Inception
During my search for Michelin-starred restaurants in South Korea, I came across Born & Bred, which was highly recommended for its Korean BBQ experience. Established in 1978 by Jung Sang-won’s father as a butcher shop, it built a reputation for selling premium grade Hanwoo beef (1++, BMS9 Grade, the absolute highest quality of Korean Hanwoo beef). In 2015, Jung Sang-won started a restaurant in the basement of the butcher shop as an experiment to showcase Korean beef culture through the eyes of a butcher. Today, Born & Bred is widely regarded as one of the best places to experience Hanwoo in Korea and has consistently been included in the Michelin Guide.
Hanwoo is Korea’s premium native cattle breed and is renowned for its balanced fat content. Its fat composition strikes a precise middle ground between Japanese Wagyu and American beef. While Wagyu is heavily dominated by marbling and American beef tends to emphasize lean muscle, Hanwoo offers a harmonious balance of the two, delivering rich tenderness and a silky mouthfeel while still retaining the traditional flavour of beef.
The moment I learned about Hanwoo and Born and Bred, I knew it had to be a part of our itinerary, and I am so glad that we included it. The opportunity of experiencing Korea’s prized Hanwoo beef at a restaurant built on generations of butchery expertise was simply too hard to resist
The Reservation
Born & Bred offers five different dining experiences, including an à la carte option. Their most sought-after reservation is the Speakeasy, located on the basement level (B1). The Speakeasy features a 20-course chef’s table signature tasting menu and is available exclusively for dinner.
They also have private dining rooms on the third floor, where guests can choose between an 8-course lunch tasting menu and a 13-course dinner tasting menu. The casual dining area is located on the second floor and offers a 5-course casual tasting menu, along with an à la carte menu.
The Speakeasy experience looked incredibly tempting, but since we were already visiting Jungsik, spending another three hours on dinner felt like it would take up too much of our limited time in Seoul. With only five days in the city, we didn’t want our itinerary to revolve entirely around restaurant reservations. We also wanted enough time to explore the attractions and neighbourhoods that Seoul has to offer. Therefore, we decided to opt for the casual dining experience and their 5-course tasting menu instead.
The Korean BBQ at Born & Bred
Upon arrival, we were first asked to wait on the first floor while they prepare our table. The first floor houses both the butcher shop and the reception area. The space offered glimpses into the rich history and legacy of Born & Bred. Shortly thereafter, we were escorted to our table on the second floor, where an impressive spread of banchan was already waiting for us.
The selection included a variety of kimchis, including their signature one year aged kimchi and steamed white kimchi, a creamy potato salad, spicy herring roe, tangpyeongchae (a traditional royal court dish made with mung bean jelly) , pickled garlic leaves, and red & green leaf lettuce for making ssam (wraps). There was also Ganjang (soy sauce), Gochujang (fermented chili paste), and Ssamjang for accompanying the meal. Completing the table setting were premium flaked sea salt served on a ceramic plate and elegant Bangjja Yugi spoon and chopsticks.
Each table has a dedicated chef-cum-server who prepares the meat, explains the different cuts, and recommends pairings. The lady assigned to our table first gave us a glimpse of what we were about to experience in the second course, the beef platter, which consisted of six different cuts that would be prepared tableside on a white charcoal fuelled in-table wire mesh brazier.
The white charcoal burns at higher temperatures without producing smoke, which helps retain the juices within the meat without any smoke interference in its flavour. We noticed hood systems in other Korean BBQ restaurants to remove smoke, but Born and Bred did not require any.
Our meal started with the first course, Yukhoe (raw beef tartare). It was an incredibly delicious dish featuring rich, mildly sweet, and exceptionally tender raw chuck tender seasoned with sesame oil, roasted sesame seeds, and finely chopped scallions. I was very skeptical about trying raw beef, but to my surprise, it was absolutely delicious. In fact, I ended up having Yukhoe four times during my South Korea trip, and the best one I had was at Born & Bred.
For pairing with our meal, we ordered the Feast of Harmony (Korean Martini), one of Born and Bred’s signature cocktails. The cocktail was beautifully presented and tasted quite good. However, after dining at Jungsik, I have come to appreciate wine pairings much more. I feel wines complement a meal better than cocktails or hard liquor, as stronger spirits can numb the palate and make it harder to fully enjoy the subtle flavours of the food.
After the Yukhoe came the second course, assorted beef platter featuring six different cuts. We started with the tenderloin, a lean and incredibly velvety cut that was rich, juicy, and exceptionally tender. The fat from the Hanwoo had a remarkably silky mouthfeel. Next came the striploin, a slightly fattier cut than the tenderloin that was equally tender and flavourful. After being grilled, each cut was allowed to rest before being served.
This was followed by some of the more marbled cuts, including ribeye, flat iron, and beef plate. All of them were incredibly juicy, with a slightly chewier texture and a richer flavour profile. In between these came the beef neck, a leaner and chewier cut that provided a nice contrast to the more heavily marbled selections.
The Hanwoo, I feel, is something else altogether and has completely spoiled me. Ever since that meal, no matter how good the beef is, I can’t help but compare it to what I had at Born & Bred. That being said, the beef in Korea is excellent across the country and far more delicious than what I have had in India. Born & Bred may have set the benchmark, but I was consistently impressed by the quality of beef throughout the country.
The next course was Brisket Hot Pot Rice with Soybean Paste Soup. Korean white rice cooked with Hanwoo brisket, rendered in its fat, and seasoned with freshly chopped scallions. The hot pot rice was prepared on the table and served with a deep, savoury, and spicy soybean paste soup, which also contained brisket and tofu.
The last savoury course of the lunch was Born & Bred’s signature pho. The broth is made by simmering four different types of 1++ grade Hanwoo bones, including marrow bones, tendons, and shanks, along with a blend of traditional spices and medicinal herbs for a full 48 hours. Rich in flavour yet surprisingly light on the palate, this refreshing course cut right through the fat fatigue from the previous courses and prepared us perfectly for dessert.
For the dessert course, we had a choice between vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. We chose the chocolate and strawberry ice creams. Both were served with roasted granola and were quite good.
Final Thoughts
Born & Bred completely lives up to its reputation. It is easy to see why the restaurant has been consistently featured in the Michelin Guide and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants lists. I am incredibly glad we decided to include it in our itinerary and experienced Hanwoo and Korean BBQ at its finest. From the quality of the ingredients and the attentive service to the flawless execution of every course, the entire experience felt incredibly amazing.
More importantly, Born & Bred gave me a completely new appreciation for beef. Before visiting South Korea, I had read countless people talk about Hanwoo, but it was only after dining here that I truly understood what made it so special. The balance of flavour, tenderness, and richness was unlike anything I had experienced before.
It was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our trip and remains one of the most memorable meals I have ever had. The only downside of visiting Born & Bred is that it has completely spoiled me. Ever since that meal, no matter how good the beef is, I can’t help but compare it to what I had there. I find myself measuring every bite against the benchmark that Born & Bred set. So far, nothing has quite managed to match it, and I have a feeling nothing ever will.
