Solo sashimi lunch plus mulhoe noodles: Songdo Jonghap Eosijang

Hi everyone! It's Sunmu :)

A while back I went absolutely insane with hunger at lunchtime and ended up eating alone at Songdo Jonghap Eosijang~~~~ Here's the review.

Usually when I eat alone I just have one simple bowl and leave, right? Not this day. I was hungry on a whole-day-fasting level, so I looked at the menu and the lunch special sashimi set looked way too good... I ordered two servings of the set plus a mulhoe noodles too hahahaha

I came alone but if you just looked at the table you'd think three people were eating. But it was all mine. Here's the lunch review of a hungry day from someone who's dead serious about food haha

Where is Songdo Jonghap Eosijang?

Songdo Jonghap Eosijang is an old-school sashimi restaurant on the first floor at 165 Haedoji-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, in Songdo 1-gongu. If you live in Songdo, you've probably passed by this place many times!

I still remember drinking all night here with a friend a few years ago. A restaurant that keeps watch over Songdo, unchanged!

Wait, is it already the season for fall gizzard shad and grilled king prawns...? Time flies so fast. But anyway, I walked in drawn by that lunch set that looked like an amazing deal.

What comes with the 12,000 won lunch special sashimi set?

What I ordered that day: two servings of the lunch special sashimi set plus one mulhoe noodles. Here's the shocking part — the price of the set!!!

These days in Songdo, even a bowl of soup or stew for lunch easily costs over 10,000 won, but for 12,000 won this spread is honestly massive. Assorted sashimi, sushi, sea squirt, fried shrimp, steamed egg, seasoned vegetables, spicy fish stew, and free access to the self-serve bar too.... At first I looked at the menu board wondering if all of this was really included haha

Is eating sashimi alone at Songdo Jonghap Eosijang awkward?

Songdo Jonghap Eosijang is a fairly spacious restaurant with generous gaps between tables, so eating alone wasn't as awkward as I expected. Solo dining at a sashimi place seems a bit intimidating on paper, but it's nothing once you're actually inside haha

Since I even ordered two servings, anyone looking would have assumed I was waiting for someone. Nobody came....

Ordering the set for two (alone... haha) also gets you simple access to the self-serve bar.

The basic side dishes were set out first. That sweet-and-sour salad was really tasty.

From assorted sashimi to spicy fish stew: the full lunch set

Dishes started coming out one by one, and my solo table filled up fast. First up, the main event — assorted sashimi!

I figured a lunch special would mean thin, skimpy slices, but it came out properly. The sashimi wasn't mushy or watery at all — it was firm and springy, sliced at a nice thickness with good chewiness.

Dipping a piece just lightly in vinegar-chili sauce, at first it tasted clean and mild, then a subtle savoriness rose up the more I chewed. Almost no fishy taste, so I found myself thinking, can eating sashimi at lunch really make me this happy ㅠㅠㅠ

Wrapping the sashimi in lettuce with a bit of ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) and garlic gave a completely different flavor~~ I do like eating sashimi plain with vinegar-chili sauce, but from a certain point I always switch to wraps. Crunchy vegetables and chewy sashimi together just keep going in.

Anyway, ordering two servings alone meant nobody could grab my favorite pieces first.... that's actually great? hahahaha

The sushi

Sushi came out too. Having sushi included in the lunch special was perfect for whenever I craved rice.

Eating only sashimi can feel a bit empty, but the sushi filled in some carbs in between — perfect. The rice wasn't too big so it didn't overpower the sashimi's flavor, and the bite-sized pieces made it easy to eat like a side dish, no pressure.

The sea squirt

And then, sea squirt (meongge)!!!! If you love sea squirt, you know that distinctive fragrant ocean scent.

The first bite is a bit bitter and salty, but the longer you chew, a distinct sweetness lingers — it had been a while, so it was so good. Ordering just one set gave me sashimi, sushi, and even sea squirt — lots of fun variety from a single menu item.

