[Michelin Try It] What's So Special About Samgyeopsal...

‘Kkupdang’ 다녀 옴

Editor's NoteIf you are someone interested in food, you have probably heard of the bestseller "Michelin Guide." According to the official website, it provides valuable information for those seeking unforgettable experiences. So, the Drinkit editors took on the challenge to see if the flavors could move even the most ordinary and mainstream among us. Michelin Guide restaurants, here we come!

Looking at the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand (excellent food at reasonable prices) selections, most dishes are noodle-based. Of course, there are various other foods like Dakgalbi and Gukbap, but due to the nature of the ingredients, noodle dishes are relatively affordable.

As the year comes to a close, the consensus was to eat meat, and the highly praised Kkudang was selected for this year's final [Michelin Eat-try] feature.

The place opens at 3 PM, but I was surprised to learn that waiting starts from 1:30 PM. I couldn’t help but think, "What’s so special about Samgyeopsal that people wait an hour and a half..." I didn’t want to wait that long in the cold winter to eat Samgyeopsal, especially since it tastes good even when grilled at home. How much better could it be to warrant such a long wait?

Kkudang was selected as a Michelin restaurant in 2022 and 2023, with 15-day aged pork neck as the main menu. They offer KOKUMI pork neck, Samgyeopsal, and Kkusal, with the recommended dishes being Kkusal and truffle Jjapagetti.

*KOKUMI: A term derived from the Japanese words KOKU (rich) and MI (taste), meaning deep and rich flavor.

We entered at 3 PM and were the third group in, but could only order one serving of Kkusal. Feeling a bit disappointed, we added orders of pork neck and Samgyeopsal. My palate, which usually thinks all meat tastes good, was filled with anticipation as I watched the meat on the grill, saliva flowing along with excitement.

KOKUMI Pork Neck and Kkuksal

It’s not easy to distinguish the grilled meat at first glance. The long piece is Kkusal, and the wider one is pork neck, and they were definitely different. You can truly feel what juicy meat is! It’s not greasy fat but the natural aroma of the meat that you can enjoy. Both flavor and texture were captured perfectly; the pork neck was chewier and crispier, while the Kkusal was tender and soft. The Samgyeopsal also retained its juiciness and was tender despite its thickness.

There was an explanation to make sushi-like bites with KOKUMI rice, meat, and wasabi, so we ordered the rice. Each grain of rice was distinct, nutty, and fragrant, making it delicious even with kimchi, naturally earning a thumbs up. Adding meat to that was truly the icing on the cake.

The unique aroma upon entering Kkudang was from truffle. The Jjapagetti, which could make even a chef cry, tasted completely different from the ones we had at home. It wasn’t just the truffle scent! It was not greasy, chewy, and elicited an involuntary "Oh!"?a whole new flavor of Jjapagetti. The meat was delicious, but to have the Jjapagetti capture the palate like this was impressive.

If you prefer your meat well-done, the grilling done by the staff might not suit your taste. But meat is meat... Especially with ssamjang, wasabi, and kimchi provided, the best seasoning was salt. Without lettuce and perilla leaves, I tend to eat less Samgyeopsal, but with just salt, I easily finished 1.5 servings.

Overall Review

Editor A: Kkusal > Pork Neck > Samgyeopsal (because it had the best flavor and chewiness)

Editor S: Samgyeopsal = Kkusal > Pork Neck (Honestly, all were delicious, so next time I want to eat three servings)

Photo by Yoon Eun-ae

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.