Naepo octopus restaurant: 250℃ flame-grilled bibimbap, Sonui Son

Hello! This is Byeolnim. ✨️ Today I was craving something spicy with deep smoky flavor, so I went to Sonui Son (손의손) in Naepo New Town, Hongseong.

I really love spicy stir-fried octopus, so when I heard a proper octopus restaurant had opened near Naepo, I went with high hopes. It's stir-fried fast over a fire of 250℃ or more, so the smoky flavor is superb, and they also have pork cutlet that kids can enjoy, which makes it a great spot for a whole-family meal.

So let's get started with my honest review, covering the atmosphere, the taste and the menu!

Sonui Son Hongseong Naepo New Town Branch: location and atmosphere

Sonui Son Hongseong Naepo New Town Branch is a fire-grilled octopus specialist at 273 Uihyang-ro, Hongbuk-eup, Hongseong-gun, Chungnam, inside Naepo New Town. Arriving at the entrance, the big, clean signboard caught my eye first. The neat lettering reading "Fire Octopus Specialist Sonui Son" gave off real famous-restaurant vibes. The building feels brand new, so it looked hygienic and pleasant from the outside.

Inside, the high ceiling and open feel were impressive. Tables are spaced generously, so you can eat in a relaxed way. The warm, tidy wood-tone interior is calming and looked just right for a lunch or a family gathering.

On the wall hung an explanation of the "250℃+ fire-grilled octopus" in a stylish ink-painting folding-screen design. It says each order is cooked on the spot, not with artificial capsaicin heat but stir-fried quickly over a powerful flame of more than 250 degrees to create an addictive smoky taste, and my expectations shot straight up before I'd even eaten.

When I opened the drawer on the side of the table, the spoons, napkins and wet wipes were arranged very cleanly and hygienically. It was handy for grabbing cutlery when visiting with a small child, too.

Tablet ordering, menu and self-service side dish bar

Every table at Sonui Son Hongseong Naepo New Town Branch has a smart tablet for ordering, so there's no need to call staff. Allergen information is also carefully displayed, which made me trust the place.

They're also running a receipt review event, ₩1,000 off per person per octopus stir-fry for one review each, so if you visit, I recommend joining in and getting the discount!

The menu is very varied: the signature octopus stir-fry (mild, medium or spicy), iron-plate dishes, noodles like brisket warm noodles (yangji onmyeon) and perilla oil buckwheat noodles, plus pork cutlet, fried shrimp and shredded potato pancake. A big plus is that if someone in your family or a child can't handle spice, you can order cutlet or noodles alongside.

On one side of the restaurant is a neat "self-serve refills" corner. You can take as much crunchy bean sprouts, seasoned radish (musaengchae) and white kimchi as you like, perfect for the octopus bibimbap, without feeling awkward about it. The steel tongs and bowls were also kept sparkling clean.

Basic side dishes and the fire octopus stir-fry spread

After ordering, the basic side dishes were set out neatly. There was a warm soup to soothe the octopus's heat, plus bean sprouts, seasoned radish, cabbage and seaweed flakes for the bibimbap, and a fresh salad to whet the appetite. Nothing was over the top, just clean and mild, and it paired really well with the octopus.

Finally the main dish, the fire octopus stir-fry and a big bowl of rice, arrived! The moment I saw the octopus piled generously on a classy brassware-style plate, my mouth started watering. The smoky aroma hit my nose and it was just art.

Bibimbap with fire-grilled octopus: how does it taste?

The seasoning on Sonui Son's octopus stir-fry doesn't just sit on the surface; it soaks right into the plump, bouncy octopus. The pieces are large and chubby, so the chew is really alive. Perhaps because it's stir-fried fast over a 250-degree flame, the vegetables stay crunchy and the octopus isn't tough at all, just tender.

Now it's time to make a proper octopus bibimbap! Step 1: on the rice in the wide bowl, neatly place the crunchy bean sprouts from the self bar, refreshing seasoned radish, cabbage and nutty seaweed flakes.

Step 2: pile on plenty of the smoky octopus stir-fry. Adding a little of the sauce too makes it mix up moister and tastier.

Mix it all up with your spoon and here's the finished octopus bibimbap! Taking a big bite, my mouth filled with the popping, bouncy octopus, crunchy vegetables and the savory, subtly spreading smoky heat. It's the good kind of spicy, so I couldn't stop spooning.

A kid-friendly side: pork cutlet

This is the pork cutlet I ordered as a side to enjoy with the spicy octopus. A big, crispy fried cutlet comes with brown sauce drizzled over it, plated with fresh salad and rice.

Cut into bite-size pieces, it was a classic crispy-outside, juicy-inside cutlet! The sauce was sweet and nutty, and having a piece between bites of the spicy octopus bibimbap cooled the heat, a fantastic combination. I'd strongly recommend this side to families with young kids who can't eat spicy food.

Verdict: an octopus meal in Naepo New Town?

Sonui Son Hongseong Naepo New Town Branch is a place I have to acknowledge as a true Naepo octopus specialist!

• Fiery smoky flavor: Stir-fried over 250℃ fire, with a deep, not-artificial smoky aroma and bouncy octopus texture!
• Clean restaurant and self bar: A pleasant interior and a freely usable self bar make dining convenient.
• A menu for everyone: You can adjust the octopus's spice level, and with crispy pork cutlet, noodles and other sides, it's a good place for the whole family.

If you're craving stress-relieving spicy fire octopus in Naepo New Town, or looking for a clean, tasty meal, I wholeheartedly recommend visiting! I'm planning to go again soon when I crave that spicy smoky flavor. 😊