Yuseong seafood stew with parking: Seommaeul, Daejeon

Craving seafood stew, I visited Seommaeul (섬마을) in Sinseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. I ordered a small seafood stew at the basic spice level and added fried rice, and the varied seafood selection, ample parking, and group seating stood out to me.

Where is Seommaeul, and what are its hours?

Seommaeul is at 1163 Yuseong-daero, first floor, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. It is a seafood restaurant serving agu-jjim, seafood stew, nakji-bokkeum, and other dishes.

• Hours: 11:00–21:30
• Break: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 20:30
• Regular closing day: Sunday

Is it convenient to visit by car or dine in a group?

There was private parking beside and behind the building. The restaurant is fairly large, and the parking area was spacious enough to make visiting by car convenient.

However, visitors may crowd in during lunch and dinner, so groups arriving in several cars may want to inquire in advance.

Inside, large windows let in plenty of sunlight, creating an open feel.

The tables were spaced relatively generously, and there were separate areas and group seating. It looked suitable for meals with several people, such as a family outing or work gathering. When I visited, it was comfortable to eat: not so quiet that conversation felt awkward, but not hectic or crowded either.

What is on the menu, and how much did our food cost?

The menu included several seafood dishes, including agu-jjim, octopus stew, seafood stew, and nakji-bokkeum. With so many choices, I took a moment to decide what to eat.

Agu-octopus stew, seafood-abalone-octopus stew, braised ribs, galbitang, and bone hangover soup were also listed. We ordered the small seafood stew and added fried rice during the meal.

• Small seafood stew: ₩40,000
• Fried rice: ₩4,200

What came with the seafood stew?

The side dishes included cabbage, kkakdugi, potatoes, fish cake, gimjaban, and dongchimi. They were good to eat one by one while waiting for the main dish, and the gimjaban also paired well with the fried rice later.

An egg custard was also served as a complimentary dish when I visited. It was warm and soft, making it a good way to take the edge off my hunger before the seafood stew arrived.

What was in the small seafood stew, and how was the basic spice level?

When the seafood stew arrived, the octopus legs caught my eye first. Along with bean sprouts, it contained shrimp, crab, roe, milt, and abalone, so it was fun choosing among the different seafood ingredients.

The crab had a decent amount of meat when I took a bite, and there was more roe and milt than I expected. I was satisfied to have generous portions of the ingredients I liked.

The spice level could be chosen in stages, and we selected the basic level. It was not very spicy for my taste. Dipping the seafood in soy sauce mixed with wasabi added a salty, savory flavor.

How was the meal finished with fried rice and sikhye?

We added fried rice while eating the seafood stew. Eating it with the remaining sauce let us enjoy the seafood stew's savory flavor to the end.

I had sikhye at the end. It was sweet and refreshing, and helped clear my palate after the seafood stew and fried rice.

Even the small seafood stew contained several kinds of seafood, so my companion and I had a filling meal. With ample parking and group seating, it was a place to consider when looking for a family dining or work gathering spot around Sinseong-dong or Jaun-dae.