A Deliciously Spicy Rib Restaurant: Paldok Sikdang in Sinnonhyeon

This is Paldok Sikdang, located in Sinnonhyeon, which I visited because I wanted to eat delicious pork ribs. They say it’s a popular spicy rib restaurant among the MZ generation, and after visiting, I understood why. The interior doesn’t look like a place that would sell ribs, so it gave me the feeling of being in a cafe.

As you can tell from the name, A Deliciously Spicy Rib Restaurant: Paldok Sikdang in Sinnonhyeon, this is a place that serves spicy ribs. That said, the menu is not limited to just one item. There is also rosé ribs, which you can think of as ribs added to the rosé sauce we all know. When you order the rosé rib set, you can choose between buckwheat pancakes and spaghetti noodles. Since the ribs are made with rosé sauce, it seems most people choose spaghetti noodles.

But the reason I visited Paldok Sikdang today was only one!! To try the deliciously spicy ribs.

It looks like Paldok ribs are also available packaged in takeout pouches. Just the fact that they come in a pouch pack already proves how tasty they are, doesn’t it?

Although Paldok Sikdang’s menu can be seen as having two main items, both are basically dishes that use ribs. That’s why there is a pig-shaped light on one side of the wall with the word RIBS written on it. I think it’s a pretty cute design.

I didn’t realize while eating at the restaurant that the lighting had such a purple tint, but after taking photos, it turned out to be very purple. So in photos, it feels a bit more like a pub than a restaurant that serves ribs.

All the tables are for four people, and basically two 4-person tables are joined together. So it might seem a little inconvenient, but even though they are 4-person tables, the tables themselves are wide and the chairs are large, so even if strangers sit at the next table, it doesn’t feel cramped.

After placing your order, they first set out the basic tableware: a personal small plate, tongs, and dongchimi. Dongchimi is surprisingly delicious, so it was a nice side. And I guess it helps tone down the spiciness a little?!

These are the ladles, scissors, and tongs used for Paldok ribs. There are two ladles because one is for the ribs and the other is for the dongchimi.

Finally, the ribs arrived. There were plenty of bean sprouts, mushrooms, and green onions. The ribs were hidden and couldn’t be seen, but hoping there were a lot, I listened to how to cook them deliciously.

There is a timer at each table, so it seems you have to follow the timing in Paldok Sikdang’s own recipe to enjoy it properly. The ribs are already partially cooked when served, so the timer is set to 10 minutes for the bean sprouts, mushrooms, and the additional topping we ordered, rice cakes, to cook. After leaving it alone for 5 minutes, when the timer changes to 5 minutes, they say not to stir it, but to use the ladle to press it down firmly.

With a timer like this, it feels like you really have to do exactly as instructed.

After 5 minutes passed, I pressed it down firmly, and the seasoning naturally coated the bean sprouts, mushrooms, and rice cakes. After pressing it so the seasoning showed, we waited until the timer ended and then ate the ribs.

For Paldok ribs, you can choose the spice level. Of course, you can choose the same spice level for the rosé ribs as well.

We ordered the Paldok rib set, so the ribs came with buckwheat pancakes and gondre rice. As for the buckwheat pancake... it comes out thinner than expected, but when you place the ribs and vegetables on it and wrap it up, it tastes really good.

And the gondre rice was surprisingly oily. Still, because of the spiciness of the ribs, it didn’t feel greasy.

Even though I had already eaten rice, I couldn’t just ignore the sauce from the ribs, so I ordered fried rice. If it had been plain white rice instead of gondre rice, I would have mixed it with the broth and eaten it, but because it was gondre rice, I hesitated a little about mixing in the broth. So I ordered fried rice to properly enjoy the spicy broth.

At Paldok Sikdang, the fried rice comes only as cheese fried rice. It’s served with a really generous amount of cheese, and they melt it with a torch. That way, you can enjoy an even more delicious cheese fried rice. However, since it is heated from below with fire and also browned from above with a torch, if you’re not careful when taking the first bite, you can burn your mouth. It was really hot.

Since I visited casually and the space was wide, I comfortably left my belongings there, but when I was heading home, I noticed the chairs had built-in storage. If you visit in winter, you’d be able to store your coat there. That must be why the chairs were so spacious.

If you want something deliciously spicy, I recommend giving it a try. You’ll find yourself eating it even though it’s spicy.