Mongtan

Mongtan is the Samgakji barbecue house credited with starting Seoul's udae galbi craze. The name comes from Mongtan-myeon in Muan, South Jeolla Province, and the signature technique is searing the meat over a burning rice-straw fire, which leaves a light smoky aroma. The star is the udae galbi, a long bone-in beef short rib that looks like a tomahawk steak. It is first seared over straw in the kitchen, then staff finish it on the charcoal grill at your table, slicing the meat off the bone with scissors and grilling rice cakes, green onions and garlic alongside. Other orders include straw-fire pork jowl, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), a truffle steamed egg and a doenjang stew. Many people finish with the onion fried rice, made with Muan onions and pressed onto the hot plate. The restaurant spans two floors in a brick building in a side street, and the room is lively and smoky. Side dishes such as radish salad and onion kimchi get a lot of praise.