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Hongji Roast Review: A Retro Korean BBQ Experience in Jongno

Hello everyone, I’m Jeong Yong! Today, I’m in Jongno, right behind Nakwon Arcade and Nakwon Market. Parking around here is a nightmare, but I’ve come to check out a highly-rated Korean BBQ restaurant nearby. It’s right there! I’m trying to arrive right at their opening time to give you a detailed review. Let’s go!

First Impressions of Hongji Roast

I’ve wanted to visit Hongji Roast since last year, but I haven’t had the chance. Coming to Jongno from Gyeonggi-do requires planning a whole day. The traffic is terrible, and parking is extremely difficult. I struggled a bit with parking today. Anyway, I’m finally here at Hongji Roast. I believe they opened around the second half of 2023, so they’ve been open for about a year and a half. Despite not being around for very long, they’ve gained a lot of attention. Many famous celebrities and gourmets have visited. I’m not sure where the gourmets appeared, but the food must be good to gain such popularity. I’ll review their strengths and unique features one by one.

Atmosphere and Interior

I’m visiting right at the opening time – 2 PM. Most Korean BBQ restaurants open at 5 PM these days, so the 2 PM opening is great for me because it’s easier to film without many customers. Hongji Roast’s interior has a retro feel, a nostalgic vibe. They’ve mixed these elements to create a comfortable and sentimental atmosphere for dining. The restaurant has approximately 18 tables.

Menu Overview

Let’s take a look at the menu. They have three main cuts of meat: Pork Belly (Ogyeopsal), Fresh Ribs (Saeng Galbi), and Brisket (Chadol). The Pork Belly is 16,000 won for 150g. As expected, prices in Seoul are above 10,000 won per 100g – it’s the norm now. It’s so common that I don’t even feel like it’s expensive anymore. They also have Pork Rind (Ggeobdegi) and Marinated Pork Rind as side dishes. For stews, they offer Beef and Soybean Paste Stew (Sogogi 된장찌개) and Zucchini Stew (애호박찌개) for 8,000 won each. They also have Cold Noodles (Mul Naengmyeon) and Spicy Cold Noodles (Bibim Naengmyeon) in the Pyeongyang style, which I’m excited to try. Besides that, they have highballs and other alcoholic beverages. It’s a simple menu focusing on pork, so I’ll order the Pork Belly and Fresh Ribs.

Banchan (Side Dishes) and Grill

The side dishes are excellent. They have pickled chili peppers, white kimchi, scallion salad, and kimchi with salted pollack roe. The sauces are diverse, and they even have a spring salad (Saengcheori). The grill is unique – a thick cast iron grill, about 5mm or more in thickness. Underneath, there’s a gas burner with a heat shield to distribute the heat evenly. The grill seems custom-made.

Grilling and Tasting the Pork Belly

Alright, let’s start grilling! The meat looks good, cut at a slight angle, and the meat is nicely chilled and feels elastic. The color of the meat is a bit darker, suggesting a brief dry-aging process. The thickness is about 8mm to 1cm, so it’s important to cook it gently with a Maillard reaction. This will make it much more delicious. Especially the part with a lot of lean meat and cartilage has more lean meat, so it’s better to take it out quickly. The grill is also great – they have a separate space to keep the cooked meat warm. The smoke ventilation is excellent. As it cooks, a savory and nutty aroma rises with a sweet scent, indicating high-quality meat. Just a little salt… the first bite is always the best! It’s rich and flavorful.

The dry-aging enhances the pork flavor while chewing. Sensitive people might think it smells a bit gamey, but removing unnecessary moisture intensifies the natural flavors of the meat. The sweetness also comes through, and the texture is soft. It has many great qualities. Let’s try the cartilage. It’s soft and the fat is finely distributed. The meat itself is excellent. The balance of lean meat and fat is perfect right now. As the weather gets warmer, the meat quality will fluctuate. This is the perfect time to enjoy it.

