[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Geuni Sikdang offers a taste of North Korea in Cheonan

Cheonan, a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea, is home to an unassuming establishment that offers a unique culinary experience - Geuni Sikdang. This restaurant is renowned for serving North Korean cuisine, with their specialty being the eobok jaengban, a boiled meat platter.

Eobok jaengban is a dish that originated in Pyongyang Market and was often shared during business deals to impress potential clients. It is composed of beef brisket, beef broth, leafy vegetables, and dumplings. Upon arrival, the beautifully arranged beef brisket around the outer edge of the pan, combined with a lit fire underneath in the stovetop, immediately ignited our appetites.

We began with the dumplings, which were extremely subtle. The dumplings contained a very mild kimchi mixed with tofu and bean sprouts, along with a surprising yet welcome parmesan flavor throughout. The restaurant prepares the broth daily using hanwoo, a premium grade of Korean beef, ensuring the brisket and other cuts are properly utilized.