Family celebration sushi and seafood mulhoe at Akiaki, Cheongju

A place with an old-fashioned, refined exterior — this is my review after eating sushi seafood mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) at Akiaki, famous for Japanese omakase in Cheongju, on the last day of August!

Akiaki's location and hours

Today's restaurant pick: Akiaki

• Address ; 528 1-sunhwan-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk (Bongmyeong-dong 1409), South Korea
• Hours ; 11:30-21:20 / Break time 14:50-16:30 / Last order 13:50, 20:20
• Closed ; Chuseok holiday, Sep 25
• Notes ; group bookings available, wifi, reservations, separate men's/women's restrooms, takeout, delivery, free corkage, room rental available (rooms for 2–14 / groups of 8–40)

Walking in, you're greeted by display models lined up on either side of the entrance

Private rooms for family celebrations

This is a place I visit fairly often with family, usually for celebrations or when we're craving something special and delicious. Every room here is a private room, so it's great for spending time comfortably and privately!!

Every seat at Akiaki is a room. We were shown to a room where you take your shoes off before entering~

Sushi seafood mulhoe at ₩29,800 per person, starting with the banchan spread

I've had the course meal here before, and I've also come just for the mulhoe alone — either way, Akiaki always serves a varied, clean, and generous spread. On the last day of August, I came to have the sushi seafood mulhoe (₩29,800 per person)~

Let's start with the banchan (side dishes) that came out with the basic table setting~

Kimchi to go with the meal, and cucumber peppers seasoned with barley-fermented soybean paste.

They served Sokcho-style seasoned pollock and Jindo laver, meant to be wrapped and eaten together. Putting the Sokcho pollock and rice on top of the laver is the tastiest way to eat it. It's nicely salty, so it works well as a rice side dish too.

Watermelon lettuce salad and scallop tempura

Watermelon lettuce salad

Scallop tempura

True to a Japanese restaurant, the scallops came out fried crisp outside and moist inside — chewy, nutty, and really delicious~

Braised pollock roe, a first for me

Braised pollock roe. This wasn't on the menu until last year — it seems to be a new dish, or something served alongside the mulhoe as an à la carte item. This was my first time trying pollock roe braised in soy sauce, and the slightly sweet, salty, chewy texture was fun. A pretty good side dish with rice.

The sushi and seafood mulhoe spread

The sushi and seafood mulhoe spread

The sushi comes topped with soy sauce and wasabi, three pieces each. Before digging into the mulhoe, I try the sushi first. The fresh sashimi and fluffy shari (sushi rice) at Akiaki are always delicious, no matter when I come~

The sashimi in the mulhoe includes generous chunks of flounder fin, plus large live abalone cut into bite-sized cubes. There's also sea squirt, sea cucumber, and a huge amount of crisp, fresh vegetables — you pour the mulhoe broth over everything and it's delicious.

Seafood stew kept warm on a tabletop brazier

The seafood stew, which I enjoyed more than ever this time,

The spicy stew that came with the mulhoe was set on a brazier so it wouldn't go cold, letting it simmer gently while we ate — such a nice touch!

Alternating between the cold mulhoe and the warm stew made for great balance. The spicy, savory stew had bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms, minari (Korean watercress), and clams — warming and comforting. Eating it with rice made for a very satisfying meal.

Finishing with house-made detox juice

Of course, dessert is the finishing touch, and Akiaki always prepares house-made detox juice. I chose the fatigue-recovery juice from among four options. Made by blending apple, yuja (Korean citron), and lemon, it came out refreshingly cold — thick rather than watery, and really tangy and delicious~

How was it as a spot for celebrations or company dinners in Cheongju?

With a spacious, clean interior and private rooms, Akiaki offers a comfortable, upscale dining experience. The staff always greet you kindly no matter when you visit, and I think Akiaki is the perfect spot for company dinners or celebrations in Cheongju. I come here often with people who matter to me, and every dish — whether a course or an à la carte item — always feels made with real care, which makes for a full and happy time.