Seafood Dinner @ Sinhaejosigdang, Jeju-do, South Korea

You have read the title correctly. Once again TOG is going global and the most recent destination is the volcanic island of Jeju. And being an island, seafood is not only a staple, but also a decadent treasure that is abundant. This time, I went along with my folks for a 5 day drive around. What greeted us was the spring shower after our 6 hour flight from KLIA 2. 

Many a wet alleyways on my first day in Korea

An initial inconvenience at first, but it eventually subsided and we went on our merry way. An experience similar to my previous Japanese trip. However, unlike my previous Japanese trip, I am clueless as to the local lingo and finger pointing became even more constant than I thought. Yet, it is these things that make moving around so fun and interesting.

The untranslated menu at the top. 

For dinner we entered into a seafood restaurant which signage translates to New Sea Restaurant  (신해조식당). Pronounced as Sinhaejosigdang, this simple establishment serves an array of seafood dishes which unfortunately are so uniquely Korean that there are many that I cannot spell. Luckily though, the menu was in English and had pictures so navigating was not a real issue. For dinner, we ordered a file fish pot and sea urchin soup. 

Sea urchin anyone?

The sea urchin soup came first. Loaded with wakana seaweed and sea urchin, this tasted like the ocean. The sea urchin was very fresh and has a bitter sweet taste to it. Its texture is a paradox, as it was silky and grainy at the same time. People who have eaten cooked sea urchin would know what I mean. The seaweed gave it some bite and was a little bland, but its alright as such sea plants are used more for their stock making properties, like kombu for the Japanese. It does lend a chewy texture and an extra edge to the soup. Very warming and a great tonic to combat the rain. This was a winner. That bowl was ₩13,000 , which is about RM52. A very pricey dish. But heck it has ocean durian in it!

A loaded bowl over here.

Then comes the file fish pot. The dish was nothing short of impressive. Seasoned with a liberal amount of  gochu-jang paste, it has a powerful combination of sweet, spicy, salty, and a hint of sourness. It hits all the notes that an authentic Korean dish would be. The fish was very fresh, and has a muscular texture. 

Look at how firm this fish is!

Not surprisingly, this is called chicken fish back home due to its firm and muscular consistency. But if you are not a fan of innards, then you may not enjoy this as the whole fish is used. And 'whole" here means the guts and eggs as well, which is fine by me and adds more character to the pot. Some people might find it squeamish though. The file fish pot was a real explosion, both in flavour and in price. As the pot carries a hefty tag of  ₩55,000 (RM220), I think I could probably get a grenade or something. 

The whole entree. 

However, all is not lost as the price tag of the meal does have its redeeming qualities. Most places serve an array of refillable side dishes called banchan. Although they are complimentary in a sense, they are actually already included in the price tag of your meal. It is similar to the otoshi culture in Japan, and it is non-negotiable. But it does give you a vast array of sides and really completes a meal. 

Not the most pleasing sight, but it sure tasted good. 

One particular banchan that I liked was preserved crab. Yep, baby crab in kimchi juice may not sound savoury but trust me, I was surprised at how good it tasted. Rice and water are complementary though. 

Front of the house. It got more crowded as the night progresses. 

Overall, it was a fantastic meal for 3, although this was a pricey affair. But would I recommend it? Of course I would. If you are somewhere in Jeju-Si or are planning to visit the island sometime soon, do give this fine establishment a go. The address for Sinhaejosigdang is as follows:

1325 Geonip-dong, Cheju, Jeju-do, South Korea