Samgyeopsal

Samgyeopsal is thick-cut, unmarinated pork belly grilled at the table and wrapped in lettuce with garlic and sauce. It is Korean barbecue at its most sociable, built around a grill shared by the whole table rather than a plate served to one person.

What it really is

Thick slices of pork belly, left completely unmarinated so the meat's own fat can render and crisp on a hot grill set into the table, are cooked in full view of the diners eating them, turned and cut with scissors as they go. Once cooked, a slice goes into a lettuce leaf with raw garlic, a dab of ssamjang and whatever else the table has going — the wrap, not the pork alone, is what actually reaches the mouth.

The pork stays unmarinated on purpose. Marinating would mask the way the belly's own fat renders and browns on the grill; samgyeopsal is valued specifically for that plain, fatty richness, with all the seasoning added afterward in the wrap instead.

How it is served

• Grilled at the table, sliced with scissors as it cooks.
• Wrapped in lettuce with garlic, ssamjang and other banchan.
• Shared across the whole table rather than plated per person.

How to write it on the menu

• Note that the pork itself is naturally free of major allergens, though the sauces and banchan served alongside often aren't.
• Say whether the grill is tabletop or done in the kitchen, since the tabletop version is a real part of the experience for many guests.
• Mention what wraps and dips come standard, since lettuce, garlic and ssamjang are expected, not optional extras.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.