매월농원

If there’s one protein that I love but never seem to get enough of, it’s duck. I never got to try much of it when I was younger, but since its introduction into my diet, it has quickly climbed its way up as one of my favorite reasons to continue consuming meat.

After attempting to make plans with a couple of friends to check out the highly recommended 매월농원 (Maewol Nongwon; Maewol Farm) for literally months, we finally forced the issue forward and made plans to go before the weather could get too cold. Though the restaurant’s location may be a little awkward for most others, it proved to be the ideal distance for a pre-dinner walk from my neck of the woods in Pungam-dong.

I was a little sad to see that outdoor seating was unavailable when we arrived, but I was assured that it was definitely an option on busier evenings with nicer weather. Though it was fairly busy, the extra space certainly wasn’t needed as there was more than enough room inside the two-story wooden building. My party of four was sent upstairs to an interesting frame of a table that had large empty spaces meant to be filled with metal trays and a grilling setup in the center.

We were asked what we wanted almost as soon as we were seated. It was then I quickly noticed that there was no menu for the table, and that all of our choices for dinner were on large posters throughout the restaurant. Though the menu was entirely in Korean, there wasn’t much to figure out between the only two options available: 한마리 (hanmari; one duck) or 반마리 (banmari; half a duck). The very cheap drink options included 소주 (soju), 맥주 (maekju; beer), and 음료 (eumryo; soft drinks). Since we were a decent sized party full of hungry people, we opted for the whole duck while the alcohol-friendly members at the table ordered some beer.

After we placed our order, our table skeleton was assembled into something we could actually eat off of as trays of sides arrived with raw slices of duck. Once the heat arrived, we went right to grilling. I should admit at this point that my knowledge when it comes to cooking duck on a grill is something I have limited experience with. Unlike pork, which I typically try to cook all the way, I prefer my duck a little closer to medium. The tricky part with cooking over a bed of charcoal is getting that marvelous duck fat to soften and render to some degree without overcooking that tender meat. As one can see from my blurry photos, every piece was not a success, though receiving help from my foodie dates helped immensely.

The sides offered were far simpler than I had expected. There were some lettuce leaves, pickled radish slices, raw garlic and peppers, the usual sauces, and some very course salt. There was a station at the middle of the restaurant that allowed us to refill our sides as we pleased, which also offered some spicy marinated onions that I swore was kimchi before getting a taste. Though I personally would have enjoyed a little more variety, considering the price and the quality of the main feature, I certainly didn’t mind.

At the end of our grilling session, we were given bowls of piping hot porridge made with broth that had been simmered with what I assume are less appetizing duck parts. I was warned to watch out for bones and organ meat before digging in my deceptively bland looking bowl, as not everyone enjoys surprises in their food. After a thorough sifting session, I devoured that delicious porridge that tasted even better with a small pinch of salt.

By the end of our meal, we were all satisfied and full of fatty duck goodness. As it can sometimes be difficult to find duck that hasn’t been smoked around these parts, enjoying it on its own with the help of some salt and the usual fixings one puts in their wrap was a treat. I recommend this place to anyone looking to grill and eat something other than the usual pork or beef options.

Address: 광주 서구 매월동 355-3
Phone: 062-373-5164
Hours: 11:00 – 22:00
Average Price: 8,000 per person