[The Euljiro Eulogies: Jeonju Jip]

Korean Valentine’s Day is peculiar because, unlike the States and much of the world, girls shower their partners or loved ones with gifts and boys reciprocate the following month (called White Day). And the month after that, not surprisingly called Black Day, lonely singles congregate to eat and depress over a bowl of jjajangmyeon. Noodles smothered in black bean sauce to cure even the loneliest of hearts. I personally find these “special” days amusing, but most of my Korean friends take these days to heart and will oblige depending on their relationship status. Needless to say, Korea is very good at commercializing holidays.

In the spirit of Valentine’s, and maybe providing a suggestion to any females in Korea, taking your loved one to Jeonju Jip in Euljiro is one way to show you really care. They serve Valentine’s Day inspired Korean barbecue in the form of beautifully marbled moksal 목살 (neck meat), which according to the owner, is bought fresh, then frozen, and served thinly sliced to give the meat a heftier yet satisfying texture. Although eating fresh meat is associated with being higher quality, the trend for frozen cuts of meat seems to have taken off. And now I understand why.

Grilled on parchment paper to limit oil from splattering, the larger pieces of meat go extremely well with the accompanying lettuce leaves and grilled, non-grilled veggies. The pajeori (scallion salad) was especially unique, containing a raw egg yolk that’s mixed in to provide some creaminess. The plethora of banchan and bokkeumbap 볶음밥 (fried rice) aren’t that bad either, making it no surprise of its impressive 40 years of operation. Other cuts of meat—fresh and frozen—are available upon request, notably fresh samgyeopsal and ori gogi (duck meat). Lastly, don’t forget the friendly green bottle to wash down all that greasy goodness!

Food: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars

Service: ★★★★ out of 5 stars

Ambiance: ★★★½ out of 5 stars

Value: ★★★★½ out of 5 stars

Jeonju Jip 전주집

Ipjeong-dong 251-1 (입정동 251-1)

Phone: 02-2267-8208

Hours: Open every day 09:00 am – 22:00 pm except Sundays

Click here for an interactive map: http://naver.me/G1vNNQID