I visited Ggupdang over the Chuseok holiday. Honestly, hitting up popular places like this during the holidays is the way to do it. Normally, reservations are almost impossible to get.

The place

We went right at opening, so it looks quiet, but it filled up in no time.

The table setting

For a Korean BBQ place, the setup is really nice.

The meat

The color is just gorgeous. We ordered two servings each of pork neck, pork belly, and their signature “ggupsal” cut. The meat quality was great and they grilled it perfectly for us.

KOKUMI rice

Apparently this is some kind of really special rice.

Doenjang jjigae

Not a single thing here was anything less than delicious.

Hwasim Roasted Sweet Potato Soju, Sherry Cask

This one is a rare find that’s hard to get hold of, and I got to drink it. Honestly, if Korean soju is this good, there’s no need to envy whisky. A sherry influence this rich isn’t that common even among whiskies. I guess the maker really nailed the character of a sherry-cask whisky.

The soju bottle

But when I posted a photo of this bottle, I got flooded with comments asking whether it was a Hibiki knockoff. It’s a limited edition, and if it tastes this good, I don’t think a somewhat similar design is a big deal, but the reaction felt a bit over the top. Anyway, they no longer make soju in this bottle design.

Bibim-myeon

This is exactly what you crave when you’re drinking.

Fresh truffle Chapagetti

This was seriously delicious. Apparently it’s a must-order whenever you visit Ggupdang.

Boshe

They told me this is a mead. It’s a drink fermented from honey, but even so it isn’t that sweet; it has a hint of maesil-ju (plum liqueur) about it, with a refined flavor where the acidity really stands out. Korea’s brewing skills have come this far. It was honestly astonishing.

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