Pohang seafood restaurant with squid pancake: Ppwang Mulhoe

Finding Ppwang Mulhoe in front of Yeongildae Beach

I visited Ppwang Mulhoe (퐝물회), a great mulhoe spot near Yeongildae Beach in Pohang :) It is right along the main road by Yeongildae Beach, so it was an easy place to stop by while looking at the sea 😆 The pink sign stood out even from far away, and there is even a squid character, so it was easy to find even on my first visit haha. There is parking space in front of the restaurant too, which made visiting by car convenient!

It is on the first floor at 203-1 Haean-ro, Buk-gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea, open daily from 10:30 to 22:00, with last orders at 21:00. Parking is available in front. I heard navigation apps sometimes direct you into the back alley, so for a first visit, I recommend approaching from the coastal road.

Spacious seating and pet-friendly rooms

Once inside, the restaurant was much bigger than I expected 😲👍 There were lots of tables and the spacing did not feel cramped, so it looked good for families or larger groups too!! You can even see the Yeongildae sea from the window-side seats, which really made it feel like I was traveling haha. Pets are welcome too, and it seemed like they prepare separate rooms so other guests are not inconvenienced! Please note that there may be a wait for a room :)

High chairs are ready too, so I think visiting with kids would be comfortable! Even the high chairs are pink haha, aren't they so cute? The aprons are pink too!!! They are hanging between the walls by the sofa seats!

Ordering by table screen and how to eat mulhoe

You can order on the screen at your table 🙌 I was curious about the squid mulhoe, and also the 3-combo mulhoe with several kinds of raw fish, so we ordered all three: squid mulhoe, 3-combo mulhoe, and squid pajeon 🤤

The ordering screen also had instructions on how to enjoy mulhoe! First, you mix the raw fish and vegetables with the seasoning and eat it like hoe-muchim (seasoned raw fish salad), then add the broth and eat it as mulhoe! (So fascinating.) I had only ever eaten mulhoe with the broth in it from the start, so this way of eating it was really interesting haha.

The self-service bar while waiting for mulhoe

While waiting for our food, I looked around the self-service bar, and it was more substantial than I expected 😲👍 Along with various side dishes, there was squid soup, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and fried items too—this is the first time I have seen such a generous self-service bar..!!!

The tteokbokki was especially quietly delicious, so I kept reaching for it while we waited 🤤 There was also warm soup that went well with the mulhoe, and it was packed with squid too, which I loved!!🦑 Basic side dishes are not served separately! Just help yourself at the self-service bar!

You can also receive fried squid by taking part in the review event, so be sure to try that tasty fried squid with your mulhoe 🙌

Comparing squid mulhoe and 3-combo mulhoe

Everything we ordered arrived at once! With the squid mulhoe, 3-combo mulhoe, and squid pajeon all laid out, it was more generous than I expected haha. The two types of mulhoe looked similar, but they contained different fish, which made comparing them fun 😆

Squid mulhoe: mix first, then pour in the broth

First up was the squid mulhoe I ordered! It comes topped with squid, pear, cucumber, seaweed flakes, and sesame seeds, with the seasoning served separately on one side! Just as the instructions said, I first mixed it and ate it like seasoned raw fish salad! The fresh squid was sliced plentifully without being too thick, so its springy texture really came through with every bite 😖👍 The pear and cucumber added a crisp texture that went so well with the squid too!!!

I ate it mixed at first, then poured in the broth halfway through. The flavor changed completely, so it felt like eating one dish twice haha. Adding the broth made it much more refreshing and softened the seasoning a little, giving it a totally different feel!! If you ask which way tastes better... 🫣 I cannot choose.. They are both delicious. It is as hard as choosing between bibim-naengmyeon and mul-naengmyeon..

Next was the 3-combo mulhoe! This one includes squid, flounder, and seasonal assorted fish, so you can enjoy more variety than with just one kind of raw fish! The squid was chewy, the flounder was a little softer, and every fish had a different texture, making it fun to alternate between them 🤤 If it is hard to choose just one menu item, I think the 3-combo is a good choice too!!! (Strongly recommended)

The cold mulhoe and squid pajeon combination

And the squid pajeon (scallion pancake) we ordered went so well with the mulhoe! You can see from the photo that it has quite a lot of squid scattered throughout, right haha? The outside was nicely golden, while the inside was moist and chewy, and the batter was so good too 👍 There were little pieces of chili pepper throughout, adding a slight heat that cut through any richness so nicely 🤤

Most of all, since mulhoe is a cold dish, taking bites of warm pajeon in between was such a good combination. (Wrapping them together is insanely good too!!) I think I would have felt a little something was missing with mulhoe alone, so I am glad we ordered the squid pajeon too!!!

In the end, we cleared two bowls of mulhoe and the pajeon too 🙌 At first, I wondered whether two bowls of mulhoe plus pajeon would be too much, but the food was so good that I kept reaching for it even when I was full 🥹 The squid mulhoe, 3-combo mulhoe, and squid pajeon were all delicious, and the mulhoe and pajeon were especially great together!!! I think you can choose between the squid mulhoe and 3-combo mulhoe according to your taste, and if you are looking for something to have alongside mulhoe, I recommend the squid pajeon too 👍 The self-service bar was more substantial than expected and the restaurant was spacious enough for a group, but above all, it is right in front of Yeongildae Beach, making it a great place to eat and then enjoy the sea!