MELBOURNE | I remember the first time I visited Koreatown in Los Angeles, and was exposed to a multitude of dishes that I’d never encountered before. One of these, was the traditional Korean beef soup, gomtang. I’ve been a fan ever since. It’s not been the easiest thing to find in Melbourne up until now, with the opening of Sagye 사계. I popped in recently to take a look for What’s On Melbourne.
Levi Eun, who also owns Korean restaurant, Ondo, opened the tiny 23-seat restaurant Sagye, to spotlight gomtang. It’s a traditional soup, featuring a clear broth made by simmering beef bones and meat for several hours. Often misconceived as cheap eat, Levi wants to show Melburnians that it’s possible for this simple to dish to be something exquisite and premium.
High quality wagyu brisket, shank, and chuck-eye roll form the basis of Sagye’s master stock, which simmers for several hours before being strained. Sagye has a dedicated stock chef overseeing the process, to ensure quality control and consistency. The result is a light, clear, intensely flavoured broth. I’ve been thinking about it for days.
The standard bowl includes the three cuts of meat, but I highly recommend going for the ‘special’ bowl. It adds pieces of soft, gelatinous tendon that add great texture to the bowl. Gomtang is served toryeom-style, atop a bed of rice that’s been ladled over with broth multiple times to ensure the rice has the desired texture.
Gomtang is the star of the menu, but there are a handful of other items that are worth your consideration too. There chuck-eye bulgogi, lightly seasoned to highlight the quality of the meat; suyuk, wafer thin slices of the three cuts of meat; and juicy pork mandoo (dumplings). House-made kimchi, broth and rice refills, and bori-cha (Korean barley tea) are all complimentary.
Drink options at Sagye include green plum soda, yuzu, soda, and house brewed punches. For the latter you can choose from sujeonggwa (ginger and cinnamon punch), or my favourite, sikhye (slow-brewed rice punch).
Sagye 사계
250 Russell Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: n/a
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Website
Open
Mon: 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Tue – Sat: 11:00am to 3:00pm, 5:00pm to 9:00pm