Seafood izakaya at Nowon Station: live octopus soup, Pyeonghwaroun Jip

The weather is getting warmer, and there are more and more days after work when I'm dreaming of a cold drink! I had dinner plans with a friend in Nowon the other day, went looking for a place, and ended up at Pyeonghwaroun Jip (평화로운집), a Nowon spot I'd just discovered. I love seafood, so the menu grabbed me right away, and it turned out far better than I expected! The Choco whole steamed squid and the live octopus yeonpo-tang (octopus soup) combo was really good, so if you want great drinking food, let me introduce it to you~

Where is Pyeonghwaroun Jip Nowon Station branch?

Pyeonghwaroun Jip Nowon Station branch is an izakaya on the 2nd floor of a building, just a few minutes' walk from Exit 1 of Nowon Station. It's tucked into the busy part of the neighborhood, so it's easy to reach and perfect for a casual drink after work! The sign is big, so it wasn't hard to find.

There are so many bars in Nowon these days, but places that feel like true seafood-snack specialists aren't that common, right? That made me even more excited, haha.

Pyeonghwaroun Jip atmosphere and seating

If you can really handle your drinks, give it a try, lol.

I was surprised at how spacious Pyeonghwaroun Jip is as soon as I walked in. It has an izakaya feel, and the tables are spaced widely so it doesn't feel stuffy, and it looked great for a company dinner too.

The lighting isn't too dark, just nicely atmospheric! It seemed good for drinks with a friend or for a group gathering. Everything was tidy and clean, so the first impression was great :)

Pyeonghwaroun Jip menu and how to order

You order on a tablet at Pyeonghwaroun Jip, and it shows photos too, so choosing was easy. There was a huge variety, from seafood platters and grilled shellfish to steamed whole squid and yeonpo-tang. After a lot of thought, this is what we ordered.

• Choco whole steamed squid
• Live octopus yeonpo-tang
• Seafood jjamppong ramen

The side dishes at Pyeonghwaroun Jip come out neat and tidy too! They're simple snacks, but a perfect way to start drinking.

What is the Choco whole steamed squid?

The first dish out at Pyeonghwaroun Jip was the Choco whole steamed squid! I heard it's a pretty famous menu item these days.

At first, going by the name, I wondered, is there chocolate in it...? But it's not that kind of choco. It means extra-large squid, lol. Three whole squids come in it, and the look of it is overwhelming from the start!

The more you chew, the more sweet squid flavor comes up, and it's the best drinking food... If you like a drink, definitely order it, haha.

The Choco whole steamed squid comes with the innards, so anyone who loves that rich, creamy flavor will really like it. The squid itself wasn't tough at all, and was super tender.

Live octopus yeonpo-tang, the pick of the night

Personally, my top pick at Pyeonghwaroun Jip that day was the live octopus yeonpo-tang! Honestly, it's a pub's soup, so I didn't expect much, but I was shocked when I saw the condition of the octopus.

They slip a live octopus right into the pot, and it was really plump and super fresh. A staff member put it in for us, and my friend and I were startled at the same moment when we saw it moving, lol.

Once it bubbled and cooked, the octopus wasn't tough at all, just tender~

The broth of the yeonpo-tang was clear and clean-tasting, so it was great to sip in between drinks.

With the sweetness from the vegetables and the savory depth from the octopus, I just kept going back for more.

Finishing with seafood jjamppong ramen

For the finish at Pyeonghwaroun Jip, we ordered the seafood jjamppong ramen (spicy seafood noodle soup)! Honestly I ordered it because I thought one more soup would be nice, and it turned out to be amazing. After eating it we ordered another bowl. So delicious,,

It's ramen, but it even has scallops on top, so it passes on looks alone. The moment I took a spoonful of broth, it made me want another drink, lol. It's spicy but also has that cool seafood flavor coming through, which was really good. The noodles were nicely chewy, and the broth was rich, so it was just right as the last snack!

Is Pyeonghwaroun Jip near Nowon Station worth it?

Pyeonghwaroun Jip is a Nowon restaurant that seafood lovers will be happy with. The Choco whole steamed squid looked great and was excellent drinking food, and the live octopus yeonpo-tang was fresher than I expected and really stayed with me. Finishing with the seafood jjamppong ramen made the combo perfect!

If you're looking for an izakaya with a nice atmosphere in Nowon, or a Nowon bar with delicious seafood snacks, it's worth a visit :)