Steamed monkfish for two in Suyeong, Busan: Sintongyeong Agu Suyuk

Today I went with my sister to Sintongyeong, a monkfish suyuk (steamed monkfish) specialist in Suyeong-gu, Busan, for a healthy meal together. I love agujjim too, but today I decided to try something a bit different and ordered agu suyuk instead.

I was curious what agu suyuk would taste like, and once the dish arrived I was satisfied just by the sheer portion. The clean-looking monkfish paired with various seafood and vegetables was mouthwatering just to look at.

Why order steamed monkfish instead of agujjim at Sintongyeong in Suyeong, Busan?

Sintongyeong is a spot in Suyeong-gu, Busan centered on monkfish dishes — agu suyuk and agujjim. I went with my sister thinking we'd have a healthy meal together.

These days I find myself reaching for food that lets the ingredients speak for themselves rather than something heavily seasoned. So instead of the richly seasoned agujjim, I chose agu suyuk, which lets you enjoy the clean, natural flavor of the monkfish. The menu and prices were posted in large text out front, so even as a first-time visitor it was easy to see what was on offer.

Sintongyeong menu and prices

As the name suggests, Sintongyeong puts agu suyuk front and center as its signature dish. Here's the price list posted at the entrance.

• Agu suyuk (steamed monkfish) ₩50,000
• Agujjim (spicy braised monkfish) ₩40,000
• Agutang (monkfish soup) ₩15,000
• Anago sashimi ₩40,000
• Anago stir-fry ₩35,000
• Whale meat ₩40,000
• Whale soup ₩25,000
• Stone octopus ₩40,000

and a few more items were listed. Menu and prices may change depending on when you visit, so take this as a reference. Naturally, the dish that caught my eye today was the agu suyuk.

Is one plate of agu suyuk enough for two people?

We ordered agu suyuk without hesitation today. When the plate arrived, it was far more generous than I'd expected. It wasn't just monkfish meat — various parts, other seafood, and vegetables were all piled together, making a single plate look pretty substantial.

Scallions, chili and sesame seeds were sprinkled on top, making it look really appetizing. Above all, the monkfish pieces were huge, and our first reaction was, 'that's a lot of food.' It was more than enough for two, and I think it would also work well shared among a bigger group.

What Sintongyeong's steamed monkfish tastes and feels like

The biggest appeal of agu suyuk was being able to enjoy the clean taste of monkfish without any heavy seasoning. The meat was soft, with the fish's characteristic chewy texture coming through.

Taking a bite, I found it clean-tasting with a subtle savoriness. Monkfish texture varies a bit by part — the lean meat was soft and light, while the collagen-rich parts had a nice chewiness.

The broth wasn't overly strong either, which paired well with the monkfish. I felt that agu suyuk isn't really about the seasoning — it's about enjoying the texture and clean flavor of the ingredient itself.

If you usually prefer the spicy seasoning of agujjim, this might feel a bit different, but if you like clean-tasting seafood dishes, I think you'll be quite satisfied.

Portion size and how full we left

What satisfied me most about the agu suyuk at Sintongyeong wasn't just the taste — it was the generous portion. Eating out these days, even good food can leave you wishing there were more of it, but that wasn't the case with the agu suyuk we ordered that day.

The large chunks of monkfish combined with all the other ingredients made the plate look filling just to look at. Chatting slowly with my sister as we ate, the meal naturally stretched on. There's something small but certain about happiness in good food shared with good company.

"The taste is a given — the portion is generous too."

If I had to sum up my honest impressions of the day at Sintongyeong in one sentence, that would be it.

Sintongyeong parking and opening hours

Sintongyeong is located on Suyeongno 725beon-gil in Suyeong-gu, Busan. The address is 24 Suyeongno 725beon-gil, 1st floor, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea.

• 🚗 Parking: No dedicated lot. If driving, you'll need to use paid parking separately, such as the lot near Suyeong Post Office.
• ⏰ Hours: Per store signage, 11:00–23:00, with a break from 15:00–16:00, and closed every Sunday.

I'd recommend checking the hours and menu prices before you visit.

My honest one-line verdict

"A place worth checking out if you want to really enjoy the clean flavor of monkfish and eat well while you're at it."

I do love the spicy kick of agujjim, but choosing agu suyuk today was quite satisfying. In particular, the generous amount of monkfish meant no complaints on portion size.

We went hoping to share a healthy meal together, and ended up eating great food and talking about all sorts of things — a really enjoyable time. In the end, who you eat with is part of the flavor too. If you're looking for agujjim or agu suyuk in Suyeong-gu, Busan, Sintongyeong is worth remembering. Next time I'd like to try the agujjim or agutang and compare.

Three-line summary

• 🐟 At Sintongyeong, a monkfish restaurant in Suyeong, Busan, we ordered agu suyuk today.
• 😋 The monkfish was clean and soft with a nice chewy texture, and the portion was genuinely generous.
• ❤️ A satisfying seafood meal in Suyeong-gu, Busan, shared with my sister — great on both taste and quantity.

⭐ One-line review — "Agu suyuk: the taste is a given, and the generous portion made it a really filling meal."