Seoul eel restaurant near DMC: salt grill & potato pancake, Ryeok

Why we came to Ryeok near DMC Station for a family health boost

Ryeok Minmul Jangeogui Jeonmunjeom (력 민물장어구이전문점) is a freshwater eel restaurant on the DMC Station restaurant street in Sangam. It's suddenly gotten hot lately and we were all tired, so I went with my family to eat eel and recharge.

I'd assumed eel was something only adults like, but when we got there, two other families were there for a family meal too. Weirdly happy to see that. Parents really are all the same, aren't we? If something is good for you, you want your family to eat as much of it as possible!

• Address: 37 Seongam-ro 15-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1st floor
• Weekdays: 11:00–23:00 (break time 14:00–16:00)
• Saturday: 11:00–22:00 (break time 14:00–16:00)
• Closed Sundays
• Naver Reservation available

The name means exactly what it sounds like: strength! Power! Somehow it feels like eating eel here will make your strength surge. Seeing the live eels in the tank made me hungry, so I hurried inside.

Where do you park at Ryeok?

No worries about parking: you can use the nearby parking tower. There's also a shared parking lot right behind the restaurant, which is a good option if you arrive early.

Sangam-dong lunch and team dinner vibe, and the menu

The place has a slight grill-restaurant feel, but with a relaxed, comfortable mood. On a day when you worked harder than expected and are totally drained, it seems perfect for stopping in with a coworker on the way to the subway, restoring your energy with eel and having a drink!

Looking at the menu, there's not only grilled freshwater eel but also gomjangeo (hagfish), and they sell eel rice bowls at lunch. There are also lots of snacks to go with drinks, so it looked good for an evening drink too.

The atmosphere really worked for both family meals and work dinners. A Sangam-dong spot for lunch and team dinners alike!

How were the 8 side dishes and the standard stew?

The first thing that caught my eye after sitting down was the eight-compartment banchan (side dishes). Each came neatly in its own spot, so it looked tidy and was easy to eat.

Ginger, pickled perilla leaves, pickled radish wraps and so on: a good lineup to eat with eel, so my hand kept going back. They really supported the main dish.

My husband and I took one spoonful of the standard broth and both blurted out "Ahh, that hits the spot!" at the same time. The broth was really refreshing and clean. Pleasantly spicy and full of savory depth.

Even though it's the standard soup, it was packed with ingredients like fish roe and milt. It's good before the eel, and sipping it in between cleaned the palate. When the free default soup is this satisfying, isn't that kind of cheating?

Salt-grilled eel for 2, pre-grilled and easy to eat with a kid

We ordered salt-grilled eel for 2. At eel restaurants you're usually busy grilling, and with a child it's hard to time when to eat. Here they said it comes pre-grilled, and it was practically fully cooked.

You only need to cook it a little more, so it was really convenient. When eating out with a small child, a small difference like this feels huge.

Does the freshwater eel taste muddy?

The eel at Ryeok was plump with a strong aroma. Best of all, I couldn't detect the muddy smell freshwater eel can have, which I loved. No fishy taste either; it was mild and nutty, and I could see why people turn to eel for stamina.

My little nephew ate the grilled eel really well too. Watching him chew away and keep taking bites made me oddly proud.

Eel is said to be rich in quality protein and vitamins A and E, and to contain omega-3 fatty acids, so it's known as a food that can help nourish growing kids. Of course eating a bit of everything matters most, but I totally understood why people choose eel for family meals.

Potato pancake on the side, and nutritious pot rice to finish

I wanted to try something else, so I looked at the menu and added a potato pancake (jeon). It was much better than I expected. Crispy outside, moist inside, and my husband and I couldn't help saying "They can really cook here!" When even the side dishes at an eel place are satisfying, it just puts you in a better mood.

To finish, nutritious pot rice. It had kabocha squash, potato, beans and other hearty roots and grains, so it felt really healthy. A bite with the pollack stew, a bite with the grilled eel, it went so well with everything! We made nurungji (scorched rice) too, which wrapped up the meal very satisfyingly.

A meal that makes you feel like you did something good for your body! My parents and the whole family loved it, so it made me happy too. I should go back and bring my friend who always says she's tired.