Eel restaurant in Apo, Gimcheon: staff-grilled eel at Sonamu Sikdang

Sonamu Sikdang (소나무식당)

Looking for restorative freshwater eel in Gimcheon? Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch

I was searching for a good spot in Gimcheon for a health-boosting meal and ended up at Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch, which locals are said to visit a lot. I like eel in general, so my expectations were high, and it turned out even better than I hoped, so here's my write-up.

Do you have to grill the freshwater eel yourself at Sonamu Sikdang?

At Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch, the staff grill all the freshwater eel and bring it out, so all you have to do at the table is eat. I ordered the freshwater eel, and it was a meal I enjoyed from start to finish. Eel is tricky to grill. At home it smells a lot and you have to keep flipping it, which is a hassle, so it was really convenient that the staff grilled it all perfectly. Thanks to that, we could chat comfortably and enjoy a relaxed meal.

With a full spread like this, the price seems really cheap too..! My parents tried it once, loved it and told me we should go together, and honestly it's become a meal of a lifetime for me.

How did the freshwater eel marinade taste?

The freshwater eel at Sonamu Sikdang had a sweet, savory marinade that soaked deep into the eel. The first thing I noticed when the eel came out was the aroma of the sauce, and the moment I took a bite the flavor filled my mouth. It didn't feel like the sauce was just brushed on the surface. It had properly soaked in, so the flavor got richer the more I chewed.

Bean sprout salad and stir-fried fish cake

The bean sprout salad kept its crunch, with a faint nutty sesame oil aroma, and went well with the eel. The stir-fried fish cake wasn't too sweet either, just nicely seasoned and easy to eat. Every basic side dish felt carefully made like home cooking rather than thrown together, which made me even happier.

Is the eel greasy or fishy?

The freshwater eel at Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch had almost no greasiness and almost no fishy smell. Eel can easily feel heavy, but the marinade was well absorbed without being overpowering, so it cut the greasiness while keeping the eel's natural nutty flavor. That's why I never got tired of it and kept eating. I could barely detect the typical fishy smell, so even people who usually find eel too much could probably enjoy it.

Wrapping it in ssam vegetables

They also gave a generous amount of fresh ssam (leaf wrap) vegetables, so it was great for wrapping the eel. A piece of eel on lettuce, topped with cucumber salad and bean sprout salad, is truly the best combination. My mouth felt clean yet full, and I kept reaching for more.

The most memorable side dish at Sonamu Sikdang: the cucumber salad

All the side dishes that came out showed real care. The one that impressed me most was the cucumber salad. Honestly, I kept thinking about the cucumber salad more than the main dish. It was sweet, tangy and crunchy, with the seasoning just right, and eaten with the eel it was the perfect pairing.

Does ordering rice come with doenjang stew?

At Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch, ordering rice comes with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), and this stew was really satisfying too. Free-with-rice stews are often ordinary, but this one had a properly spicy kick that kept me spooning it up. The savory doenjang plus a moderate heat meant that a spoonful between bites of eel left my mouth feeling clean. It paired so well with the eel that I emptied my rice in no time.

Best of all, the food felt clean overall. I'd thought of eel as oily food, but here it wasn't heavy at all, and the balance between the sauce and the side dishes let me enjoy it to the very end.

Who is Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch's freshwater eel for?

If you want proper freshwater eel in Gimcheon, I'd recommend Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch. You don't have to grill it yourself, and you can really taste the deep flavor of eel with the marinade soaked all the way through. On top of that, the crunchy cucumber salad, tasty bean sprout salad and fish cake, fresh ssam vegetables and spicy doenjang stew meant nothing on the table fell short.

Having tried it myself, I immediately understood why so many Gimcheon locals come here. It's a good place for a family meal, when you need some restorative food, or on a day you want something special. Next time I'd like to come back with my parents and enjoy it again. A great Gimcheon eel restaurant.