Sashimi restaurant in Sangbong with torched corn cheese: Hoepanjang

Today I visited Hoepanjang Sangbong (회판장 상봉점), a sashimi restaurant near Sangbong Station that word of mouth says is crazy good for both value and quality! The aged sashimi was perfect too, so the soju went down way too easily. This is my honest review of this Sangbong sashimi spot.

Where is Hoepanjang Sangbong, and is it busy on Sundays?

Hoepanjang Sangbong is at the end of Sangbong Eat Street (먹자골목)! I went at 5 pm on a Sunday and even the outdoor tables filled up quickly.

Luckily my timing was good at 5 on Sunday and we got a seat, and right after that the outdoor tables filled up too. It's a popular place whatever the day, haha.

Hoepanjang Sangbong menu: what to order for two

Hoepanjang Sangbong centers on chewy aged sashimi, so there are plenty of options! The owner has made several set menus for different group sizes, so ordering was easy, haha.

I came with a friend, so we ordered the mixed sashimi platter and soju, the soulmate of raw fish!

Hoepanjang starters: the torched corn cheese is amazing

The basic starters (skidashi) at Hoepanjang Sangbong came out fast: corn cheese, freshly pan-fried jeon (savory pancakes) and hot beondegi (steamed silkworm pupae). Corn cheese is the classic cheat code at sashimi restaurants, and the lineup was great from the very start!

The corn cheese was the real hit! Many sashimi places just drizzle mayonnaise on top, right? But Hoepanjang uses real mozzarella and torches the surface, so you get smoky flavor and looks at once... As a corn cheese fanatic, I was so moved...

Small mixed sashimi platter: portion and aged sashimi taste

The small mixed sashimi platter for two at Hoepanjang Sangbong comes neatly arranged on a big wooden tray, and the portion looked quite generous. While we were marveling at the basic side dishes and racing through the soju, the star of the day finally arrived: the mixed sashimi platter! ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Crazy, right??

It's set so neatly on the big wooden tray that the look alone rivals a high-end Japanese restaurant and I couldn't help but gasp. Even though it's the small size for two, the amount looked quite generous, which surprised me.

The owner explains each fish and its aging time

The owner came to our table and kindly explained, one by one, the types and cuts of fish on the platter and even the aging period for the best flavor, so it felt like an omakase, haha.

Full of anticipation, I picked up a piece as the owner recommended, and thanks to proper aging there was not even a hint of fishiness and the texture was so chewy... There's a reason this is a famous aged sashimi spot in Sangbong.

The mini mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) that came with it was also packed with sashimi, and I was impressed the whole time I ate it.

Hoepanjang mussel soup: a good soju snack?

The mussel soup served as a starter at Hoepanjang Sangbong is amazing, spicy from cheongyang chili peppers and full of savory depth. It was just ridiculously delicious. I couldn't think of a better snack to go with soju.

Order extra side dishes by kiosk

At Hoepanjang Sangbong you order extra side dishes through a kiosk, so you can order comfortably without feeling awkward about asking, which I liked even more : )

A free grilled fish to finish

When we were almost done eating, they even gave us a grilled fish as a free extra!! How's that for a bragging shot? haha

Is Hoepanjang Sangbong worth going back to?

I went on a Sunday evening to soothe the end-of-weekend blues and ended up meeting the aged sashimi of my life and falling for it. 🥹✨ It's on a different level from ordinary live fish sashimi, with not a hint of fishiness, and every bite was springy and chewy and just clung to my mouth! I kept saying it was crazy good.

If you want a perfect drinking meal near Sangbong Station, with top-quality aged sashimi that sticks to your mouth and generous starters, I absolutely recommend Hoepanjang, a great Sangbong restaurant!!