Seogwipo restaurant for family braised cutlassfish meals

When you’re looking for a meal around Seongsan, there are so many choices, from black pork to seafood, right? Still, even living in Jeju, I sometimes crave braised cutlassfish with that deeply soaked-in sauce. This time, while looking for somewhere near Seongsan Ilchulbong that would be good for a meal with my child, I visited Seongsan Bada Punggyeong Jeju Seongsan Ilchulbong Branch (성산바다풍경 제주성산일출봉점) myself. Since it is right by a tourist spot, I was honestly a little curious about how the food would be, but the cutlassfish had absorbed the sauce nicely and it was the kind of meal that makes the rice go down so easily—I left feeling full and happy^^ Its location also makes it easy to look around Seongsan Ilchulbong before or after your meal, so I think it is worth noting for anyone who cares about their route as much as finding good braised cutlassfish in Seongsan.

A convenient stop with Seongsan Ilchulbong sightseeing

Seongsan Bada Punggyeong is in a location that is easy to combine with a visit to the Seongsan Ilchulbong tourist area. It fit nicely into the route as a lunch or dinner stop on a day heading to Seongsan Ilchulbong, Gwangchigi Beach, or Seopjikoji. Especially when you are exploring eastern Jeju with a child, seeing one attraction and then having to travel far again for a restaurant can be surprisingly tiring. Being able to take care of both sightseeing in Seongsan and a meal in one go was convenient.

Seongsan’s sea and nearby sights

Once I got there, I understood why it is called Seongsan Bada Punggyeong—“Seongsan Sea Scenery.” You can take in Jeju-like ocean views around the restaurant, so rather than eating and immediately leaving, it is nice to wander around the area slowly. In Seongsan, the scenery created by Seongsan Ilchulbong and the sea is an attraction in itself, making this a good route even when visiting Jeju with your parents. Being able to head straight to the next sight after eating is another plus!

Parking out front and a family-meal atmosphere

Since I travel with a child, parking matters just as much as taste. Around Seongsan Ilchulbong, parking can wear you out when tourists are arriving in crowds, but Seongsan Bada Punggyeong has parking spaces in front of the restaurant, so it was easy to visit by car. That is quite a big advantage for anyone carrying lots of children’s things or traveling with parents. Since there is no need to walk far from the car to the restaurant, families with a stroller or plenty of baby gear should find it relatively comfortable too.

Inside, it had the sort of atmosphere you would expect from a restaurant near a Jeju attraction: relaxed and well suited to an easy family meal.

More than anything, high chairs are something you worry about when bringing a child, so I liked that they had them ready. Braised cutlassfish is a Jeju dish that works well for everyone from parents’ generations to families with children, so I think it would suit people looking for a restaurant on a family trip. Rather than a flashy, stylish restaurant, think of a place for a hearty full spread of braised cutlassfish in Jeju—that gives you a sense of the atmosphere.

A seafood menu centered on cutlassfish

The menu had a range of seafood dishes that are popular in Jeju, centered on cutlassfish. Along with braised cutlassfish, there were options such as Bada Punggyeong braise, whole grilled cutlassfish, and seafood stone-pot stew, so it looked easy for a group to choose according to everyone’s tastes. What we chose that day was the large braised cutlassfish portion.

Side dishes and wild Jeju rock seaweed

After ordering the braised cutlassfish and waiting, a whole table of side dishes arrived first. With a saucy dish like braised cutlassfish, I do not usually reach for side dishes when there are too many, but these were good ones to have alongside rice, making for quite a hearty meal.

Especially the wild Jeju rock seaweed, which they said can only be enjoyed right now!!

The seaweed soup was a little strongly seasoned, but it was so delicious that I got a refill, haha. The seaweed soup is self-serve and unlimited!!

Braised cutlassfish with sauce soaked right in

Finally, today’s main event! The bubbling braised cutlassfish came out looking like it was practically asking for a bowl of rice.

When I pulled out a piece of cutlassfish, the flesh was nicely thick. The things I care about most in braised cutlassfish are any fishiness and the sauce. The cutlassfish did not have a strong fishy taste, and the sauce worked well with the fish instead of sitting separately on the outside.

Above all, the sauce was delicious! It was moderately spicy with a savory depth, the kind of flavor where you eat a piece of cutlassfish with a spoonful of rice, then mix more rice into the sauce. Haha. The flesh was tender too, and without a strong fishy flavor, it was easy to enjoy.

The set also includes grilled cutlassfish.

The grilled cutlassfish was mild, too, and the flesh was plumper than I expected, making it a satisfying dish to eat with rice!

If you are having braised cutlassfish in Seongsan with a child

• People looking for a meal before or after sightseeing at Seongsan Ilchulbong
• People who want to eat braised cutlassfish in Jeju
• Families looking for a Seongsan restaurant they can visit with children
• People traveling around eastern Jeju with their parents
• People for whom restaurant parking is important

After trying the braised cutlassfish ourselves that day, my favorite combination was the tender fish coated generously in sauce with rice. If you want a hearty meal after seeing Seongsan Ilchulbong and want to make sure you have a proper Jeju-style dish too, this is a Seongsan braised cutlassfish restaurant worth remembering.