat grilled for you

Before long, the five-layer pork belly/special pork neck/half-and-half (510g) from our Samchon Deodeok Set arrived~~! Doesn’t it look so thick and fresh, haha? Best of all, the owner grills everything for you, haha.

Let’s take a moment to admire the meat cooking and all the accompaniments coming together, hahaha.

Meat > accompaniments > deodeok > minari. Don’t the colors work together so beautifully and make your mouth water, hahaha? I could only wait for the meat to finish cooking.

Shepherd’s purse soybean-paste stew and grilled deodeok

As the meat cooked, the shepherd’s purse soybean-paste stew from the Samchon Deodeok Set arrived too~! I think shepherd’s purse soybean-paste stew is the best of all soybean-paste stews, and this place had it ready too—just as you’d expect from a real gem, haha. The broth was rich and so refreshing, haha.

The meat was done, so we really dug in! All the different wrap leaves, especially the bang-a leaf wraps, added even more flavor, haha. The meat was so thick and fresh, with seriously incredible juices. But above all, it was time to try the grilled deodeok and minari—the real highlight of the Samchon Deodeok Set, right?

Ahh... grilled deodeok, you little thing... it was so delicious I was lost for words! It was good enough that I could finish a whole bowl of rice with just the grilled deodeok, without any meat? That kind of flavor, haha. It was moving, haha.

Making fried rice with the remaining accompaniments

After finishing the meat, we couldn’t possibly skip fried rice, right? The really great thing is that if you only order a bowl of rice, the self-serve bar has fried-rice ingredients ready for you!! I recommend saving a little of the bracken fern + bean sprouts + kimchi, then picking up lettuce + seaweed flakes and sesame oil at the self-serve bar, haha. And so, we got straight to shaking up our fried rice, haha.

We finished off the fried rice too, haha. It felt like completing a whole quest with the Samchon Deodeok Set..! We were so full that we took a walk for an hour, haha.

The special combination of minari + deodeok + samgyeopsal was such a fresh and delicious experience! The weather had cooled down, so we could eat comfortably in that pocha-style atmosphere. The area is also great for looking around, walking, and exercising, making it perfect to stop by after exploring or to take a walk after a filling meal, haha. I come to Buldang-dong in Cheonan often, so I was a little sad to have found this great place only now—and immediately thought I should come back often, haha.