Yeongdeungpo Seoul Korean BBQ with chewy pork: Dongnaejeong

A Jeonggabri pork restaurant near Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station

Today, I headed over to the Yeongdeungpo-gu Office area for pork for the first time in a while. Lately, I’d been craving a cut other than samgyeopsal (pork belly), you know? So I visited Dongnaejeong Main Branch (동래정 본점), which is famous for its delicious gabrisal (pork neck-end).

Dongnaejeong Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Main Branch is open daily from 15:00 to 23:00.

Dongnaejeong Main Branch is close to Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station, so it’s a nice place to come for meat after work. If you’re looking for a good pork restaurant around Yeongdeungpo-gu Office, it’s conveniently located and easy to visit.

I visited at dinner time, and as expected, there were quite a lot of customers. Since it’s already well known for gabrisal, there were lots of office workers and people having drinks, too. It felt like plenty of people come not only for pork and drinks around Yeongdeungpo-gu Office, but also for a slightly more special cut of pork.

The restaurant was generally neat, and I liked that the tables weren’t packed too tightly together. At a meat restaurant, heavy smoke or odors can make you tired before you even start eating, but it was more pleasant than I expected, so I could eat comfortably.

Two portions of Jeonggabri and the sides

Dongnaejeong’s signature dishes are Jeonggabri, Dongnae pork neck, 1+ whole pork belly, and Mi galmaegi. We ordered two portions of Jeonggabri without a second thought! We came for gabrisal, so we decided to go all in on gabrisal, haha.

They even explain in detail how to eat it.

The basic side dishes came out neatly, too. There were pickles and sauces that went well with the meat, so it was nice to switch up the combinations as I ate. The pork itself is on the rich side, so having the tangy side dishes in between cut right through that richness.

Meljeot (fermented anchovy sauce) came with the basic sides, too. It’s oddly exciting when a pork restaurant serves meljeot, isn’t it? Haha. Dipping the gabrisal in it added a savory, salty depth and tasted great. It was different from eating it with salt alone, so it was nice to alternate between them.

How the staff-grilled Jeonggabri tasted

Finally, the Jeonggabri arrived. Dongnaejeong says its Jeonggabri is 100% gabrisal with the back fat left intact. Even at a glance, the lean meat and fat were nicely layered, and I thought it would be really delicious once grilled. If you love gabrisal’s signature chewy texture, the look alone might get you excited, haha.

And one thing I loved! A staff member grilled it for us. Delicious meat is important, but the flavor changes so much depending on who grills it and how. Gabrisal can turn dry if it’s overcooked, so it was incredibly convenient that they cooked it to just the right doneness. No need to fuss over grilling the meat—just wait and eat. That’s the best part, haha.

As it cooked on the grill, the fatty parts turned golden and a wonderfully nutty aroma rose up. The outside became lightly crisp while the inside stayed juicy, so it looked delicious even before eating.

For the first bite, I tried it with just a little salt. The gabrisal was seriously chewy. It wasn’t as fatty as pork belly, and it was much more tender than pork neck while still having a satisfying bite, you know? The fat brought out a nutty flavor, and chewing it together with the lean meat gave it such a great texture.

Why we also ordered the brisket doenjang stew

And the brisket doenjang stew we ordered alongside it! When you’re eating meat, you need a spoonful of warm broth now and then, right? The doenjang-jjigae (soybean-paste stew) had brisket in it, so the broth was rich and savory. A piece of meat followed by a bite of doenjang stew was truly the perfect combination...

There were plenty of ingredients in the stew, so it felt less like a side dish and more like a proper earthenware pot all on its own. It was salty and deeply savory—so, so good;; Honestly, when I eat meat without ordering doenjang stew, it feels like the meal isn’t quite complete, so I was once again glad we ordered it that day.

When you want a proper meat meal around Yeongdeungpo-gu Office, give Dongnaejeong Main Branch a try. I think anyone who likes gabrisal will be satisfied.