Sangam-dong eel restaurant: kitchen-grilled eel with no smoke, Ryeok

Where is Ryeok in Sangam-dong, and when is it open?

Ryeok (력) is a freshwater eel grill restaurant on the 1st floor of 37 Seongam-ro 15-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It is open 11:00–23:00 Monday to Friday and 11:00–22:00 on Saturday, and the restaurant recommends using a nearby public parking lot.

With the weather getting warmer, it's time for a stamina food boost 💪 I decided to have a hearty dinner at Ryeok, an eel grill restaurant. Among the eel places in Sangam-dong, it's clean and friendly, so I keep coming back!

It's near Exit 9 of Digital Media City Station on the Airport Railroad, so it's easy to reach by public transport. At lunch you can get eel rice bowls and various set meals, and in the evening the main event is grilled eel in a variety of seasonings. They also serve wild mountain hagfish (kkomjangeo), so there's plenty to choose from.

The Sangam-dong eel company dinners are already in full swing!

What kind of eel does Ryeok use?

Ryeok says it uses only domestic grade 1 Japonica eel, prepared right after being caught the same day. Through the shop window you can see live eels moving around energetically.

Freshness is totally guaranteed!! Seeing how sturdy and lively they are, I bet they're great for recovering your energy.

What do the side dishes and ginger look like at Ryeok?

At Ryeok, the side dishes and eel accompaniments come in separate small dishes on a single tray. It feels neat and orderly, which somehow puts me in a good mood.

They also give you plenty of ginger, which you can polish off a whole plate of when eating eel! If it runs out, of course they bring more 🫚

How much eel is one serving at Ryeok, and what comes with salt and sauce grills?

One serving of grilled eel at Ryeok is a generous, full 230g. I ordered two types, salt-grilled and sauce-grilled, and each came neatly set out as one strip. Ta-da, Sangam-dong eel has arrived ✨

There's plenty of garnish to grill alongside, too~ Green onions and shishito-style peppers (kkwari gochu) grilled over high heat, crispy outside and juicy inside, are seriously good.

Do you have to grill the eel yourself at Ryeok?

The biggest advantage of Ryeok's grilled eel is that it all arrives already grilled. At the table, you only use the grill to keep it warm so it doesn't go cold.

Normally eel is a hassle to grill yourself: you have to keep flipping it so it doesn't burn, and it makes a lot of smoke. Here the experts grill everything and bring it over, so no smell sticks to you and the meal is comfortable. It takes a little cooking time, but being this easy to eat makes me totally satisfied!

Salt-grilled eel with wasabi and ginger

❤️ I love wasabi, I love ginger ❤️ I tried the plump, perfectly grilled eel with garnishes to taste. Piling on wasabi and ginger is always the right call. My personal favorite is shredded ginger dipped generously in the special brown sauce and eaten together with the eel 😋

Sauce-grilled eel, which burns easily, done cleanly

If you had to grill the sauce-grilled eel from scratch, it would all burn and be a total mess, but since it comes fully grilled it's neat and easy to eat! It's pleasantly salty-sweet, so it goes well with plain white rice too.

Which side dishes should you always order at Ryeok?

The side I order every single time I come to Ryeok is the steamed egg with pollock roe mayo (myeongran mayo gyeran-jjim) 🥚 The mild, soft flavor of the egg and the salty, nutty taste of the roe mayo blend fantastically. Add the fluffy texture and it does a great job as a rice thief (a dish that makes you eat more rice). It's a perfect pairing for the main dishes.

Adding a spicy fish roe stew (altang) to finish completes the perfect course. The stew comes in an earthenware pot packed with roe and milt, and the broth is deep and refreshing. It looks so good you instantly think of a glass of soju ❤️ I'm cutting back on alcohol for my health these days, so sadly I just wet my throat with cider (lemon-lime soda), but...

Going back to Ryeok in Sangam-dong

I got a proper health boost from high-quality grilled eel. I'd love to try Ryeok's lunch-time special hitsumabushi too! The combo of savory rice and eel must go so well together.

It's a place where you can enjoy premium Japonica eel in a pleasant setting, so people of all ages will be satisfied. Before the heat really kicks in, let's stay healthy this summer with a hearty stamina meal 😉