Mild spicy ribs at Gimcheongja, a Seongnam Korean restaurant

Now that I’m in my 30s, I have no idea why I love Korean food this much. Haha. This time I was really craving something hot and spicy, so I went to Gimcheongja Maeun Galbijjim (김청자매운갈비찜)! Spicy braised ribs mixed into rice are a real rice thief~~🚨 The broth in particular was packed with savory flavor and had a nice kick, so it was seriously delicious.

The atmosphere and seating

Inside Gimcheongja Maeun Galbijjim, the overall atmosphere was bright and neat. The restaurant was tidily kept, so it felt hygienic, and the tables were spaced fairly generously for a relaxed meal! On the left side of the photo, there was also a separate room-like space. I think there were about two tables inside.

Ordering spicy braised pork ribs and sides

This is the Gimcheongja Maeun Galbijjim menu~~ Their spicy braised pork ribs are usually the famous item, but they also had spicy braised beef ribs here!? I debated pork versus beef for ages, but figured I should try the original menu, so that’s what I ordered!

• Mild spicy braised pork ribs for 2
• Steamed egg
• Cheese balls (5)

Side dishes served with the spicy braised ribs

The side dishes that go so well with spicy braised ribs arrived nicely arranged too. There was a variety, from macaroni and bean sprouts to perilla leaves, roasted seaweed, and kimchi~~ Every one was tasty, so they were great alongside the ribs!

Soft steamed egg

You can’t leave out steamed egg with spicy braised ribs! The steamed egg arrived warm and bouncy; it was mild and soft~~ and practically melted in my mouth.

Especially after a bite of spicy braised ribs, a spoonful of steamed egg gently neutralizes the heat, making the whole meal even better. If you’re planning to have the spicy braised ribs, I highly, highly recommend ordering the steamed egg too!

Five cheese balls dipped in the broth

The cheese balls came out too! There are five in total~~ They’re so round and look absolutely delicious, right? Crispy outside and moist inside, with mild, salty cheese stretching out from the middle—they were chewy and really good.

They were delicious on their own, but they were also so good dipped right into the spicy braised-rib broth! Once the cheese ball soaked up that spicy, savory broth, it had another kind of appeal—almost like kimchi nabe pork cutlet.

If you want an even more abundant meal, be sure to order fried items or cheese balls along with it! They go wonderfully with the spicy braised-rib broth.

How spicy are the mild spicy braised pork ribs?

At last, the spicy braised pork ribs arrived! We ordered the mild level~~ They say the mild level is about as spicy as Shin Ramyun. For someone like me who is weak with spice, it was perfectly enjoyable: hot and spicy, but not overwhelming! It wasn’t just aggressively hot either—the spicy broth had a subtle savory depth, and it was so delicious with rice.

If you like spicy food but find very intense heat a little daunting, I recommend starting with Gimcheongja’s mild spicy braised pork ribs~

The hot, bright-red spicy broth began bubbling away~~ Every so often, a staff member came by and stirred it evenly like this so the ribs wouldn’t stick to the pot.

There were plenty of chewy flat glass noodles too. The spicy, deeply savory braised-rib broth seeped into every fold of the noodles, and slurping them up was so delicious~~~

There was more meat than I expected too! The pork was tender with a pleasantly chewy texture, and it had none of that distinctive porky smell, so it was easy to enjoy cleanly!

The mild meat had soaked up the spicy, savory broth, so it was delicious even on its own. Mixing the spicy broth into rice and topping it with a piece of meat was another treat!

Once I mixed rice into the broth too, I understood why spicy braised ribs are called a rice thief. It was the kind of flavor that kept me reaching for another bite!

There were chewy rice-cake add-ins as well, so it felt quite substantial without ordering any extra additions. We had just the standard set, yet the portion was generous enough to leave us pretty full!

As the broth reduced, the flavor became richer, which actually made it even more delicious! At first it was hot and spicy, but as it cooked down, it gained a saltier depth and fuller aroma, with the savory flavor growing stronger and stronger.

As the broth shrank down, pieces of meat that had been hiding in the pot began appearing one by one~~~ I mean, I’d already kept eating meat, and then more came out, and more! There was honestly much more meat than expected, so we ate heartily right to the end.

I wrapped the spicy braised pork ribs in seasoned perilla leaves and ate them as ssam (leaf wraps), and that was really delicious too~~ The salty flavor of the seasoned perilla leaves added another layer to the spicy, savory ribs. It had a different appeal from simply eating everything with rice, so I recommend trying at least one wrap too! Haha.

Gimcheongja Maeun Galbijjim was a really tasty meal, with spicy, savory broth and tender, plentiful ribs! Even for a spice weakling like me, the mild level was easy to enjoy, and with the flat glass noodles, rice cakes, and seasoned perilla leaves, it made for a truly filling meal.