Sangam-dong eel restaurant: after-voting lunch & mini cake, Ryeok

A Sangam-dong eel lunch with my husband after voting

Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom (력 민물장어구이전문점) is where we went for the eel rice bowl specials that are sold only at lunch in Sangam-dong. Last week, after voting with my husband, we stopped by this well-known Sangam-dong eel place for lunch, haha. And now I wish I could go back to last week and have that Wednesday off... T_T

I wanted the lunch-only specials, the rice bowls. Every time we had a date in Sangam-dong, my husband and I said this looked like a great eel place, so we went in with big expectations, haha.

Where is Ryeok and what are its opening hours?

Ryeok is at 37 Seongam-ro 15-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the first floor. It is open Monday to Friday 11:00–23:00 and Saturday 11:00–22:00. Break time is 14:00–16:00, and it is closed every Sunday.

• Monday – Friday 11:00 – 23:00
• Saturday 11:00 – 22:00
• Break time 14:00 – 16:00
• Closed every Sunday

Many restaurants in Sangam-dong close on Sundays or weekends, but Ryeok, the freshwater eel specialist, was open on Saturday!!

Ryeok's lunch specials and prices

Ryeok's lunch specials are rice bowls: the special eel bowl (hitsumabushi) is ₩27,000 and the egg eel bowl is ₩18,000. The menu also lists the grilled eel and set meals that people eat more at dinner.

Lunch specials

• Special eel bowl (hitsumabushi): ₩27,000
• Egg eel bowl: ₩18,000
• Abalone eel bowl: ₩21,000
• Pollock roe and natto bowl: ₩16,000
• Minced meat and eggplant bowl: ₩14,000

Set meals

• Baengnyeongdo soy-marinated crab set (soy or spicy): ₩21,000
• Mackerel set: ₩16,000
• Pork bulgogi set: ₩15,000

Grilled eel

• Grilled eel, salt: ₩27,000
• Grilled eel, seasoned: ₩28,000
• Grilled eel, soy sauce: ₩28,000
• Wild hagfish (kkomjangeo), 1 kg: ₩95,000

We came for the lunch specials, so we each ordered one of the rice bowls. I chose the egg eel bowl and my husband chose the hitsumabushi (special eel bowl).

Maybe because we visited at weekend lunchtime, some of the lunch specials were sold out, but luckily the hitsumabushi and the egg eel bowl, which seem to be Ryeok's most popular dishes, were still available, haha.

What does Ryeok's egg eel bowl taste like?

Ryeok's egg eel bowl is a whole eel laid over rice piled with Japanese-style rolled omelet. The omelet was incredibly soft, and it went really well with the eel, haha.

My egg eel bowl came out, and right after it my husband's hitsumabushi arrived. My bowl looked great, but the hitsumabushi was seriously amazing, haha.

How is the omelet this good?! If I could make it like this, I'd cook it at home. I really want to know how they make it..!!!

How do you eat Ryeok's hitsumabushi?

Ryeok's hitsumabushi (special eel bowl) is divided into four parts. You first eat it as is, and since the restaurant provides warm water, you can also pour it over the bowl and eat it that way. My husband tried it like this and said it was delicious, haha.

Such a great hitsumabushi place so close to home, and we hadn't come sooner! That's what I thought about this Sangam-dong eel spot, Ryeok!!!!

What comes with the lunch special?

Ryeok's lunch special comes with a generous, great-looking rice bowl plus soup and Japanese-style steamed egg, and for dessert, yogurt and a mini cake. It makes for a very filling meal.

We had planned to go to a café right after lunch, but we were so full that we walked around Sangam-dong for a long while first and then went to the café.

Next time: grilled eel on a Saturday evening

This time we came for lunch and had the lunch specials, but next time I want to visit at dinner and try Ryeok's grilled eel, haha. I think a Saturday evening for grilled eel or hagfish would be quiet and calm.

Sangam-dong is definitely quieter on weekends than on weekdays, which makes it good for eating out!! If you're looking for a good eel place in Sangam-dong, I recommend visiting Ryeok, the freshwater eel grill restaurant!!!