Myeonmok eel restaurant: ginger eel wraps on brassware, Cheonsangae

Today I visited Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch (천상애장어가 면목사가정점), a Myeonmok favorite where the lunch special eel is ₩59,000.

Where is Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch, and where can you park?

Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch is at 370 Myeonmok-ro, Jungnang-gu, Seoul, 1st floor, 379 m from Sagajeong Station Exit 1. There is no parking at the restaurant, so use the paid lots near Green Hospital or Kkachi Park.

Weekday eel lunch special in Myeonmok: hours and price

The weekday lunch special runs from 11:30 to 2:00. The wild ginseng eel set is ₩59,000.

Inside Cheonsangae Jangeoga: big windows, wood interior and bangjja brassware

The restaurant has big windows and feels clean and bright. They say they use domestic Yeoju charcoal.

The tidy wood interior with a hanji (traditional Korean paper) window feel is distinctive. The chairs were cushioned too, which was nice.

The dishes are bangjja yugi (traditional Korean bronze ware) too. These are the basic side dishes of the set.

Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch menu and prices

Let's look at the menu. It starts with the set meals.

Signature eel sets and the weekday lunch special

• Charcoal-grilled wild ginseng freshwater eel for 2: ₩79,000
• For 3: ₩119,000
• For 4: ₩158,000 (4 eels plus stone sushi, salted oysters, doenjang stew and baked potato)
• Weekday lunch special: charcoal-grilled wild ginseng freshwater eel for 2: ₩59,000
• Eel soup set: ₩9,000

Nurungji scorched-rice tea, discounts and perks

The nurungji sungnyung (scorched rice tea) is free, and you ask for it 15 minutes ahead. Must not forget! They also give a handmade sausage for a review event.

Pregnant women and guests aged 80 and over get one eel free, they say. It doesn't apply to me, but what a generous event. There's also a 10% discount for police and firefighter families.

If you save the place on Naver and turn on alerts, they even throw in a drink.

Add-on dishes and prices

• One eel: ₩40,000
• Restorative hangover soup: ₩16,000
• Cultivated wild ginseng root: ₩10,000
• Snow mushroom: ₩9,000
• Tongyeong salted oysters (eori-gul-jeot): ₩6,000
• Handmade sausage: ₩9,000
• Bibim or janchi noodles: ₩5,000 each

How Cheonsangae Jangeoga grills its freshwater eel

You grill the freshwater eel yourself at the table.

Lay the eel on the grill back side first and sprinkle salt. Once the back is cooked, stand it up to grill, a nice touch. Haha.

And here comes the domestic Yeoju charcoal.

Opening hours and amenities

• Weekdays 11:30–21:30, break time 15:00–17:00
• Weekends 11:30–21:30, no break time
• High chairs and a waiting area available
• Groups and corkage welcome
• Reservations and takeout available
• Wheelchair-accessible entrance

Cheonsangae's 3 promises! Always, surely, again (늘, 꼭, 또). That's not easy, and I always cheer them on.

Lunch set for 2: how does the Japonica freshwater eel taste?

The star of the set for 2 at Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch, domestic Japonica freshwater eel, has arrived. They grill it for us. Oh! Haha. Of course they grill better than we do. Picking up two pieces at a time to flip them, I want to learn that too. Will I learn it if I eat here often?!

Ah! My mouth is watering again. The richness of this domestic Japonica eel doesn't come through in photos.

They also gave us white wood ear mushrooms. They go well with the eel.

Stone sushi and salted oysters. Doenjang stew (soybean paste stew) comes out too.

Eel sushi and ginger eel wraps

Let's make eel sushi with the stone sushi.

A wrap with garlic, mushroom and the main eel too. Pickled perilla leaf can't be left out.

There are also chives, garlic and shredded ginger. They cut the eel's richness so you can eat more. The ginger makes the eel's flavor come through more clearly.

The thing on top is a ginseng root. You can add cultivated wild ginseng root too. Honestly.. the eel at Cheonsangae is crispy outside and moist inside. Not dry at all, and delicious!!

Self-serve bar, roasted potatoes and nurungji tea to finish

There's a self-serve bar too. They also serve baked potato. The finale is nurungji sungnyung. Ah! I really love this nutty scorched rice tea.

Is the Cheonsangae Jangeoga eel lunch special in Myeonmok worth it?

If you're looking for a good place in Myeonmok, you'll be very happy with the value of the lunch special at Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch. For ₩59,000 for 2, you get freshwater Japonica eel, stone sushi, salted oysters and doenjang stew, and I was very satisfied. It's an eel spot near Sagajeong Station in Jungnang, Seoul that works for a family meal, a meal with parents, a stamina boost or a date.