Born & Bred (본앤브레드)

Inside an inconspicuous building on a quiet street lies Born & Bred — a Korean beef BBQ restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide.

The easiest way to book a table is through an app called Catch Table, which offers a seamless, hassle-free way to reserve spots at many of Seoul’s most popular restaurants.

Our reservation was for 12:30 PM KST.

Having landed in Seoul around 2:00 AM, we were running on very little sleep and arrived in Majang a bit early. The restaurant hadn’t opened yet, so we wandered around the neighborhood, eventually stopping at Paris Baguette for a quick custard bun.

Eventually, we noticed the doors had opened. Upon entering, we were welcomed into a cozy waiting area on the first floor. There, we cooled off with some water, flipped through Korean fashion magazines, and waited for our private dining room to be prepared.

As first-time visitors, we skipped the à la carte menu and opted for the ₩200,000 per person lunch set in a private room on the 3rd floor.

The space easily fits 4–6 people and includes a private chef who grills and guides you through each course.

When I first saw the menu, I remember thinking, “It doesn’t seem like that much food… but we’ll get to try a lot of different things, and if we’re still hungry, we’ll just eat again later.” What followed, though, was a classic case of don’t judge a book by its cover.

The meal began with delicate appetizers like Hanwoo beef consommé and thinly sliced cured beef. From there, we dove into the heart of the experience, with premium cuts like tenderloin, sirloin, hanging tender, chuck flap, skirt, and galbi, all grilled right in front of us.

By the 5th or 6th course (out of 13?), we were already full. Thankfully, a tart, refreshing omija kombucha was served mid-meal as a kind of digestif. It helped reset our palates and gave us a second wind for the rest of the courses.

For dessert, we had a scoop of house-made ice cream — simple, classic, and just the right finish.

Overall, it was an exceptional experience. The quality of the beef, the attention to detail, and the private dining service all felt more than worth the price.

My only regret? Having that custard cream bun from Paris Baguette.

Sirloin and Tenderloin cuts.

Hanwoo beef consommé.

From left to right: Terrine (Sweet bread, tendon, beef tongue, apricot, pistachio, cashew nut), Bresola (Young female Hanwoo’s rump brined with red wine and five spices for 14 days, then dry-cured for 30 days, Dry Cured Sausage (Born & Bred’s unique dry cured sausage, made from Hanwoo’s rump, eye round along with brisket fat and various other parts. Dry cured for 14 days), Beef Tongue Ham (Hanwoo beef tongue ham is made from a whole piece of beef tongue, which is brined for 3 days, then slowly smoked over oak wood at a low temperature.)

Marinated short plate (galbi)

House-made Omija Kombucha.

Bibimbap with yukhoe.

House-made vanilla ice cream.