Sashimi restaurant near Hwagok Station: Eochongye 1beonji

After work, I was really craving sashimi, so I looked for a reasonably priced sashimi restaurant in Hwagok. Since I wanted the sashimi to be fresh and pleasantly springy, I went to Eochongye 1beonji (어촌계1번지), a sashimi restaurant known near Hwagok Station.

The prices were reasonable, so I was a little skeptical at first, but the sashimi was much chewier than expected and the sauce combinations were good. So this time, I returned with my boyfriend.

Eochongye 1beonji near Hwagok Station: location and parking

It was easy to find because I simply had to come out of Exit 7 at Hwagok Station and walk straight ahead. Even at a slow pace, it took less than five minutes, so it was a good place to set as a meeting point. I heard parking is available, but since it is hard to leave soju out when eating sashimi, I would recommend leaving the car behind.

A clean interior unlike a fish market

Neighborhood sashimi restaurants or those focused on value are often crowded, noisy, and hectic, with an atmosphere like a fish market. However, Eochongye 1beonji had a modern, neatly arranged interior, so it seemed suitable for a group dinner or a date as well.

There was none of the distinctive fishy or watery odor often associated with sashimi restaurants inside, and it felt hygienically and cleanly maintained. I was able to settle into my seat in a good mood from the start.

A varied menu, from sashimi to soup

Looking at the menu, there was much more variety than I expected. It said there were about 100 menu items, which made me realize this was not a place that sold only sashimi.

There was also a wide range of sashimi choices, including seasonal assorted sashimi, assorted salmon sashimi, assorted red sea bream sashimi, flounder sashimi, halibut sashimi, rockfish sashimi, and flounder and red sea bream sashimi, so I could choose according to my taste.

The assorted red sea bream sashimi I ordered came in sizes from mini at ₩38,000, small at ₩48,000, medium at ₩58,000, and large at ₩68,000.

These days, the bill can rise quickly even when ordering only a little sashimi, but here I could choose a size based on the number of people, so it felt less burdensome when visiting as a pair.

In addition to sashimi, there were separate seafood dishes such as sea squirt, raw abalone, sea cucumber, and gaebul (spoon worm), as well as fried dishes including house-made fried eggplant, fried shrimp, and fried squid.

There were also many soup dishes, which seemed good for adding when I wanted something else while eating sashimi. Rather than getting greedy and ordering a little of everything, we decided to add one order of sea squirt to the assorted red sea bream sashimi and finish with seafood ramen.

With a broad selection from reasonably priced sashimi to seafood, fried dishes, and soups, I thought it would be good even for a larger group, since everyone could choose what they wanted to eat.

Assorted red sea bream sashimi and sauce combinations

When the assorted red sea bream sashimi arrived, I was surprised by the presentation first. It had none of the dry texture that can be easy to notice at inexpensive sashimi restaurants, and as soon as I picked it up with my chopsticks, I could feel its springy chewiness.

The biggest strength here was the sauce lineup. Along with the standard chojang (sweet-and-tangy red chili sauce) and soy sauce, there were galchi sokjeot (salted hairtail innards), pyogo wasabi jorim (braised shiitake mushrooms with wasabi), ceviche sauce, and a house-made makjang (seasoned soybean paste).

I placed a little pyogo wasabi jorim on a piece of sashimi and dipped it in wasabi soy sauce; the pungent and nutty flavors went together well.

The sea squirt that came later carried a sea aroma and had a subtly sweet finish. It was not fishy at all, and I enjoyed it.

Seafood ramen to finish

At first, the ₩12,000 seafood ramen that arrived last seemed a little expensive. But I understood as soon as I tasted the broth. It had the deep, spicy quality of maeuntang (spicy fish stew), so I finished every drop of the broth.

My boyfriend likes to wrap sashimi with ramen when he eats sashimi, so we ate it together that way, and he said it was tasty. I like the sashimi's natural flavor, so I did not eat it that way.

Springy sashimi and distinctive sauces

Despite the reasonable price range, the sashimi had a pleasing springiness comparable to that of a specialized Japanese restaurant, and it paired well with the varied house-made sauces.

In particular, distinctive sauces such as galchi sokjeot and pyogo wasabi jorim brought out the sashimi's flavor even more. Combined with the clean atmosphere and convenient access, I was satisfied.

It is a place worth considering if you are looking for a reasonably priced sashimi restaurant near Hwagok Station.