Algoni add-on clam hot pot, 79,000 won in Yeouido: Gaetbeol-ui Jogae

What do people who work near National Assembly Station think, I wonder...? After always passing through the endlessly crowded Suseo Station, going somewhere this spacious, clean and generously sized made me think, 'Wow, this is so nice.'

The reason my Magok 'free wife' high-fives her husband the second he gets home from work and dashes out, and the reason I bolt out the door pressing the elevator button the moment I clock off — I came looking for a National Assembly Station favorite, Gaetbeol-ui Jogae Yeouido Main Branch!

I never used to like shellfish much, but the more I ate it the more I loved it, so I hurried over.

Where Gaetbeol-ui Jogae Yeouido is, and what the restaurant feels like

Gaetbeol-ui Jogae Yeouido Main Branch is five minutes from Exit 3 of National Assembly Station, located on the 2nd floor of Geukdong VIP Building. (Even my footsteps were excited walking in, haha.)

Inside, the space along the edges is all made up of private rooms, with hall tables arranged around the center.

>> There were a lot of office workers here having company dinners since Monday, working near the National Assembly. (I take back what I said earlier about envying people who work near National Assembly Station, beep—) Toasts rang out from all sides, cheer up, Korea...!!

There are baby chairs too. In the middle there's a self-bar you can use freely.

Clam hot pot with algoni for 79,000 won, or 59,000 won without

Gaetbeol-ui Jogae Yeouido Main Branch has a variety of clam hot pot sets, and we ordered the one with 'algoni' (roe and milt) added, ₩79,000! There's also the most basic ₩59,000 set. (That would probably be plenty for two people too.)

Once you place your order, you head to the self-bar.

Barley rice at the self-bar: soybean paste or red chili paste?

You can eat barley rice for free, with your choice of doenjang sauce or gochujang sauce, as much as you like.

Drizzle on some sesame oil with the doenjang sauce and mix it up, and it's so good.

My friend acted like she came just for a barley rice course meal, haha, going for round one and round two of barley rice. Doenjang sauce vs. gochujang sauce — her pick was gochujang!!

The moment the cauldron lid comes off

While we were eating our barley rice like this, a bit later a staff member brought over what looked like a cast iron cauldron pot. What the—!!!!!!!!!??

Then they closed the lid and told us the precautions.

While the clams are cooking, keep your phone, dishes, spoons and chopsticks far, far away, never near the pot.

They said it gets very hot from the fire, so we needed to be careful. (What a kind owner... thank you.)

There's a pose you absolutely must do here — scrunch yourself up small behind this giant cauldron so you look tiny. (You can only do this here!) Clams, cook up!

While we diligently kept eating our barley rice, the timer went off — beep beep — and the lid opened, and we couldn't help but clap like seals!! Applause of pure emotion!!

Already delicious. Already confirmed as a National Assembly Station favorite.

What comes in the clam hot pot at Gaetbeol-ui Jogae

The pot was huge, and I thought there was no way the contents would fill it. But once it boiled, it looked even fuller than when it first arrived — like the pot might overflow...

Scallops, dangara scallops, clams, mussels, cockles, squid, shrimp, and algoni too........ the lineup is insane.

And they cut up some of the seafood into easy-to-eat pieces before leaving. (Great service too.) Now it's a battle with these countless clams. Warriors, raise your chopsticks.

For the happiness of the free wife~ for my own happiness~ haha, try copying the company-dinner crowd!

How the broth tastes and the best way to eat it

Start off light by picking up a clam,

The clams were so tender and chewy, and while eating I thought 'I wish the broth were a bit deeper,' but by the time you keep eating, it really has boiled down to a deep flavor.

It's as refreshing as the amazing red fish cake near Achasan Station Exit 1.

As you eat, you develop a technique — instead of fishing out clams one by one and tiring your arm, scoop out a whole bunch at once and eat them together.

There's also cheese in the middle, so rolling it around a clam and eating it is delicious too.

Was the algoni (fish roe) add-on worth it?

When the clam hot pot first arrived, it was such a huge pot that I thought, 'Can we really finish all this?' But as my friend and I talked about all sorts of old stories and fished out clams one by one, I noticed it slowly shrinking. And honestly, the fun of shelling them is quite something.

The algoni set we added is packed full of roe and milt — the roe pieces were huge and chunky, and simmered thoroughly with the broth, they were amazing.

Why is this so delicious — such a rich, nutty, soft flavor.

The milt was so soft — cut off a big piece, dip it in soy sauce, and it melts away.

Talking until ten minutes before closing: a good spot to catch up with a friend

Meeting after a long time and talking on and on while shelling one clam after another, before I knew it the owner was already telling us it was ten minutes to closing, haha. Wait, already...? Still, they were so kind, telling us to take our time and eat comfortably, and I was so grateful, T.T

Since this is a place people come for company dinners, having a thoughtful touch like this makes it even better ♡ And this wasn't something I brought myself — the owner packed us a handful to take home. T.T Just like a mom sending you off with side dishes, so warm, haha.

This National Assembly Station favorite, Gaetbeol-ui Jogae, is apparently the main branch, and I really hope everyone visits — not for an awkward company dinner, but to catch up with a friend like I did, ♪