Superior Beef, Korean Barbecue, and Cold Noodles at Pyongan Do Club in Wangjing

Wangjing remains as reliable ever for its bustling Korean food scene, where the true Korean spirits (soju or otherwise) gather for hearty food and revelry. However, Pyongan Do Club's entry may make it one of our favorite Korean barbecue restaurants in all of Beijing so far thanks to its emphasis on group dining and its bulgogi-centric menu.

Call us cheap, but when the complimentary banchan (small cold side dishes) includes a bowl of hot, smooth, and sweet pumpkin congee, all our stresses immediately melt away. It also makes a great palate cleanser for the heavier meat-filled mains ahead.

Specializing in Kuroge Wagyu from New Zealand, Pyongan Do Club features various cuts of beef (RMB 58-299), and unlike most of the bulgogi restaurants that expect you to do your own grilling, they have professional grillers on hand to make sure your morsels are cooked to perfection, with a pink layer in the center, and a sprinkling of sea salt, black pepper, and homemade sauces to be added as you wish.

For a group of people, we'd recommend the deluxe platter (380g) with three kinds of beef for RMB 483 or the signature platter (740g) with six kinds of beef for RMB 598.

Pyongan Do Club also offers authentic dishes like beef soup, bibimbap, fried rice, gimbap (Korean-style sushi rolls), and kimchijeon (kimchi pancake) to bulk up your meal. If you're not in the mood for barbecue, try the budae-jjigae (literally army base stew) instead, a sweet and spicy hearty hot pot (RMB 68) packed with instant noodles, corned beef, enoki mushrooms, assorted vegetables, and lots and lots of homemade kimchi.

There's also the naengmyeon (Korean cold noodles, RMB 30-35) to help you beat the summer heat. The rendition here comes with either buckwheat or corn noodles and is served with ice cubes, cucumber, slices of beef, a boiled egg, and a sprinkle of sesame. The broth was sweeter, more tangy, and spicier than those that we've tried in Korea, thanks to a copious amount of pickled radish, kimchi, and gochujang (red chili paste). Pro tip: follow their WeChat and get a bowl of your own for a measly for RMB 9.9.

As for drinks, the fridge mainly holds imported bottled beers from Belgian, soju, and a large selection of juice. However, what makes Pyongan Do Club stick out are its superior service and quality meat, no easy feat when you first land in Beijing's Little Korea.

Pyongan Do Club
Daily 11am-11pm. 30 Huajiadi, Wangjing, Chaoyang District (6477 6766)
平安道·和牛烤肉：朝阳区望京花家地30号楼

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Photos: Tracy Wang, Dianping