Songpa seafood restaurant course with grilled fish: Namhae Fish

Aged sashimi such as hairtail and mackerel sashimi that we ate so deliciously in Jeju in the past. I simply could not find anywhere near Seoul that delivered that level of flavor—then I heard there was a place this close that was even better than what we had by the sea, so how could I not go?!

The place we visited this time was Namhae Fish Jamsilsaenae Branch, a great sashimi spot in Jamsilsaenae!

Nam: Looking for sashimi with an extraordinary flavor? hae: A place that does not only seafood but its other dishes wonderfully, too! mul: You will find yourself continuing to eat without ever getting tired of it. go: A Jamsilsaenae sashimi restaurant where you can have high-quality fish. gi: It was Namhae Fish Jamsilsaenae Branch, with an absolutely fabulous taste!

A great aged-sashimi spot from weekday opening time

We visited at 11:30 AM on a weekday, right at opening, yet there were already people eating. Oh, surprising! I knew it was known for aged sashimi, but it made me wonder whether I was the only one late to the party.

The restaurant was genuinely roomy and wonderfully open and comfortable. Each table had plenty of space too, so it was easy to spread out all the dishes and eat comfortably. Time to order—off we go with the table-order system~

What comes with the sashimi omakase set and how much it costs

Among the many set and à la carte options, Haune ordered the sashimi omakase set, which covered almost all of it: ₩39,000 per person, for two people total.

The enormous table spread began to arrive. This was the order and lineup of dishes!

• Appetizer porridge → mulhoe (cold raw-fish soup) → sashimi spread → sushi → yuringi, grilled fish, pasta → shabu-shabu
• Such a plentiful, generous lineup that I wondered if we could possibly finish it all

All right, let’s begin~

A gentle start with appetizer porridge

It was nutty and easy on the stomach. With a subtle egg aroma and just the right amount of seasoning, it was perfect as an appetizer.

Mulhoe with many kinds of fish and a great dressing

This mulhoe was so good that next time, I would want to come back and have a big serving of just that. There were so many fresh kinds of fish in it that they were hard to count.

What I think matters most in mulhoe is the dressing. This one was not sharply sour but pleasantly tangy; not cloyingly sweet but gently sweet; not salty but nicely seasoned. It coated both the vegetables and fish beautifully. It was so good I wanted to buy the sauce separately. (Honestly, I wanted to mix rice into it.)

Aged sashimi spread with hairtail and mackerel

I was surprised by how many unusual varieties there were—things you rarely see in a typical sashimi assortment. Aged salmon, red sea bream, amberjack, flounder, hairtail, and mackerel; the freshness from the fish’s generous size came through clearly.

There was absolutely no fishiness, to the point that I could not help wondering exactly how they aged it!

It is hard to find places that do hairtail and mackerel sashimi well, but even Choini, who worried about fishiness, found them completely fresh and special. We got to experience aged sashimi on another level!

Generous salmon and raw shrimp sushi

The set included salmon sushi and raw shrimp sushi, with just the right amount of rice.

The fish and shrimp themselves were large, thick, and fresh, making for delicious sushi that let the ingredients shine.

The salmon was rich and the raw shrimp pleasantly chewy—it disappeared so fast that I thought, wait, we already finished it?

Yuringi and grilled fish

Better than the yuringi at most Chinese restaurants! Fact~ The batter was chewy, reminding me of glutinous-rice sweet-and-sour pork. The chicken was tender and springy, with no off smell whatsoever. Its sweet-tangy sauce refreshed the palate, and with vegetables, there was no chance to get tired of it—clear!

Isn’t the saying that the head and tail are the best parts of fish? It was truly extra-nutty, rich, and not salty, and I found myself picking it completely clean even without rice. The crisp skin brought an even higher level of nuttiness—amazing.

A change of pace between sashimi: vongole pasta

This vongole pasta was the kind of delicious change of pace you could not help reaching for between bites of sashimi. The broth bursting with umami from the clams was clean and refreshing. It was a light, clear oil style—like a very tasty combination of steamed clams and vongole pasta.

Shabu-shabu for a warm finish

(They said it is served as spicy fish stew in the evening.) You could feel the generosity in the abundant beef, vegetables, and deeply flavored yet clean, not-too-salty broth.

It was another flavor variation from the sashimi, and although I was full, the worry of whether I could eat more proved pointless—it gave us such a warm, satisfying finish. How did they come up with this lineup? Nothing but a thumbs-up.

A great spread even with companions who find raw fish difficult

A place that will earn approval no matter whom you treat; a place where you can have a happy time even with friends who are hesitant about raw fish; a place that coworkers will give a thumbs-up for at a company dinner; a place to experience a whole sashimi course at good value. Namhae Fish Jamsilsaenae Branch was polished and upscale enough that I am already thinking of taking my parents next time.

Hours and parking

• Closed every Monday
• Otherwise, 11:30 AM–10:50 PM
• Last order: 9:30 PM
• Free parking available behind the building
• Paid Asia Public Parking Lot 300 m away