Ggupdang Sinsa — Restaurant in Seoul

I almost gave up before even arriving — I got a little lost trying to find this place, but I insisted because a friend had recommended it to me, and I knew it had a Michelin star. Since arriving in Korea, I’ve mostly been eating at “normal” local spots — everything is just good here — and because my brother-in-law is Korean (and used to live here), he’s taken us to so many little hidden gems that most tourists would probably miss.

Today, I was spending the day alone and realized I wasn’t far from Kkubdang. I knew they usually require a minimum of two people, but I made my way there anyway. I arrived just past 3 PM when they had just opened, and there was no waiting list yet. When they asked how many, I said “one,” and they immediately reminded me of the two-person minimum. I asked if they could make an exception — they said no — and I decided to stay regardless. I ordered for two, thinking it would be way too much food. It wasn’t.

Even though I’m tiny and usually don’t eat much in one sitting, I finished everything — so for a regular appetite, I definitely think the portions would not be enough for two people. They guide you on how to eat the meat for the best experience, and honestly, the Michelin star is completely deserved.

My favorite combination was the pork mixed with their amazing smoked brown rice, a touch of wasabi, and the ginger — damn, what a combination! I didn’t even like wasabi that much before this, but this meal changed my mind completely. They also pair the pork with fresh green leaves, and that bite was just as perfect — smoky, fresh, and flavorful.

Overall, this ended up being the cheapest Michelin-star experience I’ve ever had! And worth...

So we chose this as our first place to eat in Korea because of the Michelin Bib Gourmand designation and it kick started our Korean food journey perfectly!

You have a dedicated meat griller and ours was amazing. He recommended in this order 1) pork shoulder/neck, 2) pork cheek and 3) pork belly 4) pork shank. I ended up getting some of each type of meat but I would actually recommend that you get multiple orders of the higher rated items because they are so good you will want more. Pork belly was okay, I wished we had just stuck with the pork shoulder and cheek but it was good to try the others so we knew. The griller recommended that we try the different bits of meat with different accompaniments, wasabi and ginger or marinated perilla leaves with a thin layer of radish and dipped in salt and ssamjam. Both were eye opening combos so make sure you try them.

One major thing to note: THE NOODLES ARE A MUST. Seriously the best thing there. We ended up ordering extra once we were already full. The freshly shaved truffle and poached eggs on the perfectly chewy noodles was a standout. And it was $7. All I have to say. Thought about these noodles for the rest of our trip.

Service was super efficient probably because there was a long line once we left but we showed up right before 6pm and our party of 5 was seated right away. We were in and out in about 45 minutes which is great when you have impatient kids. Also, don’t forget to put your jacket and bags inside the seats to...

As a Chinese-American traveler, this was one of the most humiliating and disappointing dining experiences I’ve ever had — and it happened at a restaurant listed by the Michelin Guide.

I had a confirmed reservation under my name(it also asked for my nationality when making reservation), and when I arrived, my name was clearly in the system. But as soon as the staff saw me, they became suspicious — they think i should be a Chinese which didn’t match what’s in the system— I was ignored, questioned, and eventually told to “get out.” They refused to check my passport or listen to my translator. They gave me a handwritten paper and told me to “line up again,” effectively throwing away my reservation because of how I looked.

Even after getting in, the experience was far from Michelin-worthy:

– I was seated next to two large trash bins, – An open flame was burning dangerously close to my legs, – Staff wore black gloves but used them for everything: touching bowls, serving food, wiping tables with chemicals, adjusting uniforms — all with the same gloves, – Clean plates were placed directly on the ground before being used, – Hygiene was clearly not a priority.

This is not just bad service — it’s discrimination and health hazard. Michelin should seriously reconsider its endorsement of...