Jongjeom Sutbul Galbi: Solitary Gourmet Pork Ribs in Seoul
Personally, I prefer dwaeji galbi (marinated pork ribs) over samgyeopsal (pork belly). Of course, beef is the absolute best. Today was one of those days when I was really craving pork ribs, so I searched for a rib joint near Itaewon where we were supposed to meet. While searching, I stumbled upon a picture of a very familiar man eating ribs.
'Goro-san is eating ribs!'
The main character of "Solitary Gourmet"—a favorite show among food lovers—was happily munching on ribs with his signature appetizing expressions. I didn't know much about the restaurant itself, but just the fact that it appeared on "Solitary Gourmet" was enough to pique my curiosity.
Perhaps because of COVID, there weren't that many customers in the restaurant. It being a weekday played a part, but honestly, the accessibility isn't great. True to its name, "Jongjeom Sutbul Galbi" (Terminal Charcoal Ribs), it's located right next to a bus terminal, which makes it quite a walk from the subway station.
The meat is slightly on the pricey side. We ordered a portion for each person, grilled it up, and took a bite. There is definitely something that sets this place apart from others. Usually, when you think of pork ribs, they are marinated in a sweet sauce, and you eat them without really knowing if the sweetness comes from the meat or the marinade. However, the sauce here is not sweet. It feels a bit strange to eat pork ribs that aren't sweet.
It sounds weird, but it's actually really good when you try it. Normally, because the ribs are sweet, I always make sure to eat them with a bowl of rice. But today, I ate until I was stuffed without any rice at all. It felt like I was eating a completely different category of ribs—as if this is what pork ribs were originally meant to be.
Like some of my other regular spots, this place probably used to cater mostly to the local neighborhood before suddenly turning into a restaurant with long lines. Fortunately, the wait wasn't too bad for us, but since it was featured on such a famous Japanese show, it's probably best to go early.