Korean Raw Beef: Yukhwae

It's not often that my friends say that we have to go to raw beef alley over by Jongno 5-ga. I mean even my most hardcore guests that come on my food tours will chow down on some live octopus but will stay away from raw beef. Korean raw beef is a delicacy. It's not aged so it has a very clean taste to it. They place pieces of the beef over matchsticks of Asian pear and topped with some sesame seeds and a raw egg yolk. The yolk adds a creaminess to the whole dish and it makes it taste so good that I think that someone should come up with a yukhwae bahnmi (I think this would be awesome!). It's good plain but you can give it a dip in the sesame oil and salt. This adds a bit of savoriness to the dish.

Lookie who is in the picture: Chef Ciaran Hickey of the W-Hotel

Yukhwae Jamae Jip

There isn't much else at there restaurant other than the raw beef dish. If you would like a mix of liver and cow stomach, they have that as well, but...I find the liver to be a bit too metallic for my tastebuds and the the stomach has a rubbery...ummm...carpety...texture.
You can find Yukhwae Alley in Kwangjang Market over by Jongno 5-ga station exit 8.

Dan

The raw beef with egg

Raw Beef and Pear and Egg

Roasted Sesame Oil with Salt for dipping

Chef Friends