Pohang mulhoe restaurant with 3 plates of self-bar tteokbokki: Ppwang

On a weekend lunch, Algong and Dalgong went with their family to Yeongildae Beach in Pohang. Along with taking in the ocean view, we also wanted a good lunch, so we headed to Ppwang Mulhoe.

Mulhoe (raw fish cold soup) is one of those dishes you have to try when you're in Pohang. With the East Sea right at its doorstep, Pohang is famous for its fresh raw fish and seafood, and Pohang-style mulhoe — cool, spicy, and refreshing — is one of the city's signature dishes.

This time we ordered half-and-half mulhoe and fried squid at Ppwang Mulhoe, located along the main road by Yeongildae Beach, and had a fun weekend lunch with the kids.

Where is Ppwang Mulhoe? On the main road by Yeongildae Beach

Ppwang Mulhoe sits right on the main road of Yeongildae Beach in Pohang. It's a convenient spot to grab a meal after visiting the beach, making it a solid stop during a Pohang trip.

Yeongildae Beach is one of Pohang's representative tourist spots, so lots of people come to see the ocean on weekends. Being able to enjoy the view and also try mulhoe, Pohang's signature dish, made this feel like a great combo course.

One of the appeals of Pohang-style mulhoe is that you can enjoy it any season. Ppwang Mulhoe is known as a spot for squid mulhoe year-round, so it's a great place to visit whenever you're craving it.

How long was the wait at weekend lunch?

We came to Ppwang Mulhoe during weekend lunchtime, and as expected, all the tables inside were full, with a wait.

Since the area around Yeongildae Beach draws a lot of weekend visitors, and plenty of people come for lunch too, it made sense there would be a line of waiting customers.

Luckily, table turnover was fast, so we got in without waiting too long. If you're visiting on a weekend, keep in mind there may be a wait during the lunch peak hours.

Where Pohang mulhoe came from, and Ppwang Mulhoe's gochujang sauce

Pohang is rich in seafood caught from the East Sea, and dishes made with fresh raw fish have developed here since long ago.

Pohang mulhoe is said to have originated from busy fishermen who, needing a quick meal on their boats, seasoned raw fish with gochujang (red chili paste) or doenjang (soybean paste), added vegetables, and poured in water.

Mulhoe started as a practical meal for fishermen working at sea, and has since become one of Pohang's signature delicacies. The appeal of Pohang mulhoe lies in how fresh seafood comes together with a sauce that's both tangy and spicy.

Ppwang Mulhoe says its mulhoe is made with a secret gochujang sauce mixed with scallion, cucumber, and pear. The crunch of the vegetables combined with the savory sauce makes the mulhoe even more enjoyable.

Half-and-half mulhoe: two kinds of fish in one bowl

After sitting down, we ordered the half-and-half mulhoe.

Mulhoe's flavor and texture change depending on which seafood is used, so getting the half-and-half option, letting you enjoy two flavors at once, was even better.

The spicy, savory sauce typical of Pohang mulhoe paired with fresh seafood was more than enough to whet our appetite. This cool, refreshing dish especially suited a meal after a weekend outing to the beach.

After walking around and seeing the ocean, a bowl of cool mulhoe felt even more welcome. The texture of the fresh seafood combined with the sauce really gave that authentic 'I'm in Pohang' feeling.

If you want to try fresh squid mulhoe or other varieties of mulhoe in Pohang, it's worth checking out the mulhoe restaurants around Yeongildae Beach.

Fried squid for a middle-school son who skips mulhoe

Our middle-school son prefers fried food over mulhoe, so he ordered the fried squid.

Sometimes you wonder if there's anything for kids to eat at a mulhoe restaurant, but with fried squid on the menu, our son was able to enjoy his meal too.

The crispy fried squid paired well with the mulhoe. Alternating between the spicy, cool mulhoe and the savory, crunchy fried squid made for a nice contrast.

For a family meal out, it matters that not just the adults but the kids can also enjoy the food, and in that respect, Ppwang Mulhoe felt like an easy place to bring the whole family.

What's on the self bar: side dishes, tteokbokki and squid soup

Ppwang Mulhoe had a self bar set up, and it caught our eye — not just various side dishes, but tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes), fried food, and even squid soup.

It was nice to have a variety of dishes to snack on before the mulhoe arrived or between bites. When dining with kids, having food they like beyond the main dish matters more than you'd think.

Our middle-school son must have really liked the tteokbokki at the self bar — he ate a whopping three plates of it. 😂

We came here for mulhoe, but our son ended up completely hooked on tteokbokki, which had us all laughing. Sweet and spicy tteokbokki is such a familiar favorite for kids that he kept going back for more throughout the meal.

With various side dishes plus tteokbokki, fried food, and squid soup all available, this seems like a place where you can dine comfortably even if you're bringing a kid who isn't great with mulhoe.

Parking at Ppwang Mulhoe

You might also be curious about parking at Ppwang Mulhoe.

Parking is available right in front of the restaurant. If that space fills up, you can use the public parking lot for the beach located across the street.

That public lot is just about 10 to 30 seconds on foot from the restaurant, so even if the front parking is full, it should still be fairly convenient.

The area around Yeongildae Beach tends to get busy with visitors on weekends, so if you're driving, it's worth keeping the parking situation in mind.

Is Ppwang Mulhoe worth a stop on a Pohang trip?

This weekend, we had a great lunch at Ppwang Mulhoe by Yeongildae Beach.

We ordered the half-and-half mulhoe and enjoyed the charm of Pohang-style mulhoe, while our son happily worked through fried squid and the self bar's tteokbokki. Having such a variety of food at the self bar made it especially convenient for a family visit.

Pohang is known not only for its beautiful coastline but also for its fresh seafood and mulhoe. If you're planning a visit to Yeongildae Beach, pairing the ocean view with a bowl of Pohang's famous mulhoe makes for a great travel course.

If you're looking for mulhoe near Yeongildae Beach, or a place to eat in the Duho-dong area, consider adding Ppwang Mulhoe to your list.

We enjoyed our mulhoe, the kids enjoyed their tteokbokki and fried food, and the whole family wrapped up a weekend lunch in good spirits.

If you find yourself craving a cool bowl of mulhoe during your Pohang trip, stop by Ppwang Mulhoe on the main road by Yeongildae Beach for a satisfying meal. 😊