A friend came out to Gangnam Station and suggested we go eat some meat, and after dithering over where to go we settled on the safe bet, Bongpiyang. It sits behind Samsung Town, near the Koatel building. It’s such a well-known place that I’ve been several times before and posted about it on the blog.
Onions
I usually shoot the first frame just to set the white balance.
Side dishes
Every one of them looked so good that I kept reaching for them.
More side dishes
Bongpiyang is famous not only for the meat but for its rice-and-noodle dishes too, so maybe the wide spread of side dishes is meant for the people who come in just for a meal. Or maybe they’re simply generous with the extras.
Unmarinated beef
Gorgeous color on it.
They grill it for you, and they do it well.
Isn’t “worth every penny” the phrase you use at a moment like this..
Eaten while it’s still rare..
it’s absolutely killer..
Yangnyeom galbi, if I remember right.
The marinade seems to be done bulgogi-style. A touch sweet, but that turns out to be a treat of its own. It tasted better than it looked.
Naengmyeon
Proper Pyongyang-style naengmyeon. I enjoyed mine, though Pyongyang naengmyeon does tend to divide people. The verdict that day was that it was fine, but it didn’t draw the raves we had when we ate Hamhung naengmyeon at Heukdonga or Rose Hill.
Dessert
A clean dessert to close out the course. Far classier than being handed a mint candy on the way out. That’s a matter of taste too, of course, and I’m sure some people would rather have the mint.
Tea
If you stick to pork plus naengmyeon, Bongpiyang is a place with wonderful value where 40,000-50,000 won a head gets you a delicious, filling meal (though you could argue that’s steep for pork..), but once beef enters the picture the budget climbs fast. Depending on the day you can also just come in for a meal and leave, and that range is the charm of this place. We ate a bit too much this time, but my rich friend picked up the tab and I was hugely grateful. It was a day that made me feel friendship only gets more precious as you get older.