- He Nam Shik Dang
Ok. Before I start getting in to this restaurant, I have to give some credit to where credit is due. I was introduced to this restaurant by Tony. Tony and I both have a loving for a Korean dish; 뼈 해 장 극 (hae - jang - gook, aka “hangover soup”). 뼈 (pyo) means bone. There are different variations, but 뼈 is the best.
뼈 해 장 극 is an absolute must for anyone who hasn’t tried it. It is a savory soup made with miso, pork and beef-spine stock, vegetables, peppers and a ton of spices. Inside you’ll find meaty chunks of pork spine. Don’t be scared by the sounds of spine; it’s actually some of the most tender meat you can get for under 10,000W.
What makes this particular restaurant special, is its incredible flavor, short menu, quick service and reputation. He Nam is a Korean dive. Inside you will find an array of disorganized furniture that has been worn over the years. The one pleather booth is ripped and torn, and the tables show signs of abuse. Assuming you actually get a seat (this restaurant generally has a line), you will be in for a real treat. The menu is very small, which makes me believe this is a specialty place. You specifically go there for this dish. So, let’s get it!
On the menu you will find 뼈 해 장 극 for 6,000W, also a seafood soup, kimchi chiggae, and kimchi tofu. I recommend the 뼈 해 장 극. Within seconds you are welcomed with eight side dishes, ranging from dried anchovies, spam-egg, salted greens and variations of kimchi. The kimchi at this restaurant is good; really good.
The atmosphere is warm, there are people surrounding you, you are starving… then it comes; a gigantic steaming ceramic pot. The soup is still boiling and you can see the jagged spine poking through the surface of roaring bubbles. You don’t know what to expect really… unless you’ve had this dish before.
All of the meat is on the bones, so it takes some time and effort to enjoy this meal. I’ve seen Koreans and foreigners alike playing “hot potato” with a piece of spine trying to get every last bit of tender pork off. Then there’s the patient approach; which is my choice. I use the spoon and chop sticks to pick off every piece of meat. This initially took me around three to four minutes, but I can now do it quite quickly; around one minute.
After the work is done, you finally eat. The broth hits you with a subtle spice. The pork, so tender, and if you’re lucky, you will get some marrow (I love marrow). Once you wear down towards the bottom, you can add the rice and enjoy a nice porridge.
Overall, I highly recommend this joint! If you like 뼈 해 장 극, you HAVE to eat here. If I were to recommend just one restaurant to anyone, it would be this place for sure.
- JD
How to get there: Get off at Amigliore by taxi or bus, and walk down the main street toward downtown (A Twosome Place is the start of the street). Walk down until you see a Ministop with a table, umbrella and three chairs. It is literally adjacent to it. He Nam is next to Quirennale.
