New CBD Spot Sagye Simmers 100 Kilograms of Wagyu a Day To Make Its Signature Korean Beef Soup

Levi Eun sees opening Sagye as continuing his broader mission to expand Melbourne’s understanding of Korean cuisine. “When people go out for Japanese or Vietnamese food, they know more than one dish. They have choices. That’s what I’m trying to do with Korean food,” he says.

The Ondo founder’s new 23-seat Russell Street restaurant is dedicated to gomtang, the traditional Korean beef soup that simmers for hours before it arrives at the table and is ladled over rice with black pepper and house-made kimchi on the side. It’s a deceptively simple dish, and one Eun believes is often misunderstood.

“There’s a common misconception that gomtang is cheap Korean street food,” Eun says. “In reality, it’s a premium bowl of soup in Korea because Korean beef is extremely expensive, like Japanese Wagyu.

“Gomtang reflects my cooking style. I like food that is simple, direct and honest. I believe that good food doesn’t have to be complicated.”

At Sagye, the broth is made using three cuts of Wagyu: brisket, shank and chuck eye roll. Wagyu marbling is graded from 0 to 9+ – a higher grade denotes more fat in the muscle – and Eun is particular about the score of meat used.

“I’ve found higher-grade Wagyu is not always good,” he explains. “It can be too fatty and greasy and take away from that clear, delicate finish. For gomtang, a marble score of 5 to 7 is perfect.”

The beef is simmered for four hours, resulting in a clear yet deeply flavoured broth. A special gomtang adds beef tendon, leading to a richer broth and an added textural element. The restaurant goes through almost 100 kilograms of beef a day, with one chef dedicated solely to the stock. “We call him our stock master,” Eun says. Whichever bowl you choose, each bowl is defined by restraint, allowing the quality of the ingredients to carry through.

This sentiment extends to the dining room. The minimalist space is clad in dark timber. It was designed by Eun, who travelled back and forth from Korea to source tableware, lighting and ceramics. Behind the counter, chefs hover over steaming stockpots, reinforcing the idea that every detail revolves around a single dish.

The supporting cast is deliberately small: house-made pork mandoo, bulgogi and kimchi designed to complement rather than distract from the main event. House-made drinks round out the offering with sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch) and slow-brewed sikhye (rice punch).

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner service on a walk-in-only basis. Early signs suggest diners are already settling into the ritual. Eun says one customer recently visited for lunch, returned for dinner and then came back to do it again the next day: exactly the kind of repetition Eun hopes the restaurant will inspire.

Sagye
250 Russell Street, MelbourneNo phone

Hours:
Mon 5pm–9pm
Tue to Sat 11am–3pm; 5pm–9pm

@sagye_melb