When we were staying at the Hoam Faulty House at SNU our friend Mi Kwon, widow of the late Jongsoo Chang (see here https://vivskoreanadventures.wordpress.com/2023/11/02/remembering-a-wonderful-friend-jongsoo-chang/ ) came to visit us late one afternoon. We spent a few hours at the small café in Nakseongdae Park, having coffee and reminiscing about Jongsoo. It was lovely to see her again, but sad that it was in such circumstances.
Then she wanted to take us to dinner and chose Hanam Pig House. One of my Korean students here at the university had recommended this restaurant, so we were very happy that Mi took us there.
Hanam Pig House is a restaurant chain in Korea with over 260 branches nationwide and is one of the most famous restaurant chains in South Korea. It is famous for charcoal-grilled pork, especially pork belly. Unlike most BBQ restaurants in Korea where the customers grill the meat themselves, in Hanam Pig House, the pork is grilled in front of customers.
The ambience inside was very relaxed and happy, with wooden tables and padded bench-like seats that lift and hold tableware, and the walls have posters, framed pictures and various sayings painted directly onto the wall. Young people sit and eat, and use their computers. Servers bring a grill to the table to cook the meat that you order, and the service was really good. And, of course, the food was delicious as it always is in Korea! Our menu: the meat, with a dipping sauce, soup, kimchi, side dish of pickles, soju (a popular Korean fermented rice drink). In Korea we are always fascinated with how the person doing the meat cooking uses large sharp scissors to cut the meat, rather than a knife, as is the usual custom in western countries.
The branch we went to is near Seoul National University station, 3 Gwanak-ro 17-gil, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Thank you Mi for making the time to come and see us on our last visit to Seoul.
Experiences in Korea and Japan 