Cycle 12 – Item 171

25 (Fri) June 2021

Galmegisal

2.5

at Wirye Gogijib

-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with the Family

Wirye Gogijib (위례고깃집) is a Korean restaurant.  Specializes in DIY table-top grilled pork.  Casual family neighborhood vibe.

After a good meal of samgyeopsal, I still had some soju left in the bottle, so I ordered an additional portion of galmegisal.

Galmegisal (갈메기살) is a cut of pork.  The term means “seagull (galmegi) meat (sal),” but the etymology is unclear.  According to Naver, translated into English by Google (see Seagull Meat):

Seagull meat is prepared by separating the thin, flat diaphragm muscle that crosses the top of the ribs from the tip of the breastbone to the lumbar bone inside the ribs.  Because it is a muscle with a lot of exercise exposed in the abdominal cavity, the flesh is dark and the fascia is well developed. Miicrobial contamination level may be high, so careful handling and storage is required.  Seagull meat has a high scarcity value as only about 300 to 400 grams of each pig is produced.  

It was pretty good.  Very chewy.  A tad bitter in flavor, but a welcome contrast to other pork cuts, which tend to be milder/sweeter.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)