Bugyeongdae raw fish set swapped for gizzard shad: Sintongyeong

Found a place near Bugyeongdae for a proper sashimi spread! If you don't know where to go for autumn gizzard shad... here's my recommendation~ The moment you walk in, the place is buzzing with that unmistakable hit-restaurant energy, packed with people... I've put together my visit to Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch.

What the 60,000-won 2-person seafood set includes at Sintongyeong

What I ordered was the 2-person mixed sashimi seafood set for 60,000 won. Add two bottles of soju (4,500 won each) and the total came to 69,000 won. The sashimi-only mixed set, small (2 people), is 40,000 won, so paying an extra 20,000 won gets you a whole plate of seafood added on. And that seafood plate is really generous — abalone, sea cucumber, sea squirt, whelk... only the good stuff, picked and piled together. At this price with this quality, it's totally worth it...

Gizzard shad doesn't appear in the set's name. To get autumn gizzard shad sashimi at this price, I had to ask when ordering.

Boss, could you swap the raw fish in the set for gizzard shad?

The result was a total success. I got to eat gizzard shad sashimi plus the seafood platter for 60,000 won!

Where Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch is and what the space feels like

It's 185 meters from Exit 1 of Gyeongseongdae/Bugyeongdae Station, so it's a quick walk. Straight out of the station and right to the restaurant, basically!

The sign has a big line about specializing in oyster dishes alongside sashimi and seafood. I heard the oyster soup with rice is good too, though I haven't tried it yet... Out front there was a banner announcing the gizzard shad had arrived, so you can immediately tell it's in season.

There's a tank of live fish right by the entrance, and a country-of-origin sign posted on the window. Aside from the sea bass, everything is fresh domestic live fish!

Once inside, the seating stretches out under a glass roof draped in vine decorations and string lights. The floor is covered in gravel, and there's a separate indoor hall further in too. The seats were so packed with people I almost couldn't find a spot...

Seafood set menu and prices at Sintongyeong

There are two sets. The 2-person mixed sashimi seafood set is 60,000 won, and the step-up 2-person premium mixed sashimi seafood set is 70,000 won. For sashimi only, the mixed sashimi ranges from small (2 people) at 40,000 won to extra-large (4-5 people) at 100,000 won, and the premium mixed sashimi ranges from small at 55,000 won to extra-large at 115,000 won.

Gizzard shad, the seasonal item, is also sold as a single order. Small is 40,000 won, medium 60,000 won, large 80,000 won, extra-large 100,000 won. Raw shrimp sashimi is 40,000 won! Since a small single order of gizzard shad is already 40,000 won and the set is 60,000 won, it's worth weighing the set first if you're planning to eat seafood too.

How to ask for the set's sashimi to be swapped for autumn gizzard shad

When ordering, I asked for the set's fish to be swapped for gizzard shad. There's no swap option written on the menu, so you have to ask directly. The total I paid was 69,000 won — just the 60,000-won set plus the soju — so the swap came with no extra charge this time.

The gizzard shad came out thinly sliced, laid on a bamboo mat over a stainless steel tray. A mountain of shredded perilla leaf and sesame seeds sat piled in the middle. This place really knows how well gizzard shad and perilla leaf go together!

What comes on the seafood platter and side dishes

The seafood came out as four or more kinds laid side by side on a bed of perilla leaves on one plate. They even kept the shells on so you can see the whole lineup at a glance.

For basic side dishes, there were wrap vegetables, corn cheese, savory pancake, garlic, and chili peppers set out.

Seafood set or gizzard shad on its own: which to order

If two of you want to eat sashimi and seafood together, the 60,000-won set is the way to go; if you want plenty of gizzard shad alone, go for the medium or large single order. Ordering the set and asking to swap in gizzard shad turned out to be a genius move.

And truly, one last word... "Autumn gizzard shad is love."