Cheonan sashimi restaurant couple's night with cheongha: Donghae Bada

I really love sashimi, but my husband prefers properly cooked seafood dishes over raw fish. So the two of us going to a sashimi restaurant together has always been a rare event. This time I'm introducing a place where you can enjoy both fresh sashimi and a well-simmered seafood stew at the same table — we finally had a satisfying meal out together after a long while.

One table for the sashimi lover and the seafood-stew lover at Donghae Bada Hoetjip

If you're looking for a good sashimi restaurant in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan, I'd recommend this spot. It's within a 10-minute drive of Dujeong Station and close to the apartment complexes around Baekseok-dong, so it was easy to get to. Since my husband and I have different tastes — me for sashimi, him for cooked seafood — we used to end up going to separate places for what each of us wanted. Here, though, you can order a set that combines mixed sashimi with seafood stew, so it was an option that worked for both of us.

Parking, seating and hours at Donghae Bada Hoetjip

According to Naver Place, the address is 5-11 Neulpureun 6-gil, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, 1st floor, and it's open daily from 11:30 to 22:00. As a proper Dujeong-dong sashimi spot, opening the same hours every day made it easy to plan the visit.

There's a large dedicated parking lot near the entrance, so free parking was no problem, and inside, the hall is divided into sections, keeping things from feeling too noisy even when it's busy. There are also several private rooms, which looked great for booking a Dujeong-dong work dinner. Looking at the menu, they also offer sushi, so guests who want sushi rather than just sashimi have that option too.

Ordering the mixed sashimi and seafood stew set for two

Having visited myself, I could see why it's known as a top sashimi restaurant in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan. We ordered the 2-person set that comes with both mixed sashimi and seafood stew.

The basic banchan (side dishes) included seaweed soup and fried flounder — the seaweed soup broth was refreshing and filled us up nicely between bites. Sushi spots aren't that common around Dujeong-dong, so just spotting a sushi section on the menu gave me one more reason to come back next time.

How the five-kind platter tastes: two cuts of tuna, salmon, dab and flounder

The mixed sashimi lineup changes a bit depending on when you visit — when we went, it came out as five kinds: salmon, dab, two cuts of tuna, and flounder.

The two cuts of tuna had noticeably different marbling and fat content, so it was fun to alternate between the rich, fatty belly cut and the leaner, plain cut. The salmon had a soft texture and was clean with no fishy smell.

What's in the seafood stew, and why cheongha works with it

My husband was especially pleased with the seafood stew, which was packed with octopus, squid, snow crab, whelk, abalone, shrimp, small octopus, and pollock roe, with the bean sprouts nicely soaked in seasoning. Paired with the tuna sashimi, it was fresh enough that we both agreed it rivaled sushi in Cheonan.

We paired the sashimi with cheongha, and its crisp, clean taste really brought out the mild flavor of the raw fish.

However, the mixed sashimi and seafood stew alone were already quite filling, so even though we wanted to finish with fried rice, we were too full to order it. Next time, I think it would be great to come with three or more people and add the fried rice. I also thought this could be a nice spot to revisit for a company dinner in Dujeong-dong.

Honest pros and cons: parking, seating and what's on the platter

Weighing the pros and cons honestly, it still holds up well as a top sashimi restaurant in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan. The large dedicated parking lot meant zero parking stress, and the ample seating and private rooms seemed more than enough for a Dujeong-dong group dinner. That said, the mixed sashimi lineup can change depending on the day, so if there's a specific cut you really want, it's best to ask ahead when booking. If you came here searching for sushi in Dujeong-dong, Cheonan, keep in mind this place is mainly a sashimi restaurant — but the fact that it also offers sushi to go with the sashimi is a plus. Even if you're missing sushi in Cheonan, the tuna- and flounder-focused mixed sashimi should be plenty satisfying.

Tips for visiting Donghae Bada Hoetjip in Dujeong-dong

• If you're weighing options for a Dujeong-dong group dinner, put Donghae Bada Hoetjip on the list.
• The mixed sashimi lineup can change depending on market pricing and stock, so if you want a specific cut, it's worth confirming when you book.
• If you want both sashimi and seafood stew but aren't sure your group size works, the 2-person set is plenty filling, so don't hesitate to go.
• If you're craving sushi in Cheonan, going for the tuna mixed sashimi instead can be a good substitute.
• Weekend evenings can have a wait, so if you want a relaxed meal, aim for a weekday or an early evening.

If you're looking for a place that can satisfy both a sashimi-loving wife and a seafood-loving husband, Donghae Bada Hoetjip in Dujeong-dong is worth adding to your list.