Gwangju restaurant offers 10,000 won beef tartare bibimbap with unlimited soup

A historic restaurant in Gwangju's Tteokgalbi Alley serves 10,000 won beef tartare bibimbap accompanied by unlimited refills of bone soup. The establishment opens at 2 a.m. each day to boil bones for six hours to prepare the broth.

Actress Baek Jin-hee encountered the flavors of Jeolla Province at a restaurant with a long history located in Gwangju's Tteokgalbi Alley. Based on the regional characteristic of active meat distribution since the era of five-day markets, the establishment features tteokgalbi and beef tartare bibimbap as its main menu items. The site serves as a place to confirm the reputation of tteokgalbi, one of the five flavors of Gwangju, alongside barley rice, hanjeongsik, kimchi, and duck soup.

"Mixed for the merchants"... The secret of 10,000 won beef tartare bibimbap with 50 years of tradition

The restaurant's beef tartare bibimbap takes a unique approach where the rice is pre-mixed with gochujang seasoning. This originates from an old method used around the 1950s to allow busy market merchants to finish their meals quickly. Adhering to the tradition of mixing rice over briquette fires, the dish is characterized by seasoning that absorbs well and a texture that stays alive thanks to the subtle residual heat. The restaurant provides the rice pre-mixed to ensure customers do not miss the unique taste of the house.

The bibimbap, topped with plenty of fresh, crimson-colored beef tartare, features gochujang seasoning that harmonizes with the toppings without overpowering the flavor of the meat. Regarding the texture of the pre-mixed rice, Baek Jin-hee commented that it pairs well because the beef tartare is chewy. Offered at a price of 10,000 won, the menu attracts attention with its generous composition.

10,000 won happiness: 'Unlimited refill' bone soup prepared with 6 hours of care every dawn

Another protagonist of this establishment is the bone soup, which is provided as a standard accompaniment when ordering the beef tartare bibimbap (10,000 won). Despite being a service item, this soup containing large meat bones is prepared with great care starting every dawn. To produce a deeper and clearer broth, the owner boils backbones, hip bones, and beef marrow bones for approximately 6 hours every morning. The reason the shop opens at 2 a.m. every day is to prepare this bone soup as well as the bibimbap.

Only through the process of boiling all night and continuously skimming off the oil can a clear and clean broth be completed, to the point where the bottom is visible. Customers can enjoy this bone soup as an unlimited refill, continuing a high-value meal. The backbones, which have thick meat attached, boast a soft texture, and Baek Jin-hee also noted the soft texture, stating that the meat falls off easily.

The taste of Gwangju-style tteokgalbi enjoyed without bones

The meal concluded with Gwangju-style tteokgalbi. Unlike Damyang-style tteokgalbi which is served attached to bones, the tteokgalbi here is made without bones, allowing it to be eaten easily with chopsticks. This is a unique Gwangju method created in the past to ensure that kings could eat without making noise. The juice-filled tteokgalbi makes a presence with overwhelming sound and aroma.

Unlike typical tteokgalbi, this version is characterized by a soft texture and a lack of the strong sweetness that children usually prefer. Baek Jin-hee confirmed the unique flavor of Gwangju tteokgalbi, mentioning that it is not very sweet and has an exquisite texture.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)