Robert Evans/Eater
Barbecue has very long been an integral component of Korean cuisine. Dishes like bulgogi day again centuries, although depictions demonstrate noblemen gathering outside in the 18th century to grill meat over an open fire while drinking and reciting poetry. These days there’s no scarcity of barbecue dining places in the state, particularly Seoul — even though there is loads of mediocre barbecue as well, so it’s great to know what to glance for.
Pretty much any product can acquire heart stage in Korean barbecue: Pork, beef, and hen are all normal, and organ meats are commonly preferred as properly. The most coveted are cuts of hanwoo, Korea’s beloved indigenous cow breed acknowledged for its flavorful, fatty marbling (there are above 120 text in the Korean dictionary to describe particular beef components, if you want to get technological). Sourcing very good substances is essential though occasionally extreme marination can mask the flavor of inferior products and solutions, on the whole, planning for Korean barbecue is rather easy, letting natural high quality to demonstrate as a result of. Mouthwatering residence-manufactured banchan is also a excellent indicator of a standout cafe. So is siksa (practically “meal”), a carb-based dish that could stand alone as a meal but performs even much better following a round of barbecue, with popular options together with naengmyeon (chilly noodles), fried rice, and kimchi jjigae, as perfectly as much more unconventional requires that new dining establishments use to distinguish by themselves.
Think about this tutorial a beginning issue as you eat your way all-around Seoul. The record contains some timeless classics mixed with some hotshot newcomers every person is chatting about. No make a difference in which you decide, be ready to hold out in line, as most places to eat do not just take reservations. As lengthy as you decide on the correct cafe, the wait is always worthy of it.
Matty Yangwoo Kim is a former Eater intern and a photographer of A Incredibly Major Cookbook. Exterior his day job, he eats his way all around Seoul, generally documenting places to eat and chefs as a result of the lens.
Notice: Places to eat on this map are detailed geographically.