Saturday Night at Hwanggane: A Local Meat Feast

Last Saturday, I visited Hwanggane Jeong-yuk Sik-dang. What makes this place special is the atmosphere. It’s a remodeled old Hanok(한옥, traditional Korean house), and you can still see the beautiful wooden ceiling structures.

As a typical local spot, there are a few rules: self-service for extra side dishes and a one-menu-per-person policy. The origin of the ingredients is also clearly displayed, which adds to the trust.

The side dishes arrived quickly. Along with fresh lettuce and peppers, they served Kimchi(김치, fermented vegetables), Broccoli-chojang(브로콜리초장, broccoli with sweet and spicy dipping sauce), and even Celery-mayonnaise(샐러리 마요네즈, celery with mayonnaise).

But the most distinctive part? The Saeng-so-gan(생소간, raw beef liver) and Cheon-yeop(천엽, omasum tripe). They are served fresh and are quite polarizing.

Now, for the main event. I started with Jebichuri(제비추리, lean beef) and Hangjeongsal(항정살, pork jowl) along with Saesongi-beoseot(새송이버섯, king oyster mushrooms).

I grilled the Jebichuri(제비추리, lean beef) first with some garlic. The sound of the sizzle and the smell of the charcoal-grilled meat were incredible.

A Korean BBQ night isn't complete without Soju(소주, Korean distilled spirit). I started with two bottles of Jinro. It pairs perfectly with the rich flavor of the meat.

Next up was the Hangjeongsal(항정살, pork jowl). I still wanted a bit more, so I ordered Daepae-ogyeopsal(대패오겹살, thinly sliced five-layered pork belly). Its crispy texture was a great follow-up.

To wrap up the meal, I ordered both Mul-naengmyeon(물냉면, cold buckwheat noodles) and Bibim-naengmyeon(비빔냉면, spicy cold noodles). The cold noodles are the best way to cleanse the palate after all that grilled meat.

By the end of the night, we had finished three bottles of Soju. It was a perfect Saturday feast—nothing fancy, just real, delicious food.