Sashimi omakase in Beomgye: Namhae Mulgogi’s ₩40,000 course

How do you get to Namhae Mulgogi from Beomgye Station?

I visited Namhae Mulgogi (남해물고기) on Beomgye Station’s Rodeo Street because I like aged sashimi. If you leave through Exit 2 of Beomgye Station and walk straight, it is easy to find on the fourth floor of the building directly in front of the central fountain. The address is 42 Pyeongchon-daero 223beon-gil, 4th floor, Room 404, Dongan-gu, Anyang, Gyeonggi-do.

I made a Naver reservation in advance. I would also recommend reserving ahead if you plan to order the course. The hours listed in the original post were 11:30 a.m. to 10:50 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with regular closing on Mondays.

Is it a good atmosphere for talking over a meal?

The interior was not especially spacious, but I liked that it was quiet. The seats were well spaced, and there were partitions in places, so it was easy to talk comfortably with my companion. It also seemed suitable for a meal with a romantic partner, a blind date, or a wedding invitation gathering.

What comes in the ₩40,000-per-person omakase?

We ordered the sashimi omakase for two. The price listed in the original post was ₩40,000 per person. The basic course included pre-meal porridge, an appetizer, assorted aged sashimi, a seasonal dish, a fish dish, fried dishes, and hot pot. There were also à la carte dishes, lunch specials with sushi, and rice bowls.

The drink selection included sake, shochu, whisky, highballs, and distilled spirits. We do not drink much, so we ordered one bottle of beer.

How were the pre-meal porridge and mulhoe?

The pre-meal porridge arrived first after we ordered. It was topped with sesame furikake, giving it a mild, nutty flavor. Starting the meal with warm porridge made me feel as if my body was warming up.

Mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) followed. I do not usually seek out mulhoe, but the sweet-and-sour flavor suited me that day. There was also a generous amount of thickly cut fish, which I enjoyed.

What kinds of aged sashimi were served, and what went well with it?

The kelp-aged sashimi arrived as a two-person serving. I was told that the selection can change depending on the seasonal fish. That day, it included amberjack, hairtail, mullet, Spanish mackerel, flounder, sweet shrimp, spot prawn, sea bass, sea bream, and salmon.

The fish was neatly arranged so I could try one piece of each kind. It had a soft texture and suited my preference for aged sashimi over fresh sashimi. I had only tried hairtail braised or grilled before, but when I ate it raw that day, there was no fishy taste.

Fresh wasabi and wasabi mushrooms came as accompaniments. The wasabi mushrooms especially stayed in my memory: their sweet and salty seasoning was combined with a sharp wasabi aroma. They went well on several kinds of sashimi, so I asked for a second helping twice.

What came after the sashimi?

Sushi, futomaki (thick sushi rolls), and pasta followed the aged sashimi. Sashimi alone can leave you feeling slightly unsatisfied, but the sushi and futomaki made the meal more filling. The pasta had plenty of clams, tomatoes, and squid, with a strong shrimp flavor.

The fried dish was yulinji, fried chicken with a tangy sauce. I was a little surprised to see yulinji in a sashimi course, but it went well with the other dishes. I liked the sauce, and it tasted even better with the vegetables on top.

How was the final hot-pot dish, and was the meal filling?

The final hot-pot dish that day was shabu-shabu. It came with vegetables, beef, and fish cake skewers. The broth was rich and spicy, so it was good even on its own, and the vegetables were tasty without dipping them in sauce.

The beef was tender, and the vegetables tasted fresh. Although it was the final dish of the course, it was satisfying enough to feel like I had eaten a separate main dish.

By then, I was already quite full from the pre-meal porridge, mulhoe, aged sashimi, sushi, futomaki, pasta, and grilled fish. We were told that udon noodles, ramen noodles, and a bowl of rice could be added, so we ordered udon noodles. They paired well with the spicy broth.

For me, it was satisfying to eat aged sashimi and several different dishes in sequence for ₩40,000 per person. The restaurant is not large, but it was a good place to eat while talking quietly, and I would like to visit again when I have someone to treat.