Yuseong, Daejeon kalguksu with grilled prawns: Choi Jiseong's

There's a word-of-mouth kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) place in Yuseong, Daejeon packed full of fresh seafood, so I went to check it out.

What kind of restaurant is Choi Jiseong's Seafood Kalguksu?

Choi Jiseong's Seafood Kalguksu is a seafood kalguksu restaurant at 42 Munhwawon-ro, 1st floor, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. The inside had quite a lot of tables. Having run in the same spot for a long time, it's a well-known, delicious kalguksu place among the neighborhood locals. Even though I visited right when it opened, other people were already there with family and coworkers.

Menu at Choi Jiseong's and grilled prawns in daehae season

Seafood kalguksu is the main dish, and there's also a spicy version, which is a nice extra option. Since it was daehae (prawn) season, they also served grilled prawns in the restaurant — I'll have to come back for dinner and try those. There's also pork cutlet for kids, which makes it an even more satisfying meal.

Seafood kalguksu for two, piled with fresh live seafood

It's really rare to find seafood kalguksu for two this loaded with fresh, live seafood. And unlike most places that hand you the noodles right away, here they give them to you separately — such a nice touch! Great value for money! Not frozen, but live seafood!!

Being able to eat live seafood at this price feels like a proper health boost. Can you see the abalone still moving? That's a guarantee of freshness. When you use fresh ingredients, the food can't help but taste good — this is a genuine gem of a restaurant!! Agreed?

How to eat it: seafood first, noodles later

First you enjoy the vegetables and seafood, and when you ask for the noodles they bring them separately — so scoop out the vegetables once they're cooked, then work through everything else one by one.

The seafood eaten with the rich broth is genuinely delicious. It's great dipped in sauce, or on its own since it's already well-seasoned. Even while I was eating, customers kept coming in — a true local favorite.

Taste-size seafood pajeon: small enough to add on

I also ordered pajeon (savory pancake) on the side. Among the many popular items is a taste-size pajeon. Its big advantage is that it's smaller than a regular pajeon, so you can enjoy it without feeling too full.

Just looking at it makes you think of makgeolli (rice wine) — this feels like the kind of dish that would taste even better with kalguksu and pajeon on a rainy day!! Crispy on the outside, with real texture!!!

They clearly don't skimp on ingredients, packing in plenty, so every bite was full of scallion aroma and seafood flavor at the same time — extra satisfying. Overall, this is a place where everything tastes great.

Finishing the pot: noodles in and boiled

Once you've enjoyed all the solid ingredients, you ask for the noodles and they bring them over. Since the seafood and vegetables have already been simmering, the broth is even richer and well-seasoned — honestly, it's perfect just as it is. The noodles look chewy at a glance, and they boil them hard and vigorously.

Adding kalguksu noodles often makes broth turn cloudy, but not here. They give you freshly cut noodles that genuinely look delicious, so I boiled them vigorously and got ready to dig in.

Scooping out a portion of the fully cooked kalguksu with some broth, I could really taste the noodles properly. A perfect meal from seafood to noodles!!

If you're in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon and looking for a place that finishes off fresh seafood and kalguksu together, with a side of seafood pajeon, and grills up prawns during daehae season, give Choi Jiseong's Seafood Kalguksu a try.

Address, hours and last order

• Address: 42 Munhwawon-ro, 1st floor, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–23:00
• Last order: 22:30