Guwol-dong seafood spot: seasonal shrimp with seaweed soup spread

Incheon shrimp restaurant, Incheon grilled tiger prawns

120 Guwolnam-ro, 1st floor, Namdong-gu, Incheon / 386m from Yesulhoegwan Station Exit 1 / Monday–Sunday 11:30–00:30

Why go to Veteran General Fish Market in Guwol-dong for seasonal shrimp?

With the weather getting cooler lately, I've been craving all sorts of seasonal food. Especially plump shrimp — so I looked around and ended up at Veteran General Fish Market Incheon City Hall Branch!!

It's near Incheon City Hall so it's easy to get to, and the place is pretty spacious, which makes it great for dining or drinking with a group. There's also a fish tank, so you get that proper seafood-restaurant vibe right as you walk in. What we ordered that day was salt-grilled shrimp and butter-grilled shrimp head!

Before going in, I checked out the fish tank and saw everything — fish, shrimp — looking super fresh. And in really good condition too!!

They say it's peak season right now. Hello there!!

A wide dining room that fits work dinners and group gatherings

The inside of Veteran General Fish Market Incheon City Hall Branch is really spacious, so it seemed like a great spot for company dinners, eating out, or gatherings.

Since it's peak season, we couldn't skip the shrimp heads with the salt-grilled shrimp! So we went ahead and ordered butter-grilled shrimp heads too. Once we ordered, I got really excited~

The basic table spread: sashimi salad, salted pollack roe and seaweed soup

The basic table setting was so generous and varied. Let's enjoy that first before the main dishes arrive!! There's a salad piled high with sashimi, and the chewy raw fish went really well with the lettuce. And the salted pollack roe — salty yet savory, so good!!

The seaweed soup broth was the real deal~

How is the salt-grilled shrimp served?

The salt-grilled shrimp comes out generously piled into a pot, and the savory smell rising as it cooks really gets your appetite going!! Peeling and eating tiger prawns is fun in itself, on top of the eating.

The moment it hit the table, it already looked so appetizing!! The shrimp's color turned prettier and prettier as it cooked, and just waiting for it somehow made me even hungrier.

Peeling the shell and taking a bite, the shrimp meat was firm and springy with a mild saltiness — delicious even plain!! Shrimp really does taste best hot. Before I knew it, I was reaching for another one, then another. That clean, savory flavor unique to salt-grilling made it a great drinking snack too~

Peel one, eat it, peel another, chatting away — and before I knew it, my hand kept reaching for more. There's a certain fun in peeling the shells too, making it a great dish to sit around and share with others!!

Finishing with butter-grilled shrimp heads

After finishing the bodies, we grilled just the heads in butter separately, and a strong savory aroma rose up — the crispy bits paired really well with the shrimp's rich flavor!! It's a totally different taste from the body, so it felt like eating a whole shrimp down to the last bit~

After the salt-grilled shrimp, finishing off with butter-grilled heads was a nice little delicacy. If you love shrimp, this combo isn't one to miss.

Verdict: when is Veteran General Fish Market worth the trip?

It was a great place to visit near Incheon City Hall when craving fresh seafood or seasonal shrimp dishes, and perfect for chatting over a plate of shrimp!! Next time I'd like to try the sashimi or other seafood menu instead of shrimp, so I'm planning to go back :)