Daedo Sikdang (Wangsimni)

02What to order

• Hanwoo saeng-deungsimFresh, unmarinated sirloin, served by the number of people at the table; depending on the table, some chaekkeut, striploin, can come with it. DiningCode lists the original cut at 170 g for ₩49,000.
• Daepae-deungsimSirloin shaved as thin as a plane's curl, the second cut on the card; 120 g at ₩28,000 on DiningCode.
• Kkakdugi-bokkeumbapFried rice made in the hot pan: the radish kimchi goes in, a tray covers it, and the rice is stirred with two spoons; ₩6,000 on DiningCode, as is the doenjang-juk.

03The beef

The beef is Hanwoo only; no source states the grade. VisitKorea notes an ageing room in view of the dining room, from which the orders come out, but no source gives the days. The meat is cut behind glass and arrives in thin slices, with kkakdugi, cabbage, shredded spring onion dressed mostly in oil, gochujang and gireumjang, salt in sesame oil.

04The fire

There is no charcoal here: the Seoul city magazine describes a heavy cast-iron pan, a jumulpaen, on a commercial gas burner. The pan is greased with dutae-gireum, beef kidney fat, the meat goes in when white smoke rises, and it is turned once, when the juice shows.

05The story

The founding date is the one disagreement among the sources. Columnist Jeong Dong-hyeon, writing for the City of Seoul in 2017, puts the opening in Wangsimni in 1964, as do VisitKorea and the city's 2026 notice; the city's own table of Seoul Future Heritage restaurants gives 1954, and GQ Korea repeats it, placing the house 30th of 48 heritage restaurants by age. Steakpedia gives 1964 and notes 1954. The story begins with a founding grandmother, and the tale that she learnt to cook from a lady of the Joseon court is told as little more than legend. In February 2012 the Hankyung reported that the head house was sold to Sammi, a Busan builder, and that the founder stayed on as manager at the new owners' request to keep the flavour; the same report counted 14 franchised houses under the Daedo Sikdang name.

06The practical

Daedo Sikdang is at 3 Muhak-ro 12-gil, Seongdong-gu, halfway between exit 2 of Sangwangsimni station (line 2) and the Cheonggyecheon stream. It opens every day of the year, 11:00–22:00, last order 21:00, with parking and card payment. In 2017 the city magazine described several joined tile-roofed houses with small doorless rooms; VisitKorea now describes a single-storey building with white-tiled walls. Phone 02-2292-9772.

Address

3 Muhak-ro 12-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul

Phone

+82 2-2292-9772

Directions

Google Maps ↗

07In Seoul’s selections