GRILLING SEQUENCE
When ordering a variety of meats for gogi-gui, start with the quick-cooking, unmarinated chadolbaegi to taste its natural flavor.Transition to samgyubsal or pork jowl (hangjeongsal) with their natural fat content, which renders nicely on the hot grill and builds up delicious savory oils.Progress to seasoned meat cuts towards the end of the barbecue. Grilling them last prevents the marinades from prematurely charring the grill.
TOOLS OF THE GUI
Designate a grill master for the table to keep the meal organized, prevent the batch of meat from burning, and ensure everyone gets to eat properly cooked food.Use the provided tongs to handle raw meat and the kitchen scissors to snip the meat into bite-sized pieces right on the grill, once it begins to reach your desired readiness.If the grill top becomes charred or burnt, please ask our staff to exchange it for a fresh one. This is a normal part of the gogi-gui experience.
AVOID CROWDING
Grilling in small, manageable batches is essential. It keeps the rhythm steady so you eat fresh meat off the grill at its peak texture.Overcrowding the grill top with meat drops the overall temperature, traps steam instead of rendering fat, and prevents a proper sear.
FLIP LESS
Resist the urge to move the meat constantly while grilling. Leaving space around each piece lets the heat circulate and creates a delicious caramelized crust. Let it develop a golden-brown crust before flipping.Shift ready-to-eat pieces to the cool outer edges of the grill to keep them warm without overcooking them.
SAUCE PAIRINGS
Pair samgyubsal or chadolbaegi with sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. The clean, nutty oil highlights the crispy, fatty pork and the rich marbling of beef brisket.Pair yangnyeom-galbi with ssamjang. The sauce adds a bold, punchy contrast to the sweet marinade of the galbi.
SIDE QUESTS
Eat the small side dishes (banchan) throughout your meal. The pickled vegetables and seasoned salad with green onions (pachae muchim; 파채무침) help cut through the richness of the fatty meats.
SSAM IT UP
Make bite-sized wraps called ssam (쌈). Place a piece of grilled meat on a fresh lettuce leaf, add a dab of ssamjang, a slice of garlic, and any other fixings. Fold it closed and eat the entire ssam in one bite.Try adding a combination of banchan (반찬)—the shared side dishes—or other wrapping vegetables inside the ssam to deepen the umami taste of the barbecue. There really is no wrong way to do it!Our other wrapping vegetable options to consider:
Ssammu (쌈무)
Pickled radish paper
Myeongi-namul (명이나물)
Mountain garlic leaves
Mugeun-ji (묵은지)
Aged kimchi strips
BIBIM SSAM
Bibim (비빔) means "mixed" or "stirred together" in Korean. Pairing bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold buckwheat noodles) with gogi-gui is a classic pairing, as the cold, tangy, and fiery noodles cuts through the rich, fatty warmth of grilled meats.Simply wrap a piece of grilled samgyubsal or galbi with the cold noodles before slurping them up together for the ultimate bite of contrasting temperatures and textures.
CLOSING ACT
A great way to finish your gogi-gui is by enjoying the last bites of rice (gonggi-bap) with soybean paste stew (doenjang-jjigae) for a balanced meal.We also recommend ordering the cold noodles in chilled broth (mul-naengmyeon) as an encore dish. It is a great palate cleanser that helps cut through the rich, savory flavors of gogi-gui. It is also a good option to split with a friend if you prefer a lighter portion.
A Korean beer cocktail (soju bomb) with a unique taste made by mixing soju—a clear, distilled spirit—and beer. The name itself is a syllable blending of the Korean words "soju" and "maekju" (맥주), which means beer.The cocktail emerged decades ago from South Korea's vibrant after-work social traditions. Somaek is a direct descendant of poktan-ju (폭탄주), or bomb shot, a style of mixed drinks inspired by western boilermakers (shot of whiskey with a beer chaser).While the beer cocktail ratio varies liberally and there is no clear consensus, it is widely suggested that the golden ratio (hwanggeum biyul; 황금비율) is 3 parts soju to 7 parts beer to create a harmonious blend of smoothness and carbonation.
