Gangseo seafood restaurant for icy mulhoe: Suseong Susan

The mornings and evenings have brought a fairly cool breeze, but the midday sun is still blazing away. On days like this, I naturally start craving something cool and refreshing to wake up my appetite.

I took a little trip to Myeongji for the first time in a while and found myself wanting some neatly prepared sashimi dishes—especially Myeongji sashimi bibimbap—so I headed to a place called Suseong Susan (수성수산).

Suseong Susan: Atmosphere and First Impressions

The exterior already looked clean and uncluttered, and the notice at the entrance said it opens at 11 a.m., which makes it just right for lunch. Once inside, I could catch a glimpse of the sea through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and it made me feel refreshed right away.

The interior was bright and pleasant overall, with a tablet at every table, so it was really convenient to browse the menu at leisure and order. It also felt comfortable for solo diners, and I got the impression that the whole place was very well maintained.

There were signs on the walls expressing pride in the ingredients used here, and seeing that they work with wild-caught sashimi gave me a lot of confidence. The kitchen was open too, so I felt I could eat without worrying about cleanliness.

Looking out the window from my seat, Myeongji's relaxed fishing-village scenery stretched out before me, so even waiting for the food was never boring. With its mix of white and wood tones, the interior was so bright that it almost felt like I was in a pretty café rather than a restaurant.

A Neatly Arranged Tray of Icy Mulhoe

I had come in debating the Myeongji sashimi bibimbap, but it was such a hot day that I found myself drawn to the mulhoe (cold raw-fish soup) filled with fine ice crystals instead. After ordering and waiting a moment, each serving arrived on its own tray, prepared so thoughtfully that I really felt treated.

The first thing that caught my eye was the neatly arranged side dishes in brass bowls. The gleaming gold-toned dishes made everything look even more elegant.

The mulhoe, the main dish, was topped generously with red seasoned sauce, sesame seeds, and scallions, and it made my mouth water just looking at it. The vegetables, including cabbage and cucumber, were sliced into very thin strips, and I had a feeling their texture with the sashimi would be wonderful.

The side dishes were lovely too: sweet black beans, stir-fried fish cake, braised konjac, and more. They were not overly seasoned, with the gentle, comforting flavor of a home-cooked meal.

What surprised me most was that the sashimi did not come already mixed into the mulhoe bowl—it was laid out neatly on a separate plate. It looked so translucent and fresh that I wanted to taste a piece before mixing it into the sauce. The quality was excellent.

The sashimi was sliced nicely thick rather than too thin, so it looked like I would really get to enjoy the chew. Seeing the pieces arranged so neatly by cut, I could immediately tell how much care the owner puts into ingredient freshness.

Adding the Separate Sashimi to the Mulhoe

As I properly began my meal, I piled the separately served sashimi into the mulhoe bowl. There was more of it than I expected, which was very satisfying. I was also impressed that a whole abalone, cleaned and prepared, came as one of the basic sides.

I mixed it all together so the icy seasoning coated the vegetables and sashimi evenly, and the sweet-and-spicy aroma immediately rose up, making me feel as though my lost appetite had come back to life. One big spoonful brought the crisp texture of the vegetables, followed by the savory chew of the sashimi.

Sipping warm miyeokguk (seaweed soup) here and there was a perfect match for the cold mulhoe and made my stomach feel at ease. A bowl of rice came with it too, so I mixed rice into the remaining sauce and ended up with a perfectly filling meal.

Overall, the food was not overly intense, yet it brought out the ingredients' natural flavors so well that I enjoyed every last bite without getting tired of it. If you are looking for great Myeongji sashimi bibimbap or simply want to enjoy neatly prepared seafood dishes, this full tray at Suseong Susan would be a great choice.