[Pork Belly] Dolsoe Heuk-doyaji, Behind Jeonju High School's Back Gate

Samgyeopsal (pork belly)

★ Taste

• Chilean pork. All-you-can-eat is the main feature here. It's conventional wisdom that domestic (Korean) pork tastes better, but honestly I think there's not much real difference. It comes out lightly pre-grilled, and the rice is all-you-can-eat as well. The flavor is about what you'd expect from a countryside garden restaurant — and I mean that in a good way. If you go with someone who's skilled at grilling meat, you'll probably get the best possible experience out of it. It's tasty even with just a dip in sesame oil and salt. I honestly wonder if there's such a thing as a bad samgyeopsal place. As long as the meat itself is in good condition, pretty much any samgyeopsal restaurant can turn out to be a hidden gem.

• Instead of ordering a bowl of rice, you scoop it yourself straight from the rice cooker. It's not plain white rice but multigrain rice. Personally I prefer brown or multigrain rice over white rice, so this was the perfect combination for me — though if you prefer plain white rice, this might be a bit of a letdown.

• The side dishes — things like spicy anchovies, fish cake, and dongchimi (radish water kimchi) — are set out at a self-serve bar.

★ Price: 13,900 KRW per person

★ Atmosphere

• It has the feel of the garden restaurants I used to visit as a kid, tagging along with the adults. For some reason, there's a sense that if you walked just a little further, you'd stumble onto a mountain valley. Taking your shoes off at the entrance and the gravel parking lot in the yard both stir up that old nostalgic feeling. If you're the type who misses — or wants to experience — that rustic, small-town charm from childhood, you'll find the atmosphere warm and welcoming. But younger folks used to a more modern, urban style might find it a little unfamiliar or dated. Then again, it could turn out to be a good new experience too.

📍 Dolsoe Heuk-doyaji — 52 Gyeonhwonwanggung-ro, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do (063-231-0780)