Jeju City Black Cattle BBQ: Geomeunsoe Molgooneun
In Seogwipo, you can buy Jeju black cattle at the Hanaro Mart Black Cattle Premium Store. I was looking for a similar spot in Jeju City and found a restaurant with the very unique name "Geomeunsoe Molgooneun" (Driving the Black Cattle). My younger sibling came to Jeju for their honeymoon, and I wanted to treat them to a really good meal. It was the perfect choice for hosting guests—a refined dish you can only taste in Jeju.
When we arrived, the exterior was under construction, perhaps for remodeling. Inside and out, it looked like a standard Korean BBQ joint. The only real difference was a plaque on the wall explaining the black cattle ranch run by the owner's father.
Today's menu was the 60,000 KRW Black Cattle Special Course. I thought about just ordering meat to grill, but I was curious about the other dishes made with black cattle, so we went with the special course.
First, the side dishes came out, led by gejang (marinated raw crab). My sibling and their spouse were immediately impressed that we were getting raw crab as a free side.
After that, a variety of dishes were served, from tataki (though I'm not sure if it was traditional tataki) to yukhoe (beef tartare) and tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties). Not only was there a great variety, but the staff also explained each dish as they served it. The food was colorful and delicious, and hearing the background made it even more interesting and flavorful. Above all else, the service mindset of the staff serving and grilling the meat is at a level you rarely see in Jeju.
Once we had filled our stomachs with drinks and various black cattle dishes, they brought in the charcoal fire. They carefully grilled the meat piece by piece, but we all have small appetites and couldn't keep up with the grilling speed. This costs good money, hurry up and eat, what are you doing! ㅠㅠ
Tasting the black cattle, even my unrefined palate could tell it was slightly different from other beef. It's characterized by having less fat and more lean meat, so it's not quite as tender as regular Hanwoo (premium Korean beef), but the savory flavor is much richer. I don't know if it was actually a black cow (it probably was), but the meat definitely tastes different. I can't really say which is better since both are so delicious, but each has its own distinct character, making it well worth the trip.
When people think of Jeju, black pork usually comes to mind, but most don't realize we have black cattle, too. I've always wondered why all the local meats in Jeju are black, but I still don't know the reason. Maybe it's because the rocks are black.
Anyway, if you ever need to treat mainlanders to a unique local dish, why not let them try Jeju black cattle? If you get the set menu, the price isn't too burdensome. (By high-end restaurant standards, of course.)