The steamed egg

The steamed egg (gyeranjjim) also came out bubbling hot. This kind of steamed egg is the thing your hand keeps reaching for at any sashimi place.

Fluffy and soft — a spoonful in between sashimi bites felt so comforting on the stomach. Not too salty and moist, delicious even eaten on its own. I thought if I come back with kids next time, this alone would take care of feeding them, no worries.

The fried shrimp

Fried shrimp shows up too~~~~ Getting fried food out of nowhere at a sashimi restaurant is always such a welcome surprise haha

Freshly fried shrimp had a crispy outside and springy shrimp inside, great to eat in the middle of the meal. After cold, clean-tasting sashimi, one warm crunchy bite of fried food totally changes the mood in your mouth. If I'd come with kids, I probably wouldn't have gotten a single bite of the fried shrimp, but since I was alone that day, it was entirely mine haha

Why I added mulhoe noodles as well

But I didn't stop there. I also ordered mulhoe noodles~~~~ Not many people finish two servings of the sashimi set and still order mulhoe noodles.... but I was seriously hungry that day ㅠㅠㅠ And honestly, once you see mulhoe noodles on the menu, it's hard to just walk past it.

The mulhoe noodles looked incredibly refreshing just from the visuals alone. Noodles, sashimi, and vegetables sit in a sweet-and-sour, spicy broth, and once mixed well, my whole mouth felt instantly refreshed. The broth wasn't just sharply sour from the vinegar-chili base — it had sweetness and spice balanced in just enough that it kept pulling me back for more. Cold, springy noodles with crunchy vegetables and occasional bites of sashimi made for great texture too.

I especially thought ordering it alongside the sashimi set was a great call — the set overall leans clean and savory. Taking a chopstick-full of the mulhoe noodles in between totally resets your palate with its tangy, cool flavor.

Then back to sashimi.... then back to mulhoe noodles.... the infinite loop begins hahahaha

The noodles weren't overcooked either, staying nicely chewy and pairing well with the broth. I'm the type who ends up spooning up the leftover broth no matter what, and this time was no exception — the broth kept pulling me in. It would be especially great for lunch on a hot day.

Finishing with the spicy fish stew

And of course, the sashimi set finishes with spicy fish stew (maeuntang). I'd already eaten so much sashimi, sushi, fried shrimp, and steamed egg, but somehow smelling the stew resets my appetite all over again haha

The broth was spicy but not overwhelmingly so, with a clean flavor drawn out from the fish that kept me spooning it up. It felt like the sharp broth wiped away all the oiliness and vinegar-chili sauce lingering in my mouth after the sashimi!

I nearly finished both servings of the sashimi set plus the mulhoe noodles. Honestly, I think I'm kind of impressive hahahaha I was hungry, sure, but the variety of dishes meant it didn't feel like eating the same thing over and over, which probably helped it all go down easier.

Sashimi, then fried shrimp, then steamed egg, then sushi, a bite of mulhoe noodles, and finally the spicy fish stew.... I ate alone, but it was basically a full multi-course lunch.

Who is Songdo Jonghap Eosijang best for?

It's not just a plate of assorted sashimi dropped on the table — you also get sushi, sea squirt, fried shrimp, steamed egg, seasoned vegetables, spicy fish stew, and the self-serve bar, so given today's prices, this really seems like great value. It looked great not just for solo dining but also for lunch with coworkers or a meal with parents. The restaurant is fairly spacious too, so it seems fine for groups.

If you're craving sashimi for lunch in Songdo or looking for a good-value sashimi restaurant, try the lunch special at Songdo Jonghap Eosijang. You don't need to do what I did — two servings plus mulhoe noodles alone hahahaha. With a normal appetite, just one serving of the sashimi set already comes with so much variety that it'll fill you up well. I'll stress again that I was seriously starving that day.... anyway, I love this neighborhood restaurant.