A building in the form of a bottle opener in Shanghai's dizzying city center primarily holds corporate offices. Beneath all that are some restaurants like Bok Mak Gol. Included in the Michelin Guide for Seoul and particularly famous for their garlic roast pork, the Korean chain has expanded into Shanghai.
With Shanghai's three tallest skyscrapers side-by-side, Bok Mak Gol is located in a spot that captures Shanghai's modernity. Stunningly simple lighting illuminates the clouds above.
As you enter the restaurant, a bright red piece of Hanbok (a traditional Korean outfit) greets you. Along with a mural that depicts Korea's mountainous terrain, the restaurant mindfully displays Korean culture.
The overall style and decoration of the restaurant, however, seemed a little disconnected. A part of the room was patched with Korea's historical artifacts while the rest of the restaurant was generically modern. Nevertheless, the architecture was pleasant with cozy lighting.
Dishes:
Cold noodles in a citrus-scented broth - est. 60 rmb
Naeng myeon which literally translates to cold noodles is a staple in Korean cuisine. The noodles are made from a buckwheat base, but adding in other ingredients like green tea or seaweed is also acceptable. When I saw the menu, I knew I had to try this out. Citrus-scented naeng myeon! I was expecting it to overpower the delicate nature of a light and icy broth naeng myeon is usually served in. Naeng myeon on its own is sour, and oranges just brought out that flavor profile a bit more. Complemented with perfectly bouncy noodles and salty broth, it was fabulous.
Korean Bossam - est. 150 rmb
Bossam is a pork dish that involves boiling pork shoulder in a spiced stock. Soybean paste, tea leaves, and other flavorings reduce the gaminess of the bossam at Bok Mak Gol. The bossam is also sliced paper thin, so that it melts in your mouth. You can distinguish the different parts of the pork shoulder clearly: the gelatinuous fat lining the outside and tender meat on the inside. Wrap it in a perilla leaf, add some of the pungent shrimp sauce, and enjoy.
Stove-cooked rice - complementary to the Bossam (0 rmb)
Why did I just feature a pot of rice? Bok Mak Gol serves every customer with a separately steamed bowl of rice. With a bit of showmanship, they bring out a steaming stone pot that they scoop the rice from.
Barbequed beef intestine - est. 150 rmb
As many of the other items featured on this blog, it might not sound the most appetizing at first. But its always nice to broaden your culinary horizon. Marinated in a sweet glaze, there is no gaminess from the beef intestines. MIxed with chives, sour kimchi, and sharp onions, the BBQ plate turns into a melting pot of flavors. With a wide assortment of cuts including the small intestine and the big intestine, you can't pass on this opportunity to try something new. Personally, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of real flames that Korean BBQ needs for it to be complete. You can really taste the difference between charcoal-grilled and gas-grilled BBQ.
Complementary fried rice (using the oil from BBQ) - 0 rmb
This fried rice will make you wish cholesterol wasn't a real thing. Using the beef drippings and kimchi leftover from the BBQed intestines, the servers at Bok Mak Gol will fry up a satisfying finish to the meal. They add in seaweed, chives, and other garnishes to your seasoned BBQ grill, all at your table. Top 5 fried rice on my list.
Cold noodles with truffle sauce - est. 60 rmb
Disclaimer: this isn't an authentic Korean dish. Authenticity aside, the taste itself was not too appealing either. The truffle sauce was excessively strong and the noodles were mushy. The vegetables and pulled chicken on the side also seemed very pre-prepped. The cold noodle was the only dish that was left unfinished, which goes to show how delicious the other items were, on a positive note.
Overall Summary
Beef intestines are a delicacy in Korea. Carrying that over to China could present a challenge, as it is an unfamiliar cut of meat especially for a BBQ setting. Aside from the lack of charcoal flames, the intestines grilled with kimchi and other flavorings was very enticing. However, compared to some of the other Korean restaurants in Shanghai such as Belloco, Hwarohwarang, and Cheng Ak Gol, the spot is not particularly great at serving authentic or reinvented Korean food. They seem to be stuck in an in-between. The dishes were hit or miss with some standouts like the bossam and naeng myeon. The location is great for checking out Shanghai's high-rise buildings at a close distance too. If you're running out of Korean food options in Shanghai, it's still very much worth a visit.
I loved your discribtions of the outside of the restaurant! The photographs of the inside of the restaurant and the food made me want to go to the restaurant and eat! 🍜 - 이이현