[Michelin Muk-eobollang] Ate at Seoul's Top 3 Restaurants and Opened My Eyes to Jokbal

This Place Is Truly Serious About Jokbal

Editor's NoteIf you are interested in food, you have probably heard of the bestseller "Michelin Guide." According to the official website, it provides useful information for those seeking unforgettable experiences. So, the Drinkit editors took on the challenge to see if these Michelin Guide restaurants can offer flavors that move even the most ordinary and mainstream among us. Michelin Guide restaurants, here we come!

Korea’s top three late-night snacks are bossam (boiled pork wraps), chicken, and jokbal (pig’s trotters)! Among them, jokbal is a reliable dish that you can enjoy even late at night while saying, “Collagen doesn’t make you gain weight. It all goes to your skin.” When you finish with a shiny, glistening jokbal topped with finely chopped garlic wrapped in a lettuce leaf, you can end your day with a happy fullness.

There is a place that has been running jokbal business for nearly 30 years and is considered one of Seoul’s top three jokbal restaurants. It was even selected for the Michelin Seoul Bib Gourmand for six consecutive years, including 2022. The star of the show is Manjok Ohhyang Jokbal located in City Hall. As the first place in Korea to develop whole jokbal, it can be considered the originator of the jokbal we eat today.

Perhaps because it is a somewhat heavy dish to eat casually, the place was quiet even during the busy lunch hour filled with office workers, allowing immediate seating without waiting in line.

What is the secret to its deliciousness?

The first dish to arrive is tteok-mandu-guk (rice cake and dumpling soup). Its main-course-like appearance might surprise you, but since it is served as a complimentary dish, you can enjoy it without hesitation. Once it boils vigorously, a staff member pours beaten egg into the soup, completing it. On its own, it might taste a bit bland, but it pairs perfectly with the rich jokbal. After eating jokbal, a warm spoonful of this broth helps the meat slide down smoothly. This subtle harmony with all the dishes in the restaurant is the first secret of this place that keeps you coming back.

Even looking again, the contents are too generous to be considered just a service! The dumpling skin is thin enough to show the filling without tasting floury, and the rice cakes are soft and tender, making it easy to slurp along with the broth.

The second secret of this place lies in this cabbage. It is served in a large bowl with a transparent sauce, and you dip fresh shredded cabbage into it. Although the editor usually enjoys strong flavors, the sauce alone was so intense it made me frown, but when mixed with the cabbage, it was a perfect combination. You really have a plan!

Dipping the jokbal in the sauce and placing it on the cabbage lets you enjoy the mildness of the meat and the tanginess of the sauce simultaneously, and after eating the fatty jokbal, you can refresh your palate with this salad-like side.

Jokbal, what’s your charm?

Finally, the jokbal itself. At first glance, it looks no different from ordinary jokbal. But as soon as you put it in your mouth, you can immediately tell the difference. The shine on the skin is not greasy but clean. Those who disliked the oily residue on their lips after eating jokbal will be very satisfied.

Especially, this jokbal has no dry meat. Every part melts softly in your mouth, and you can feel the grain of the meat clearly. Also, many people sensitive to smell avoid pork because of its odor, but this jokbal has no pig-specific unpleasant smell at all. Whether by scent or texture, the team members praised it so much that they were curious about how it was cooked. Under the plate, there is a hot plate attached to keep the warmth a little longer. Such small details reveal the restaurant’s sense.

You can’t leave out bibim (mixed) buckwheat noodles when eating jokbal. Surrounded by various vegetables, the buckwheat noodles were not soggy, proving they were freshly boiled, and each strand was moist and did not stick together. The smooth mixing sensation ♥ and the chewy texture that doesn’t break easily are bonuses!

The bright red sauce looks spicy at first glance, but the taste was milder than expected. Of course, combined with the umami of jokbal, it’s an unbeatable combination, but when eaten alone, the sweet and sour flavor was somewhat lacking.

At this point, I must confess that I was not particularly fond of jokbal until now. Even when I ate it occasionally, it was usually because someone else ordered it, and I never thought of wanting jokbal myself. However, Manjok Ohhyang Jokbal is so satisfying that I want to visit again soon. It made me like jokbal, and since there are branches not only at the City Hall main store but also in various locations, I recommend trying it casually.

Photo by Choi Jihyun