Seafood kalguksu in Seohae, Incheon: Haemul Teukbyeolsi

Haemul Teukbyeolsi Cheongna: Parking and a spacious interior

I visited Haemul Teukbyeolsi (해물특별시) Cheongna Direct Branch, a popular spot in Cheongna-dong, Incheon. There was parking right in front of the restaurant, so it was easy to drive over.

We headed inside. It is a large, roomy restaurant, so it felt pleasant and comfortable. They also have private rooms, making it a perfect place for group diners.

Ordering seafood hand-cut kalguksu by kiosk

Here is the menu. Everything was shown clearly with photos, which made it easy and convenient to look through.

There was also a kiosk at every table, so we could take our time looking and order comfortably. It is well known for agwi-jjim (braised monkfish) and seafood dishes, but it was drizzling that day and I was craving warm kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup). I debated between it and the agwi-jjim, then ordered the seafood hand-cut kalguksu. We also added the handmade monkfish fritters. If you write a Naver receipt review, you can order a half plate for just ₩1,000. But we wanted to eat plenty, so we ordered a full plate.

The basic side dishes arrived first. I loved that there were three kinds of kimchi: white kimchi, napa cabbage kimchi, and green-onion kimchi.

You can bring extra side dishes yourself from the self-service corner. They also had instant coffee and coffee candy set out in one corner for dessert.

Kalguksu made after eating the seafood first

First, the clam broth arrived. As it turned out, you pick out and eat the seafood first—octopus, shrimp, mussels, scallops, and more—then add the kalguksu noodles to make your noodle soup.

The seafood hand-cut kalguksu was only ₩11,000, but the quality of the seafood was on another level. There were two large shrimp, plus plenty of scallops and mussels, and even a whole octopus, so it felt incredibly generous.

These are scallops, which I love. My boyfriend said the person who loves them more should eat them, so he gave them all to me.

They cut everything into easy-to-eat pieces. They told us to cut and eat the octopus right away because it can quickly turn tough if cooked too long. Everything arrived already cooked, so it was nice and convenient to eat straight away.

After we had picked out almost all the seafood, we added the kalguksu noodles. You just need to stir them well as they cook so they do not stick together.

It can be hard to know how long to boil them, but they brought us a 5-minute sand timer and told us we could eat as soon as it ran out. So handy!

Crisp and mild handmade monkfish fritters

Our full plate of handmade monkfish fritters, which I had really been looking forward to, also arrived. Just looking at them, the batter was so appetizing that I was even more excited to taste them.

They gave us two sauces, tartar and chili, so it was nice to dip them according to our tastes. Personally, the tartar sauce suited my palate better.

The crisp texture was absolutely excellent. The monkfish inside was so tender that it practically melted in my mouth. It was very mild, so it was easy to eat lightly. I tried dipping it into the wasabi soy sauce we had prepared for the seafood, and that was another delicious treat. Unexpectedly, the soy sauce seemed to pair best with the handmade monkfish fritters.

The five minutes flew by while we ate the handmade monkfish fritters, so we immediately picked up the kalguksu noodles too.

Chewy kalguksu noodles like udon

Of course, the clam broth was the main dish and I thought of the kalguksu noodles as more of an add-on, so I was not expecting much from them. But I was surprised because the noodles were exactly my style. I prefer them a little thick and chewy, and the texture was so satisfyingly alive, almost like eating udon. My boyfriend said the broth had a Japanese-style soy sauce flavor, though I could not really tell; either way, it was nicely seasoned and just right.

This place was even more delicious than I expected. It suited my tastes so perfectly that it would be fair to call it a great kalguksu spot. Next time, I should come back for seafood jjim (braised seafood) or agwi-jjim. I highly recommend Haemul Teukbyeolsi Cheongna Direct Branch, a great restaurant in Cheongna-dong, Incheon! :)