Myeongdong Korean Gastropub – I was in search of another place to dine and I was in luck upon finding Myeongdong Korean Gastropub. It was a sponsored post and I was hesitant to try at first, but we were glad we did because what we got was worth every penny we spent.
We met up with our old-time badminton friends and we requested to dine at a child-friendly place. So, they told us to decide where to eat and I accidentally learned about Myeongdong Korean Gastropub through ads.
Just like any other restaurant, we also checked out the Myeongdong Korean Gastropub menu to see if there is anything that would interest our toddler. My eyes lit up upon seeing Fried Chicken on the menu.
The 3-month-old Korean resto had a lot to offer on its menu and seemed very authentic so we decided to see for ourselves if they served quality food. I was scared at first because Myeongdong Korean Gastropub’s social media did not post many food photos.
But since we didn’t have time to look for another, we agreed to give the newbie resto a chance. When we arrived at the resto, our friends were all there and their order of Myeongdong Nachos has just arrived.
Myeongdong Nachos
Fried wanton skins are piled on the plate and topped with guacamole, pulled pork, fresh tomatoes, onions, and spring onions. My son was not a fan of the green-colored guacamole so he only enjoy the crispy wanton skins.
Our friends did not appreciate the nachos that much, however, I am sure that Western people who love avocados would like Myeongdong Nachos. The fresh tomatoes, onions, and spring onions added a refreshing taste to the savory pulled pork and creamy guacamole toppings.
Pork Samgyeupsal and Beef Marinated Enoki
The first two dishes to arrive after the appetizer are the Pork Samgyeupsal and Beef Marinated Enoki. The two plates included kimchi, ssamjang (soybean paste), sesame oil with salt and pepper, and a bowl of fresh romaine lettuce with fresh garlic slices.
We approve of the Pork Samgyuepsal because the meat was not so fatty. It had the right amount of fat just enough to add flavor to your ssambap (Korean lettuce wrap). Their version of kimchi is good, but I am just not sure if it was made by the chef personally.
I especially liked Beef Marinated Enoki, because the plain, crunchy, and chewy enoki blended so well with the marinated beef that wraps it. It was also so good when wrapped in lettuce with a little bit of ssamjang and sesame oil.
Original Kimbap
If you have watched Extraordinary Attorney Woo, you must’ve known about kimbap because it is the main character’s favorite food in the series. I too almost wanted to try out the kimbap she was eating in the series if I was not on a low-carb diet.
But I was glad that the original kimbap that was included in the set was not too rice-y. Most of the kimbap have a lot of rice rolled together with the other ingredients. The original kimbap had Spam, carrots, cucumber, scrambled egg, pickled radish, and fish cake.
Klook.comThe mayo added a creamy flavor to the kimbap, so it tasted great on its own. No wonder it is a go-to food for Koreans! I should try it out when we visit Korea in the future, to see for myself the difference from the ones made in our country.
Jokbal (Pig Trotter)
Next to arrive is the Jokbal from the Bossam & Jokbal set. Braised in soy sauce and spices, the pig trotter slices are a great addition to your ssambap experience. If you haven’t tried it, you might as well visit Myeongdong Korean Gastropub for that authentic Jokbal dish.
The plate also included kimchi, ssamjang, and a bowl of lettuce. As a plus, the bowl also included sesame leaves (which are not offered in other samgyeupsal restos). What differentiates jokbal from other meats is that it has pig skin so you get a chewy part with each piece.
In Korean series, I often see Koreans eat grilled pig’s skin. They say that collagen helps their skin to become more elastic, thereby helping them to maintain their youthful glow. So, if you also want to achieve that glassy skin Koreans do and at the same time enjoy a delish dish, try out jokbal!
Bossam (Pork Shoulder)
Another dish that you need to take note of when eating at an authentic Korean restaurant is the Bossam. Thin slices of pork shoulder boiled in soy sauce and spices taste great after you dip them in the spicy salted shrimp sauce.
You can also enjoy bossam in a Korean lettuce wrap with a bit of your preferred sauce and rice. But since we are low-carb eaters (me and my husband), we enjoy the meat in a lettuce wrap with kimchi.
Beef Bulgogi
One of the safest food to order when going to a Korean restaurant is Beef Bulgogi. Because of its sweet taste, many people love bulgogi marinated meats, may it be pork, chicken, or beef. But Myeongdong Korean Gastropub made its beef bulgogi a little different than the other versions.
When I was getting a spoonful for hubby, I found that there were chopped chillis on top of the beef slices. Hubby dislikes eating spicy food except on some occasions. So the little amount of meat was what he only ate.
I, on the other hand, liked Myeongdong Korean Gastropub’s beef bulgogi. The spicy taste has given a different twist to the usual sweet bulgogi flavor you can find in any other restaurant. Overall, I give beef bulgogi a thumbs up!
Fried Chicken with Gravy
Ten big pieces of Fried Chicken came along with two small bowls of gravy after the beef bulgogi. While it was good the chicken pieces were big, we found they were mostly breast parts. So, it wasn’t the best tasting for we prefer thighs and legs over chicken white meats.
We also didn’t like the gravy because it was a bit creamier than normal gravy. I think the fried chicken tasted better with tomato catsup. My son only ate one piece of fried chicken, probably because he was too overwhelmed by all the people around.
Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles)
The Japchae that was included in the Jokbal and Bossam set arrived before we finished all the other dishes. A big serving of Korean glass noodles topped with pork strips, julienne carrots, sliced shiitake mushrooms, onions, and spring onions came on a big white plate.
Of course, a japchae wouldn’t be complete without sesame seeds. The japchae was seasoned fairly well, not too salty nor too sweet. It had the balance of both tastes so you wouldn’t mind eating bite after bite.
Cheese Tteokbokki
Contrary to the norm, Cheese Tteokbokki was served the last among all our orders. Usually, tteokbokki is an appetizer, but we even had to remind the servers of our rice cake. They must have missed our order because it took a while before they were able to serve the “supposedly” appetizer.
Another thing we want to take note of is that what they served us was incorrect. We ordered double cheese tteokbokki, but what arrived was only cheese tteokbokki. Nonetheless, Myeongdong Korean Gastropub’s cheese tteokbokki didn’t fail us.
It had the authentic Korean tteokbokki taste. While the ones in Korean streets are a bit tastier and spicier, we loved the soft and mushy rice cakes coated with spicy gochujang and cheese. The fish cakes also were not that fishy, so we’ll definitely order tteokbokki again on our next visit.
Conclusion
I’m glad I didn’t let my hesitation stop us from trying Myeongdong Korean Gastropub. While it wasn’t really a space for bringing children, it serves great food that even children can enjoy.
Thankfully, even though we decided on the restaurant at the last minute, it wasn’t that full. I was afraid we wouldn’t have a table, but since it wasn’t that popular yet, we were able to score a table even if they didn’t allow reservations.
If you are a fan of Korean dishes, you should try out Myeongdong Korean Gastropub. I’m sure you wouldn’t get disappointed. You can also find some other Japanese and Filipino dishes to go with the alcoholic beverages of your choice.
Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed the food or not!
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