Isu Station seafood pub: sashimi, mulhoe and mussel soup at Hoepanjang

My husband had been saying he wanted sashimi for days, so after voting we went out for hoe and soju (raw fish and soju)!

Where is Hoepanjang Isu Branch?

Hoepanjang Isu Branch (회판장 이수점) is an aged sashimi pub about 3 minutes from Isu Station Exit 12. On a hot day like these, a spot right by the station is a big plus.

Inside Hoepanjang Isu Branch: seating and atmosphere

I liked that the seat backs are high. It's a pub, so it's bound to be noisy, but the high backs meant we could eat without the next table bothering us!

Menu and prices at Hoepanjang Isu Branch: what should two people order?

The signature items are the mixed sashimi platter and the seafood platter. For two people, the 8-type sashimi platter (small) is enough. It even comes with vinegared rice, so it's a full spread. At ₩54,000, the price is on the affordable side.

Side dishes: corn and fried shrimp and sweet potato

The side dishes are good too. Corn, my old love, it's been a while! Eaten with cheese it's so delicious. Save a little of the fried shrimp and sweet potato next to it for after the sashimi, and it's another treat.

We're a couple who start on the soju before the sashimi even arrives. The soju tasted extra sweet that day 😆😆 On days when you want something delicious, nothing beats sashimi and soju.

How is the complimentary mussel soup?

The mussel soup here is crazy good. Hard to believe it's a free side! The mussels are generous, so the broth was really deep and refreshing 👍👍 It also has sliced Cheongyang chili peppers (spicy green chilies), so the taste is spicy yet clean, just wonderful. It passes as a soju snack with flying colors.

The mussels were plump and full, and picking them out one by one was great fun. They were well purged, so no sand at all, and super chewy and moist 🥰 Above all, the broth is truly the GOAT.

Mulhoe served with the 8-type sashimi platter

And finally, today's main event: the sashimi platter. The plating looks great already. There were lots of sauces to eat it with, and I especially loved that mulhoe comes along too!

Some places have mulhoe broth that's too muddy or tastes only of chili paste, right? But Hoepanjang's has a subtle, fruit-like natural sweetness, and the spicy, sour and sweet balance was the golden ratio! I'd believe it came from a mulhoe specialist haha. It was hot out, and this blew the heat right away.

Sushi-style with vinegared rice

The sashimi platter also comes with vinegared rice, so you can enjoy it as sushi.

Scoop up a spoonful of rice, dab on a little fresh wasabi, and top it with thick flounder or sea bream. Delicious. More places serve vinegared rice separately these days, which makes me, a sushi lover, very happy.

Aged sashimi at Hoepanjang: how are the flounder and salmon?

The platter comes with a variety of fish, including flounder, salmon and sea bream, so it's fun to pick and choose.

Flounder never lets you down. The flesh is really firm, and a subtle sweetness comes up the more you chew.

The salmon was cured with salt, I think? Anyway, they did something to it, and it was delicious with no greasiness. The salmon was probably my favorite that day. Look at how thick it's cut! The moment it went in my mouth it melted away softly with no chewing needed! The rich, nutty flavor filled my mouth, and the soju just kept going down 👍

Is Hoepanjang Isu Branch worth going back to?

We finished with the fried shrimp haha. With such great snacks, the soju tasted really sweet that day. (The hangover the next day was a bonus, though.. hahaha 😉)

Hoepanjang Isu Branch is an Isu Station aged sashimi pub where you get many kinds of sashimi at once, very fresh and thick-cut. If you're looking for a good aged sashimi place near Isu Station, give it a try.