Ogeunnae Dakgalbi: Michelin Bib Gourmand in Seoul
Whenever you search for a restaurant in the Michelin Guide before visiting, there's always a fierce debate. If a place falls even slightly short of an individual's personal standards for a good restaurant, you'll see a flood of critical reviews like, "Why is this Michelin when it tastes bad?" or "Why is this Michelin when the service is garbage?" The restaurant owners probably don't mind since it's guaranteed advertising, but it definitely makes you hesitate before going.
Ogeunnae Dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) is one of those places with the fewest complaints. I decided on this spot for our unemployed lunch gathering, partly to compare it with the dakgalbi we had in Gangbyeon last time. If you want to eat at the main branch in Yongsan (a district in Seoul), which has terrible accessibility since it's far from the subway station, you can easily expect to wait over an hour. Couples usually kill time taking pictures on the railroad tracks out front while they wait. Fortunately, since it was a late weekday lunch today, we were able to eat right away.
As soon as we sat down, we didn't even have to think: two portions of dakgalbi and an order of ramen noodles. We ordered by the unwritten rules of dakgalbi. Maybe because there weren't many customers, the food came out faster than my last visit. The server told us to keep stirring it and disappeared. We kept flipping it while chatting, and you really have to do it for quite a while. It's not just "my arm hurts a little"—they only add the ramen noodles right about when it feels like both your arms are going to fall off.
Finally, it was time to eat. Ogeunnae Dakgalbi tastes better when you just eat it straight rather than wrapping it in lettuce. The seasoning isn't overpowering, so both the ramen and the chicken taste best when eaten right off the grill. If you want to make a lettuce wrap, you have to put in at least two pieces of meat to really taste it. That's how mild and tender it is, while the lean meat still retains a great chewy texture. The finale is obviously fried rice, but you might find your chopsticks moving so non-stop that you forget about the rice and completely clear the iron pan.
I barely touched the side dishes they served with it. Partly because I was too busy eating the dakgalbi, but also because the cabbage and perilla leaves stir-fried on the grill are just better.
It's not some mind-blowing dakgalbi with a distinct difference from other places, but it is the first restaurant that comes to mind when I think of the dish. The sauce looks like it would be incredibly spicy, but it isn't. I think it might have been selected by Michelin because the spice level is very approachable for foreigners trying this uniquely Korean dish. When you taste it, it has a mild, non-stimulating flavor that pairs better with beer than soju.
Many places on the Bib Gourmand list have wicked prices, but this one isn't too bad. Of course, for dakgalbi, it is at least 1,000 KRW more expensive than other spots. Plus, if you come for lunch or dinner, you'll experience an excruciating wait. And if you come with your girlfriend, you'll have to work hard stirring the pan. It has its drawbacks, but the fact that the dakgalbi is delicious is one massive advantage.
It's the perfect dakgalbi to eat on its own without wraps, so I highly recommend ordering an extra portion or two for your group, or making sure you get the fried rice. I'd want to eat here every week if it weren't for the wait, but that's not easy to pull off.