Munrae Dweji Bulbaek 문래돼지불백 (Mapo-gu, Seoul)

There are very few restaurants that remind me of my mom’s terrific home cooking, which is somewhat strange considering she cooks old-school just like most of the traditional restaurants I review. Some of the best in her arsenal include childhood favorites like kimchi jjigae, galbi, bulgogi, and soy fried chicken wings – all mouthwatering delicious and a dieter’s worst nightmare. But, it was one of my last meals just before returning to Seoul that was the most memorable because it was something she prepared on a whim and it closely resembles this fantastic place near work. The place is called Munrae Dweji Bulbaek and they satisfy customers with one solid dish: DwejiBulbaek 돼지불백 (Korean Pork BBQ Set Meal).

For only 6,000 won per person, you get 200 grams of sweet, juicy, peppery, smokey, grilled marinated pork served with unlimited lettuce wraps, pickled chili peppers, mu saengchae (seasoned radish strips), kongnamul muchim (seasoned beansprouts), rice, and soup. This simple combination has made it a local favorite and, not surprisingly, a very popular spot for hungry taxi drivers (aka gisa sikdang “taxi-driver eatery”), who are well-known for their knowledge of Seoul’s best eats. Besides it being a nostalgic meal when I make my weekly visits, I love the place because you don’t have to wait for the meat to cook, which oftentimes can be annoyingly long at many Korean BBQ joints. Here, the meat is partially pre-cooked and then flash-grilled, making it an ideal place to get a quick bite to eat without putting a dent in your wallet. If you’re a big meat-eater like me, split an extra order of meat (200 grams for 5,000 won) with a loved one and I promise you’ll be leaving stuffed like you’ve eaten at a traditional BBQ joint. 🙂

“One should eat to live, not live to eat.” ~ Moliere

Food: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars