Braised skate and squid set at a Sokcho restaurant: Jungang Sanghoe

On the day we left Sokcho for home, we stopped by the central market in the evening, and I wanted braised skate (gaori-jjim) for our last meal. So we headed to a restaurant right nearby called Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe (속초중앙상회). I loved the modern vibe and the clean interior, and it looked like a great place to bring older family members next time. Here's my review.

Where is Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe, and what are the hours?

Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe is a skate specialty restaurant on the ground floor of the Centum Mark Building, just to the left of Sokcho Jungang Market. It's open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. except for its regular closing day every Tuesday, so it works for both lunch and dinner.

Is parking at Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe free?

The restaurant uses the underground parking lot of the Centum Mark Building, and after your meal you tell the staff your plate number to register 2 hours of free parking. The regular fee is ₩2,000 for the first 30 minutes and ₩2,000 for each additional 30 minutes.

The building has its own parking lot right underneath, and there was plenty of space, so parking in an empty spot was very easy. The normal fee is ₩2,000 for the first 30 minutes and ₩2,000 per extra 30 minutes, but after the meal I told a staff member our plate number and they registered us for 2 hours of free parking.

Inside Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe: seating and bringing kids

The dining hall is mostly four-person tables, with group tables such as six-seaters, and high chairs are provided. Tablecloths on the tables make the place look especially clean.

Inside, the hall had a soft, calm atmosphere, and the tablecloths made it feel really hygienic. The cleanliness stood out right away, and between that and the friendly staff greeting us, I felt in a good mood the moment we walked in.

Seating was mostly four-person tables, but there were also tables for larger groups, like six-seaters, so it looked suitable for bigger parties too. Since it's a tourist area, quite a few parents came with young children, and there were high chairs available for them.

The braised fish, introduced as a distinctive dish made with a secret seasoning, was apparently also featured on the KBS show Saengsaeng Jeongbo (KBS 생생정보) on May 20, 2026, so I couldn't help but have high expectations for this Sokcho skate spot.

Menu and prices at Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe: what should two people order?

The signature dish is steamed skate as a single dish (₩45,000), and there are also stir-fried squid (₩33,000) and grilled fish (₩28,000). With two of us, we ordered the small Gao Hansang set (₩55,000), which brings braised skate, stir-fried squid and octopus beef-bone seaweed soup all at once.

In keeping with current trends, each table has a tablet where you can browse the dishes and order. You can also ask for side-dish refills separately, which felt really convenient, and I loved that!

The most representative item was the single-dish steamed skate (₩45,000), and there were also stir-fried squid (₩33,000) and grilled fish (₩28,000). Since the two of us wanted to try several signature dishes in one go, we decided on the small Gao Hansang set (₩55,000), which comes with all three: braised skate, stir-fried squid and octopus beef-bone seaweed soup.

What was the small Gao Hansang set like?

Since the braised skate and stir-fried squid are coated in red sauce, we each put on one of the hygienic aprons provided in a corner of the restaurant, in case of splashes.

Side dishes at Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe

The side dishes came out first: macaroni salad, mixed braised beans, white kimchi, bracken (gosari), seasoned seaweed, bean sprouts and a soy sauce dip. When serving them, the staff kindly explained how to eat them: put the skate, bean sprouts and bracken on top of a sheet of seaweed, and it tastes great.

Octopus beef-bone seaweed soup

The octopus beef-bone seaweed soup (miyeok-guk) came out first. As shown on TV, it's a specialty made by simmering beef bones for a very long time, and it's packed with octopus, so calling it a health tonic dish wouldn't be an exaggeration! Personally, I knew the seasoning coming up could be a little spicy, so I really liked how this soup cleansed the palate.

Also, steamed rice is included by default, so there was no need to order it separately!

Stir-fried squid

The stir-fried squid came out next, and its chewy, appetizing look made me want to praise myself for ordering the set. The seasoning had a flavor I couldn't get anywhere else, and it made us finish our rice in no time.

The main: Sokcho braised fish (braised skate)

Then came today's main, the Sokcho braised fish. For two people we got about three pieces of fish, and there was radish tucked in here and there that worked nicely as a side.

The owner recommended bokbunja wine (black raspberry wine) as a perfect match for the Gao Hansang with its squid and braised skate, so we ordered a glass, and it really paired well. It left a strong impression^^

What stood out at Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe is that the skate meat comes off the bone easily and is so tender that you could make the braised dish its signature. It blended perfectly with the sauce too, and I was just curious how they mixed it.

There were also several pieces of radish as a side, and eating them made me feel full really fast~

How to enjoy the Gao Hansang at Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe

The tablet at each table shows how to enjoy the Gao Hansang. It was displayed on the screen, so I took a photo.

• For the first bite, put skate or stir-fried squid on white rice
• Eat it topped on seaweed with bean sprouts
• Cleanse your palate with the seaweed soup in between
• Finally, add rice and bean sprouts and mix it with the stir-fried squid sauce

Would I go back to Sokcho Jungang Sanghoe?

The braised fish was so fantastic that calling it a rice thief (a dish that makes you eat tons of rice) a hundred times wouldn't be too much, and wrapping seaweed around bean sprouts and bracken was so savory that we finished our meal happily before heading home. The food was so good that even locals recommend it, and because it's so clean and hygienic, I'd definitely want to bring my parents next time. That was my Sokcho skate experience.