Samcheok seafood bar for dinner after an Eungbongsan hike: Bomulseom

Why we came to Samcheok Bomulseom after hiking Eungbongsan in Uljin

Samcheok Bomulseom is an omakase bar in front of Jeungsan Beach that has a name as a great restaurant near Samcheok Sol Beach. My wife and I came for dinner after hiking Eungbongsan in Uljin. We came down the mountain starving, and since we'd come this far, we thought, "Let's eat fresh seafood while looking at the sea," and headed to Samcheok.

The food was good overall, and the abalone innards fried rice in particular stuck with me. The food came out a little slowly because of the shop's situation, which was a letdown, but I'm including that honestly in this story about the omakase bar Samcheok Bomulseom.

Samcheok Bomulseom location, parking and hours: booking is a must

Samcheok Bomulseom is at 364 Surobuin-gil, Samcheok-si, Gangwon, on the 1st floor, right in front of Jeungsan Beach. It's open daily 11:30–22:00 (closed Tuesdays, break time 15:00–17:00, last order 21:00). You can park in front of the shop or in the free Jeungsan Beach parking lot.

It's a convenient spot for anyone traveling around Jeungsan Beach or Samcheok Beach. When we arrived, the entrance glowing with warm lighting caught our eye, and with free parking it's no burden to bring a car. (We parked in the Jeungsan Beach lot, and we could see the shop right from there.)

Samcheok Bomulseom is built around a seasonal omakase put together from carefully chosen ingredients each day, and it keeps seafood like abalone, octopus and scallops in tanks on site. The lineup changes with the seasons, so you can taste something new every visit, which I liked. But there's a lot to prepare, so it runs on reservations only. Be sure to book through Naver Reservation before you go. We reserved ahead and were seated right away with no wait.

What's the atmosphere inside Samcheok Bomulseom?

Even though it's a bar, the inside was calm and cozy, and the tables were spaced generously. So I could chat with my wife in peace without worrying about the next table.

It felt like an omakase bar that suits family meals and couples' dates, and also a casual drink. We sat on the 1st floor, but I hear the 2nd floor has ocean views, so grabbing a 2nd-floor seat in the daytime would make for a romantic meal with the sea in view.

Samcheok Bomulseom omakase prices and the dinner set for two

The main menu at Samcheok Bomulseom is an omakase made from seasonal seafood: lunch omakase is ₩25,000 and dinner omakase is ₩35,000. There seemed to be à la carte dishes too, but I didn't get to check the menu separately, sob.

We came for dinner and ordered the signature "Bomulseom dinner set for two." The lineup was as follows, and I was told it can vary a little with seasonal ingredients.

• Kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake)
• Mussel soup
• Suyuk (boiled pork)
• Seasoned squid salad
• Grilled imyeonsu fish
• Ganjang gejang (soy-marinated crab)
• Seafood jjim (steamed seafood)
• Abalone innards fried rice

It comes out in order like a course meal, and with this much variety of seafood, I thought the price was quite good value.

Samcheok Bomulseom dinner set course, dish by dish

Kimchi jeon and mussel soup

The first dish out was the kimchi jeon, golden and crispy on the outside,

and eating it hungry after the hike, my appetite roared back. So good.

The mussel soup had a clear broth with green onion and onion, cool and clean, and not harsh, so it felt like it was soothing a stomach worn out from hiking.

Suyuk, the anchor among all the seafood

The suyuk came in a bamboo basket with lettuce, garlic, green chili and ssamjang (dipping paste). Suyuk at a seafood omakase place like Samcheok Bomulseom was a bit of a surprise, but one bite and the meat was tender and delicious, as good as a suyuk specialty restaurant.

I put a thick slice of suyuk on lettuce, added garlic and ssamjang, and ate it in one big wrap. It was mild and felt like a sturdy anchor among all the seafood. It went well with kimchi too, and the meat is tender enough that kids would probably enjoy it.

Seasoned squid served whole

Next came the seasoned squid, with a plump whole squid sitting on top of a seasoned lettuce geotjeori (fresh salad).

We cut the whole squid with scissors, and the spicy-sour seasoning with the squid's signature chewy texture was so good that both my wife and I kept reaching for our chopsticks, hahaha.

Grilled imyeonsu, a first for me

Next came grilled imyeonsu, and honestly, I had never heard of a fish called imyeonsu. When the staff said "imyeonsu-gui," I thought, "Imyeonsu?? What's that??" and I got curious and looked it up.

The story goes that a man named Im Yeonsu, who lived in Hamgyeong Province long ago, was especially good at catching this fish, and that's how it got its name. It was fun to learn that a person's name became a fish's name.

The first imyeonsu I'd ever eaten was soaked red with seasoning, moderately spicy and sweet, and tasty even without rice. It looked nice sprinkled with green onion and sesame, and I liked that it had no fishy taste.

Seafood jjim with abalone and mussels

The seafood jjim that came next had abalone and mussels piled over bean sprouts in a little sauce, and the portion was generous.

With ingredients this fresh, it had plenty of savory depth without adding any extra seasoning.

Why the abalone innards fried rice was the most memorable dish at Samcheok Bomulseom

The most memorable dish of the day at Samcheok Bomulseom was, without question, the abalone innards fried rice. It came on an iron plate topped with abalone, shrimp and octopus, and the rich, nutty flavor of the innards soaked into every grain of rice. With the first spoonful I said, "Wow, this is it."

Adding a little innards sauce on top layered on even more depth. Even looking back at the photos makes me want it again, hahaha.

The slow food, and the owner's kind gesture

Honestly, the food at Samcheok Bomulseom was tasty overall, but it took quite a while to come out that day. I was feeling let down about that, and when we paid, the owner apologized, saying one person in the kitchen suddenly couldn't come in today, which is why the food took so long.

On top of that, even in the middle of being frantically busy, the owner went over what we'd eaten and noticed the soy-marinated crab had been left out. They said they'd make it fresh and asked us to wait a moment. We said it was fine, but they apologized sincerely and took ₩20,000 off. Seeing them run between the kitchen and the floor alone, we almost felt sorry ourselves, and I felt good that they stayed kind to the very end.

Verdict: an omakase bar near Samcheok Sol Beach worth coming back to

A great Samcheok restaurant near Sol Beach, with fresh seafood and rich abalone innards fried rice

Samcheok Bomulseom, which we found after hiking Eungbongsan, is a place to enjoy fresh seafood and a hearty course at a reasonable price. If you want a filling meal near Jeungsan Beach, feeling the sea air and looking out at the water, I think it's a great restaurant near Samcheok Sol Beach.

It's an omakase bar that fits a date, a family meal, a bite while traveling, and a casual drink too~~!!! If you're craving a hearty seafood dinner after a Samcheok trip or a hike, definitely stop by Samcheok Bomulseom~ Just remember, it's reservation-only, so don't forget to book on Naver~~!!