Eel and scallop grill in Oido after a sunset drive: Sanhaejinmi

A weekday evening drive to Oido: why Sanhaejinmi?

I picked Sanhaejinmi (산해진미) in Oido because, unlike the usual shellfish grill places, you can eat shellfish, eel and frozen pork belly all in one go. I recently took a weekday evening drive with an acquaintance. It's the middle of summer, but the evening breeze was surprisingly cool, and after leaving the stuffy city and driving along the sea, we reached Oido before we knew it! The sun was just starting to set slowly, so the mood was really great.

The first food that comes to mind in Oido is, of course, shellfish grill. But there are so many shellfish grill places that, honestly, they all look the same wherever you go. This time I wanted to try somewhere a little different, and while looking around I found Sanhaejinmi. So here's a look at Sanhaejinmi, an Oido spot where you can have shellfish grill and eel with frozen pork belly (naengsam) at the same time.

Sanhaejinmi location and exterior in Oido

Sanhaejinmi is on the second floor of a corner building facing the sea in Oido. The building itself stands out. Right from the signboard, the words "domestic Japonica eel and giant scallops, unlimited" caught my eye.

It sits on a corner right in front of the Oido sea, so the view is a big plus. Shellfish grill and eel together? I couldn't help being curious.

The building is big, and it looked clean, like it had only recently opened.

Inside Sanhaejinmi and the window seats with a sea view

The inside of Sanhaejinmi is spacious and comfortable, and looked good for group gatherings or a family meal out.

Best of all, sitting at a window seat gives you the whole Oido sea at a glance. Eating while looking at the sunset with a cool breeze is a big plus.

What's in the Sanhaejinmi 2-person set?

We ordered the Sanhaejinmi 2-person set, which comes with domestic Japonica eel, giant scallops, clams and frozen pork belly. You order per person, and preschool children are priced lower, so it seems good for families too.

And here comes the main event! The basic spread was really generous right from the start.

Domestic Japonica eel, giant scallops, clams and even frozen pork belly all come together.

And ramyeon (instant noodles) is unlimited too, which is definitely different from the usual Oido shellfish grill places.

The multi-tiered seafood plate on the table, with giant scallops, clams and eel neatly arranged, makes you reach for your camera first.

With the Oido sea spread out behind it, the food photos come out really atmospheric, too.

How was the domestic Japonica eel?

The Japonica eel at Sanhaejinmi had impressively thick flesh, and grilled until golden it was light yet rich and nutty. Look at how much is piled on the grill, eel included. The eel in particular, true to domestic Japonica eel, had thick flesh that left an impression. Once it was golden and cooked through, a light, nutty flavor filled my mouth.

Cheese-grilled giant scallops, clams, cheese corn and tteokbokki

The giant scallops at Sanhaejinmi were best grilled with plenty of cheese on top. The giant scallops were really satisfying.

Grilled with lots of cheese, the nuttiness came alive and the scallop's signature sweet savoriness still came through.

The clams were fresh and clean with no fishy taste, and we could grill cheese corn alongside. Packed with nutty cheese and sweet corn, it's something kids would really love. Putting tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) on the grill too made it fun in a different way.

Shellfish grill with frozen pork belly: does the combo work?

At Sanhaejinmi, eating frozen pork belly in between the eel and clams went together surprisingly well. You can't leave out the meat.

Once the frozen pork belly went on the grill, just the sizzling sound made my mouth water. Eating eel and clams, then a piece of pork belly, then back to clams was a surprisingly good combination.

If you eat just one thing you can get tired of it fast, but alternating between different items kept it tasty to the end. There are plenty of shellfish grill places in Oido, but few where you can also enjoy eel and pork belly. It seems good for families or friends with different tastes, which made it more memorable.

Unlimited giant scallops: how many did we eat?

Since it's all-you-can-eat at Sanhaejinmi, you can keep adding more if you run short, which I liked too.

Not even the smaller red scallops but giant scallops, with refills like this? That's really rare, I think!

I got excited and refilled, but they're so big that I got super full, haha. Dipping them in cheese is the golden rule.

Sunset over the Oido sea and a walk after the meal

From the window seats at Sanhaejinmi, we could watch the Oido sea slowly turn with the sunset. The atmosphere was lovely.

After the meal we strolled around the area, and with the cool sea breeze it suited a weekday evening drive really well. The relaxed mood you can't easily get in the city made mealtime feel even more special.

The staff were friendly and quickly prepared whatever we needed, so we ate without any hassle, and the spacious place was kept neat and comfortable to stay in. If plain shellfish grill feels a bit lacking, I'd happily recommend Sanhaejinmi as an Oido favorite.

Sanhaejinmi in Oido: overall verdict

Sanhaejinmi was clearly different from the other shellfish grill places around. Being able to enjoy domestic Japonica eel, giant scallops, clams and frozen pork belly in one place has a different appeal. If you're looking for a special restaurant in Oido, it should satisfy you.

It was a satisfying time: a weekday evening drive in the cool sea breeze, then a full stomach of eel, shellfish and pork belly. If you're looking for a different kind of shellfish grill in Oido, I recommend giving Sanhaejinmi a visit. Good value, a distinctive lineup and a beautiful sea view: you can be happy on all counts.