Private-room Japanese restaurant in Cheongju: Akiaki seafood mulhoe

I visited Akiaki with my daughter last July. Every time I go, it feels as though I have been treated to a really proper meal, haha. Last time we had different dishes, so I was disappointed not to try the sushi seafood mulhoe (cold spicy raw-fish soup). This time, I ordered it without hesitation.

Akiaki in Bongmyeong-dong, Cheongju: location and parking

Akiaki is on a main road in Bongmyeong-dong, Cheongju. It is easy to find if you head from the Medicheck Health Screening Center toward McDonald's, then make a U-turn in front of McDonald's and Starbucks.

It is before Cheongju YWCA, so it was not difficult to find even on my first visit.

The neat exterior stands out, but do pay attention or you might drive right past it, haha.

There is a dedicated parking lot directly in front of the restaurant, with plenty of spaces.

Akiaki visitor information

• Address: 528 1sunhwan-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea (충청북도 청주시 흥덕구 1순환로 528)
• Hours: 11:30–21:20
• Break time: 14:50–16:30
• Last order: 13:50 / 20:20
• Closed: Closed for Chuseok on September 25
• Group dining and reservations available; takeout and delivery available
• Free corkage; private hire available; high chairs available

A Japanese restaurant where every seat is a private room

Akiaki has an old-fashioned atmosphere from the outside. As soon as I entered, miniature Japanese houses displayed on either side caught my eye.

It feels a little calmer and more formal than an ordinary Japanese restaurant. The food is one thing, but the fact that every seat at Akiaki is in a private room is another huge advantage.

With each party separated from the others, it was lovely to talk and eat quietly. That makes this Cheongju Japanese restaurant a good fit when choosing carefully for a family gathering with parents or for a formal meeting between families.

The rooms accommodate from 2 to 14 people, while groups of 8 to 40 can be accommodated. It seems useful for everything from a small family meal to a larger gathering or company dinner.

This was the room we had reserved in advance. Above all, I feel at ease bringing someone important here because they welcome us kindly and look after us so thoughtfully every time.

What comes with the sushi seafood mulhoe order

This time, we ordered the sushi seafood mulhoe! It is ₩29,800 per person. From the name, I expected sushi and mulhoe, but once the table was set, the spread was more varied than I had expected. Along with sushi and seafood mulhoe, there were somyeon (thin wheat noodles), rice, maeuntang (spicy fish stew), several side dishes, and dessert.

How was the sushi seafood mulhoe?

The first dish to arrive was a watermelon and lettuce salad. Cool, sweet watermelon was mixed among the crisp vegetables. The refreshing sweetness of the watermelon and the crunch of the vegetables gently woke up my appetite.

The Sokcho seasoned dried pollock sashimi came with Jindo gopchang gim (rich, crinkly roasted seaweed). A staff member suggested wrapping it in the seaweed.

With a little of the sweet-and-tangy seasoned pollock on the crisp seaweed, it was savory and full of umami—great with rice, too.

It felt different eaten on its own and wrapped in seaweed, so I enjoyed it both ways, haha.

Fried scallops arrived as well, crisp on the outside and still moist inside.

The scallops' characteristic springy texture and nutty flavor came through nicely, and I thought, as expected of a good Japanese restaurant in Cheongju, even the fried dish was so cleanly done.

The braised gon-i fish milt was a little unfamiliar to me. The soft milt had absorbed the soy-based seasoning well, making it mildly sweet and savory. A little of it on a spoonful of rice was surprisingly well matched.

And then, the sushi I had been waiting for! There were three pieces, and the rice was already seasoned, so it melted softly in the mouth while letting the sushi itself shine without soy sauce or wasabi. The sashimi was fresh and the sushi neatly made, just as you would expect from an upscale Cheongju restaurant. Having a piece of sushi before the mulhoe felt like the real start of the meal, haha.

Finally, Akiaki's seafood mulhoe that I had been wanting to try. A large bowl arrived filled with live fish sashimi, abalone, sea cucumber, and all kinds of vegetables. The live fish sashimi in particular included large pieces of fin, which became more richly nutty as I ate.

The diced sea cucumber and raw abalone had a wonderfully crisp, chewy bite. I first tasted a few pieces of seafood before pouring in the broth. It was nice to experience the ingredients' own textures and flavors first this way.

Then I gradually added the lightly iced broth. Rather than pouring it all in at once, I recommend adding a little at a time to suit your taste.

Once the tangy broth was added, the crunchy vegetables and seafood came together at once, and I thought, ah... now I see why I regretted missing it last time, haha.

After eating some of the seafood, mixing in the somyeon makes it feel like a whole different dish. The cool broth soaks into the noodles.

The maeuntang that came with the mulhoe was another part of the meal I loved. Since it was placed over a brazier, it stayed gently warm throughout the meal. A bite of cold mulhoe, then a sip of hearty, spicy maeuntang broth! Alternating between them made both dishes taste even better, perhaps because of the temperature contrast.

The maeuntang contained bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms, minari (water celery), clams, and more, giving the broth a clean, refreshing flavor.

At the end, finishing with rice and warm maeuntang left me feeling thoroughly satisfied.

House-made detox juice for dessert

Just when I thought it was really over, there was dessert too, haha. Akiaki serves house-made detox juice, and we had the slow-aging drink and liver-detox tea.

I liked how its healthy flavor seemed to leave my mouth feeling clean after the meal.

Current events

Akiaki is currently running a Cheongju Airport Aero K airline-ticket event and a receipt-review event. Enjoy your meal and check out the event benefits too, haha. You can ask at the restaurant for details on how to participate.

Akiaki overall

I returned to Akiaki two months after visiting with my daughter in July. This time, I finally tried the sushi seafood mulhoe I had been curious about, and I was satisfied to enjoy sushi, mulhoe, noodles, maeuntang, and dessert all in one meal. The private room allowed us to dine at leisure, and the staff were kind, so it is somewhere I would like to revisit for a family gathering or a special meal. Akiaki is a worthwhile option for anyone looking for an upscale Japanese restaurant or private-room restaurant in Cheongju.