Two Plus

Raw aged sirloin steaks before getting grilled / Korea Times photo by Yoon Sung-won

By Yoon Sung-won

Charcoal for barbeque

Two Plus, whose name is derived from the “1++” grade of hanwoo beef it serves, started out with an unusual business model.

Firstly, the restaurant wanted its top-grade hanwoo, Korea’s counterpart to Japan’s wagyu, to be affordable. There are five grades of hanwoo ― 1++, 1+, 1, 2 and 3 and Two Plus charges 32,000 won ($28.80) for a single portion or 150 grams of aged sirloin, and 36,500 won for the same portion of aged tenderloin. At Samwon Garden, a renowned Korean BBQ venue and the parent company of Two Plus, a 130 gram hanwoo sirloin of undisclosed grade sells for 63,000 won.

Secondly, Two Plus charges no corkage fee. Diners can bring their own wine and the restaurant will provide glasses and other necessities free of charge.

These two non-conventional ideas turn Two Plus into an outstanding Korean BBQ restaurant in a city where business districts are lined with eateries that serve barbecued pork or beef.

Located in Garosu-gil in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Two Plus boasts a comfortable and modern interior design.

The venue’s specialty aged sirloin or tenderloin ― quality Korean beef aged by the restaurant’s special method ― are served as thick and juicy steaks on a charcoal fire that stimulates one’s appetite at first sight.

Quality sun-dried salt and ssamjang, soybean paste mixed with red pepper paste, garlic and sesame add flavor like the icing on a cake.

The side dishes generally taste light and plain. The dongchimi, or water-based radish kimchi, and baekkimchi, or non-spicy white kimchi, are also mild.

At every corner of the venue is a grill bar, a seven-seat bar that reminds one of a Japanese sushi bar. The “Chef’s Course,” which is served exclusively at the bar seats allows diners to enjoy six different grilled meats along with fresh vegetables and special dishes handpicked by the chefs for 66,000 won.

The grill bar is claimed to be the first in a Korean-cuisine restaurant. Because of its popularity, customers who want to experience the special course should reserve three months in advance, the restaurant recommends.

The prices are relatively reasonable, considering that the restaurant is located in one of the most stylish districts of Seoul. Beside its main dishes, the restaurant offers one-dish lunches, including beef short rib soup and beef tartare mixed rice for 11,000 won and 10,000 won, respectively.

Two Plus’s Garosu-gil branch opened in September 2012, joining two other stores in Nonhyeon and Gangnam. The Chef’s Course and Aged Tenderloin are only available at the Garosu-gil branch. The brand “Two Plus” was launched in early 2012, using secret recipes passed on from the 36-year-old Samwon Garden.

With 101 seats including three private rooms for groups of six or eight, the eatery offers a feasible option for social gatherings and business meetings.

The grill bar where the “Chef’s Course” is served / Courtesy of Two Plus