More Side Dish Delights

The spring salad is delicious, cool and refreshing with a hint of vinegar, sesame oil, and just the right amount of seasoning. The kimchi is fantastic. Even without the grandmothers around, the side dishes taste like homemade food. It’s like a combination of mother’s cooking with a touch of Seoul’s sensibility – a compromise at the right level. A good Korean BBQ restaurant should have a variety of kimchi and fresh salads. I’ve always emphasized this in my restaurant reviews, and Hongji Roast has many of those elements. To survive in this recession, a BBQ restaurant needs to differentiate its sauces, stews, and side dishes. Hongji Roast is truly solid. Places that become famous quickly have a reason.

Zucchini Stew (애호박찌개)

I’ll add the zucchini stew and two more servings of fresh ribs. The zucchini stew reminds me of Myunghwa Restaurant in Jeolla Province, which is known for having the best-selling zucchini stew in the country. It seems like they’re trying to create something similar. It tastes like a restaurant-style dish, meaning it has a strong and stimulating flavor from MSG. Most customers will probably enjoy it. Zucchini stew usually has a strong sweet taste, and while this one has sweetness, it’s been toned down appropriately. It’s both spicy and sweet. Perfect for a drink.

Fresh Ribs (생갈비) Presentation and Taste

They carve the fresh ribs beautifully. They take the ribs and meticulously trim them, creating a visually appealing presentation resembling a flower. This sets them apart from other restaurants. It shows a lot of consideration. It seems someone with experience in the restaurant business created this. They should explain the cut when serving it, as customers might be confused. The fresh ribs are made from the skirt meat (Gabrisal), so it’s hard to go wrong. If you don’t like pork belly, you can just stick to the fresh ribs. Some restaurants serve similar cuts thinly sliced, like Gold Pig Restaurant, but because they use charcoal, the flavor is different. This tastes like something you could make at home, but the cast iron grill elevates the flavor and makes it noticeably better.

Pyeongyang Cold Noodles (평양냉면)

One order of water Pyeongyang cold noodles, please. It comes with garnish and sliced pear. The broth seems freshly made, and the buckwheat noodles are probably pre-made. Let me try the broth first. This is a high-difficulty Pyeongyang cold noodle with a very strong flavor. It’s different from what I expected. The broth is also too cold, creating a disconnect between the noodles and the broth. The real point of Pyeongyang cold noodles is the natural meat broth flavor, but to enhance that flavor, they add MSG. The MSG overpowers the natural flavor. Pyeongyang cold noodle enthusiasts might be disappointed. It’s not the Pyeongyang cold noodle you imagine, but a more commercialized version. If you’re curious, try ordering it. The meat and side dishes were great, but the cold noodles were a bit disappointing. But it’s okay not to be perfect. Being too perfect is boring. You should have at least one flaw, and I found one!

Final Thoughts on Hongji Roast

I enjoyed my meal at Hongji Roast. In summary, it’s a very good restaurant. I’ve explained the reasons – the variety of side dishes, the effort put into making them, and the unique flavors. They’ve also selected high-quality meat that suits their system. Even though the meat is thinly sliced, it’s not necessarily bad. There are too many thick cuts of meat these days, so they’ve differentiated themselves by creating a delicious flavor with thin slices. Those who dislike strong flavors might find the zucchini stew overwhelming, but those who usually enjoy home-cooked meals might find it a bit too stimulating. However, the flavor itself is well-balanced. The Pyeongyang cold noodles might disappoint those who really like Pyeongyang cold noodles. However, some might like this style of flavor. Personally, I found the cold noodles a bit disappointing. Overall, the restaurant has a nostalgic feel while capturing the tastes of modern customers – a balanced restaurant. The environment is not luxurious or pristine. Those who enjoy a casual drink with friends will probably be very satisfied with the atmosphere. There are some pros and cons, but the pros outweigh the cons, so I can personally recommend this restaurant. I enjoyed my meal!

Google Search Assessment

Based on a Google search for restaurants near Nakwon Arcade and reviews, Hongji Roast appears to be a consistently well-reviewed establishment. Reviews frequently mention the quality of the pork, the retro atmosphere, and the unique side dishes. The location is considered convenient, though parking can be challenging, as I experienced firsthand. The general consensus from online reviews aligns with my experience – a solid Korean BBQ restaurant with a few minor shortcomings.