Feel free to mix your own concoction or try these popular ratios:
THE 3:7 RATIO (GOLDEN)
Using a shot glass, pour about ⅔ of a shot of soju into the provided somaek glass and fill it about 70-80% with beer. This hides the harsh burn of the soju while keeping the beer crisp and refreshing.
THE 1:9 RATIO (HONEY)
Pour one small shot of soju (about ⅓ of the shot glass) with nine parts beer into the somaek glass, creating a sweet and smooth honey flavor, and it is meant to be chugged in a single shot ("one-shot").
The 5:5 RATIO (HARDCORE)
Equal parts soju and beer into the somaek glass for a stronger kick.
THE CRUCIAL FINISH
A proper somaek is not just poured; it is dynamically mixed to blend the alcohol and create a creamy foam header. With the somaek glass on the tabletop:
Strike the bottom of the beer glass sharply with a clean metal spoon or chopstick.
Or, submerge the metal spoon into the middle of the somaek glass and repeatedly tap the top of the spoon three to four times with a chopstick.
In modern Korean culture, the byeong-ttagi (bottle opening) rituals are a key part of soju drinking customs. Next time you share a bottle of soju with friends, apply the 3-step byeong-ttagi and enjoy a fun, playful element to hype up your night out.
Hold the base of the soju bottle and spin it rapidly to create a tornado inside. A mesmerizing ritual today, the soju tornado originally served to clear sediment from corked seals.
Slap the bottom of the bottle with the heel of your palm or elbow right before opening it to release any residual pressure or carbon dioxide, making the soju easier to drink while reducing the risk of bloating.
Chop the bottleneck with your hand or the web space in between your index and middle fingers to splash droplets of soju, ensuring a clean start before the pour. It is also believed to release the aroma and flavor of soju.
In modern Korean culture, the byeong-ttagi (bottle opening) rituals are a key part of soju drinking customs. Next time you share a bottle of soju with friends, apply the 3-step byeong-ttagi and enjoy a fun, playful element to hype up your night out.
Hold the base of the soju bottle and spin it rapidly to create a tornado inside. A mesmerizing ritual today, the soju tornado originally served to clear sediment from corked seals.
Slap the bottom of the bottle with the heel of your palm or elbow right before opening it to release any residual pressure or carbon dioxide, making the soju easier to drink while reducing the risk of bloating.
Chop the bottleneck with your hand or the web space in between your index and middle fingers to splash droplets of soju, ensuring a clean start before the pour. It is also believed to release the aroma and flavor of soju.
Traditional Korean Fruit Wine
A sweet, deep red traditional Korean fruit wine made from fermented native black raspberries.
Flavor Profile
Sweet and tart with a rich berry character, often compared to a cross between port wine and a berry liqueur.
Food Pairing
The tart sweetness of the berry wine helps balance the richness of grilled meats like samgyubsal and galbi by resetting your palate between bites.
Traditional Korean Plum Liquor
A traditional Korean plum liqueur (maesil-ju) with a smooth and velvety texture on the palate with a clean, crisp, and refreshing finish.
Flavor Profile
A balanced mix of moderate sweetness and gentle acidity or tartness from Asian green plums
Food Pairing
The sweet and tart profile of the plum wine cuts through the heavy fat of grilled meats like samgyubsal or galbi.
Traditional Sparkling Korean Milky Rice Wine
An unfiltered, cloudy alcoholic beverage made from rice, water, and nuruk (a traditional fermentation starter).
Flavor Profile
A balance of slightly sweet, tangy, bitter, and subtle astringent notes, often compared to an earthy, mild yogurt.
Food Pairing
The creamy, slightly fizzy, and refreshing nature of makgeolli cuts through the rich, fatty mouthfeel of grilled meats like samgyubsal or the richness of marinated galbi.
Traditional Japanese Rice Wine
A traditional Japanese rice wine notable for its full-bodied, rich, and robust flavor.
Flavor Profile
A pronounced rice character with deep umami, earthy, and nutty notes.
Food Pairing
Sake has a slightly higher acidity and deep structure that allows it to stand up perfectly to fatty meats like samgyubsal and rich, marinated galbi. The umami in the sake enhances the savory char of the grill.
