Siheung seafood restaurant for shabu kalguksu hot pot: 101 The Terrace

Today I went on a drive to Geobukseom Island to clear my head, and ended up love-at-first-sighting an insanely photogenic seafood kalguksu (noodle soup) along with a night view — here's how it went.

Where is 101 The Terrace on Geobukseom Island?

101 The Terrace is a seafood restaurant on Geobukseom Island in Siheung, Gyeonggi. Apparently this artificial island — which sits right on the way to Daebudo — has become a super hot spot for night-view drives lately. After a lot of searching, I found this atmospheric restaurant called 101 The Terrace. Seafood eaten outdoors is basically a scam in the best way, so it's the number one outdoor dining spot to visit before the cold season hits.

This is the location — Geobukseom genuinely looks like a turtle (geobuk means turtle), which is kind of wild. It's a little cute and also kind of artificial-looking...? Anyway, the restaurant is on the left 'shell' side of the turtle-shaped island.

The sunset view right from the entrance was honestly speechless-inducing. After eating, I walked along the connected coastline and it was such a mood reset, pure happiness. Pro tip: right next to 101 The Terrace there's a gelato or ice cream shop — the crowd there was huge, so I tried it, and it was genuinely delicious. Highly recommend.

[image caption: explanation skills of a variety-show kid]

Inside 101 The Terrace: the dining room and the live seafood tank

Walk into 101 The Terrace and the first thing you see is a tank full of live seafood. The whole place has really good vibes, with lighting, color tone, and humidity that make for great Instagram shots. There were actually two foreign guests who ordered nothing but drinks, no food at all, and they looked pretty happy about it haha. Meanwhile, those shrimp swimming energetically in the tank were about to meet my mouth soon enough ^^

Ordering the shabu kalguksu by tablet

Ordering is done through a tablet at the table, and here's the menu. We walked in already sold on the shabu kalguksu's photos, so we ordered it without a second thought (shabu-lutely delicious). Everything from raw shrimp to grilled clams is served super fresh and alive, so if you'd rather not put on work gloves that day, choose your menu carefully.

How does the seafood shabu kalguksu in a cauldron lid taste?

And here comes the full glory. When they say 'as big as a lidded pot,' they mean it — a giant lidded pot stacked with clams, shrimp, mushrooms, vegetables, and fish cakes in such a massive amount I thought I'd arrived at a campsite.

The broth was clean yet packed with umami — genuinely fantastic and perfect. And to think shabu-shabu meat and kalguksu noodles are both included — this is an insane level of value for the price.

Adding the beautifully red-hued meat is when the whole dish finally comes together. Sipping the broth while hearing the lively chatter nearby and watching the night sea stretch out before us — pure bliss.

The octopus was so plump and chewy in the best way. It was huge and not tough at all, so even though I'm not usually an octopus fan, I ate every bit eagerly. I want more already. Honestly, every ingredient balanced really well together, and the portion was generous enough to be a great mix for two people.

How is it different from the kalguksu restaurants on Daebudo Island?

101 The Terrace's seafood kalguksu has a surprisingly wide variety of clams, and it's generously loaded with ingredients that suit the seafood broth perfectly — honestly the best seafood kalguksu I've had in a while. Since Geobukseom Island is right on the way into Daebudo, a lot of people just pass through it, but to be honest, many of the kalguksu shops deeper in Daebudo only use a single type of clam and tend to overcharge. This place, on the other hand, has that young, stylish vibe, making it a low-pressure choice even for people just stopping by for the atmosphere or a quick drive-through visit.

Finishing with an extra serving of kalguksu noodles

Of course you can't skip adding the noodles. After fishing out most of the seafood, right around the time a Korean needs their carb 'dessert,' we added the kalguksu noodles and waited. Just look at that color. I was too busy inhaling it to think straight.

With the lighting outside and the smell of the sea, this place has all the right elements for a drive or a mood reset. We promised each other we'd come back here for sure. The staff were also so friendly.

Some people only find out the official name of a place after they've eaten there... and that person was me. Anyway, the shabu kalguksu served in a lidded pot delivers flavor and atmosphere on a whole different level, so if you're looking for a great restaurant or date course on Geobukseom Island, highly recommend!