Hokkaido Butadon Sumire 홋카이도 부타동 스미레

A sign asks diners not to talk, which makes this small counter shop near Sinchon a calm place to eat alone. It sits about seven minutes' walk from Exit 1 of Sinchon Station. Even weekdays bring a queue, food takes a while to arrive, and breaks and early closings are common. Hokkaido-style butadon is the whole focus: charcoal-grilled pork loin or belly glazed in a house tare that is barely sweet, layered over rice, in small, regular or large sizes, with a dab of wasabi to cut the fat. The pork leans toward chewy rather than tender, and some find the loin dry. Yebisu is on draft, and ordering happens at a kiosk.