Ever tried making naengsam at home? It's great, right up until the oil starts spitting, the whole flat smells like pork for two days, and you're scrubbing the stove at midnight. Here, you get the good part and skip the rest.
At CheongDamChae on Telok Ayer Street, we slice Duroc pork belly to 4.5mm and grill it straight on cast iron, no foil.
Why is it such a hassle at home?
In a frying pan, the fat just pools and your pork ends up swimming in it. On our cast iron, it runs off to the edges, and that's where the kimchi and bean sprouts sit. They soak it all up. (Here's more on that)
What comes with it?
A spread of little banchan (Korean side dishes): kimchi, bean sprouts, braised potatoes and a few more. Nothing fancy, just the kind of food Koreans grow up eating at home. Lettuce and ssamjang are on the table too. Run out? Just ask and we'll bring more.
Drinks or dinner?
Honestly, both. Those crispy edges were made for a glass of soju. Wrap a slice with some banchan, add a bowl of rice, and that's dinner sorted.
Price
Naengsam (naengdong samgyeopsal, frozen pork belly) 1kg $68.80++ / 600g $48.80++