Korean BBQ in Gwacheon: 1++ MB9 hanwoo combo set at Deomalgeum

As with most ingredients, beef especially can feel like a totally different food depending on its grade.

1++ Korean beef, MB grade 9 in particular, delivers such rich nuttiness and deep flavor compared to regular beef that you'd wonder if it's even the same meat.

Today I went on a date near Government Gwacheon Complex Station, at a place with a great wine list where you can enjoy top-grade hanwoo (Korean beef) alongside wine. Haha.

What kind of place is Deomalgeum, the hanwoo restaurant near Government Gwacheon Complex Station?

Deomalgeum is a Korean beef specialist located in Building A, 92 Gwanmun-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, with great accessibility near Government Gwacheon Complex Station. It has a champagne and wine list led by Dom Pérignon, so you can enjoy hanwoo alongside wine.

Walking inside, there was a pretty chandelier — just the kind I love. Haha.

They had a range of champagne and wine on hand, led by Dom Pérignon. I was told the drinks are priced more reasonably than at a supermarket, too.

What we ordered at Deomalgeum

What comes with the meal: Deomalgeum's side dish spread

Deomalgeum's basic side dishes are all made with Korean ingredients and served neatly. Four sauces came out with them: Himalayan pink salt, Maldon salt, fresh wasabi, and wholegrain mustard.

Himalayan pink salt, Maldon salt, fresh wasabi, wholegrain mustard.

Refreshing salad. Pairing the salad with the hanwoo (Korean beef) worked really well!

They also uniquely served namul (seasoned vegetable sides). I especially kept reaching for the stir-fried eggplant. Haha.

Inside the budget combo set: 1++ hanwoo, MB grade 9

Deomalgeum's budget combo set comes as 1++ Korean beef, MB grade 9, and that day we got to try chadolbagi (beef brisket), nunkkotdeungsim (snowflake ribeye), salchisal (top blade cap), plus galbisal (rib finger meat). Chadolbagi had the largest portion, and nunkkotdeungsim the smallest.

The look of 1++ Korean beef, MB grade 9, with tightly woven marbling. It's just so gorgeous to look at...!!!

Beef quality can be judged by several criteria, but the factor that most affects grading is probably the degree of marbling.

The MB grade objectively measures and grades that degree of marbling! Haha. It ranges from 1 to 9, and the higher the number, the richer the marbling and the higher the quality of the beef.

In that sense, beef with marbling packed this tightly is MB No. 9 — meaning it's the richest, highest-quality marbling even among 1++ hanwoo!

Let's take a closer look at which cuts were served.

The chadolbagi, which had the largest portion.

I thought nunkkotdeungsim and salchisal were the standard composition, but apparently galbisal sometimes gets included too.

My boyfriend manually rotated the hanwoo combo platter for the photo. Hahaha.

The marbling is incredibly tight from every angle.

Pairing the basic side dishes with this visually stunning MB grade 9 1++ hanwoo made for a really abundant beef BBQ spread, right? Haha.

Chadolbagi (thinly sliced beef brisket)

They grill the chadolbagi first. Each slice is huge! Haha. It quickly unfurls like a blooming flower and cooks itself.

Wow, it's holding so much fat! Hahaha. It's nutty enough that even piling on plenty of fresh wasabi or wholegrain mustard wouldn't overpower it.

That white part, the cartilage-like fat, is crisp and nutty, while the lean meat is clean-tasting — a well-balanced chadolbagi. It's also great eaten with the salad.

Nunkkotdeungsim (snowflake-marbled ribeye)

The tastiest cut, nunkkotdeungsim. Even though sirloin/ribeye is a relatively lean cut, the grade 9 marbling was still incredible.

It melts in your mouth and has that distinct nutty sirloin flavor — even with the smallest portion, it was my boyfriend's and my top pick.

Salchisal (top blade cap)

Next up, salchisal, the fattiest and nuttiest cut with the tightest marbling. They put it on the grill.

After cooking evenly on all sides, they cut it into bite-sized pieces.

So glossy and pretty, right? Haha.

My boyfriend, a grilling expert, cooked it to exactly the medium-rare I like. Haha.

Topped with wholegrain mustard and fresh wasabi, it just melts away. Fatty salchisal with a wonderfully balanced, tender texture!

Galbisal (rib finger meat)

Last, we tried the galbisal, also called neukgansal (intercostal meat) — cut fairly large and thick.

Even though galbisal is a relatively clean, nutty cut, the grade 9 version was still extremely fatty! Haha.

A piece that carried that distinct galbisal chewiness and nuttiness.

Is Deomalgeum worth it for 1++ hanwoo in Gwacheon?

Deomalgeum, located near Government Gwacheon Complex Station, had great accessibility, and being able to park made it really convenient.

If you want to enjoy MB grade 9 beef, among 1++ Korean beef, at a reasonable price, this could be a great option.