Eulwangri no-wait weekend lunch, octopus stir-fry somyeon: Haesanggung

I heard there's an octopus stir-fry restaurant that actually won the grand prize at a local specialty food competition, so I went to check out Haesanggung on Yeongjong Island, Incheon. Straight into the review~

Where is Haesanggung in Eulwangri, and what are its hours?

• Address: 411 Masiran-ro, Eulwangri 198, Yeongjong-gu, Incheon, South Korea
• Hours: Wed–Mon 10:00–21:00 / last order 20:00 / closed every Tuesday

Haesanggung, the seafood kalguksu spot in Eulwangri, is a bit hard to reach by public transport, so I'd recommend driving.

Is parking at Haesanggung free?

• Address: 411 Masiran-ro, Eulwangri 198, Yeongjong-gu, Incheon, South Korea
• Price: Free

Haesanggung has a large dedicated parking lot, so it was nice not having to worry about parking even when arriving by car.

What comes in the Haesanggung Set for Two?

We ordered the Haesanggung Set for Two. It came with octopus stir-fry, seafood kalguksu, whole octopus pancake, and turmeric rice all together — really generous.

Weekend lunch wait times and dog-friendly tables

It was really crowded since we came at weekend lunchtime. Still, there were enough tables that we got in without any separate wait. The weather was nice so lots of people were sitting at the outdoor tables eating, and there were plenty of dog-friendly tables too, so I got to watch some cute dogs.

They brought out the banchan (side dishes) first — kimchi, salad, bean sprouts, and a dipping sauce for the pancake. The sauce for the whole octopus pancake was cute.

If the banchan run low, you can grab more from the self-serve corner.

Whole octopus pajeon: big enough to take home

The whole octopus pancake came out first. A whole octopus goes into it, so it looks amazing just visually. The octopus was really springy and there was even shrimp in it, so it was delicious. There was so much that we packed the rest to take home, and it was still tasty reheated.

How spicy is the octopus stir-fry?

The octopus stir-fry and turmeric rice came out too. It's not plain rice but turmeric rice, so it looks great and tastes great. The octopus looked pretty spicy, but if you balance it with bean sprouts, even a spice wimp like me could enjoy it well. They told us adding all the bean sprouts to the stir-fry at once could make it bland, so we ate it a little at a time with the sprouts.

Eating the springy octopus stir-fry together with bean sprouts and turmeric rice, it wasn't spicy at all and was delicious. You can grab extra bean sprouts from the self-serve corner, so there was never a shortage.

What the seafood kalguksu broth tastes like

The seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) came out too. By this point I was already struggling, being so full. The noodles were loaded with clams, shrimp, and other seafood, and the broth was really refreshing and delicious. Even full, it was so good I kept eating.

Free somyeon noodles from the receipt review event

I was full but... I can't resist somyeon (thin wheat noodles). If you take part in Haesanggung's receipt review event, you get somyeon too. It came with plenty of sesame oil drizzled on top, and the nutty smell completely stirred up my appetite.

I mixed the somyeon into the leftover octopus stir-fry and ate it up properly. It looked spicy, but mixed with the noodles it wasn't that spicy and was delicious.

Garden walk after the meal and space for kids

After the meal, you can take a stroll in the garden next to the restaurant. There are lots of toy cars for kids to ride, so it's great for kids to run around too — I'd recommend visiting as a family.

Who should eat at Haesanggung?

If you want a good meal and a relaxed time on Yeongjong Island, I'd recommend Haesanggung, the octopus stir-fry restaurant on Yeongjong. After the meal it's nice to walk around the garden, and since it's dog-friendly, you can visit together with your dog. With the garden space, it's also good for spending time with kids after eating. If you're planning a trip to Yeongjong or looking for a dog-friendly restaurant, I recommend Haesanggung.