Yangyang grilled pork restaurant for salt-aged pork belly: Yeoyejeong

Did Yeoyejeong have a wait after the Surfy Beach sunset?

After spending a while watching the sunset at Surfy Beach in Yangyang, I went to Yeoyejeong (여여정) for dinner. It is a grilled-meat restaurant at 49 Ssangsolbaegi-gil in Seo-myeon, Yangyang-gun, and there were already quite a few customers when I arrived.

There was a wait at the time of my visit. Customers continued to come in while we were eating.

What meats can you order?

Yeoyejeong sells salt-aged beef and pork. The menu included marinated galbi, fresh galbi, pork jowl, pork belly, rib finger meat, and salchisal. Since you can choose both beef and pork, I thought it would be good for families ordering to suit different preferences. We ordered pork belly.

Did the flames flare up while grilling the pork belly?

They say they use coffee-tree binchotan charcoal. I heard that even when fat drips, it is less likely to cause sudden large flare-ups, and I did not experience that inconvenience while grilling the meat. I also felt that the smell of meat clung less strongly to my clothes.

How were the side dishes and wrap vegetables?

There was a substantial selection of side dishes to go with the meat. They say the side dishes use ingredients they grow themselves in Yangyang.

The kai-pira lettuce served as a wrap vegetable was especially memorable. I heard it was grown at a farm certified for sterile, pesticide-free cultivation.

I do not usually reach for wrap vegetables when eating meat, but that day the lettuce was so soft that I kept making wraps with it.

How did the salt-aged pork belly taste and feel?

The pork belly was thick and juicy. Its savory flavor came through the more I chewed, and it tasted richer than the pork belly I usually eat.

Despite its thickness, it was tender rather than tough, so it was easy for a child to eat as well. It was mild rather than salty, and even in the fatty parts, the nutty flavor came through before any richness.

The cooked fat was chewy yet tender, while the lean meat stayed juicy. I usually stop after a few pieces if the fat is too thick or greasy, but that day I enjoyed the fatty portions for their nutty flavor too.

They say they prepare ingredients in small batches often to maintain freshness and actively use locally produced ingredients. What stood out most from this meal was the thick yet tender pork belly and the kai-pira lettuce served as wraps.