Yuseong Korean restaurant for monkfish and octopus: Seommaeul

I visited Seommaeul Agujjim & Nakjibokkeum (섬마을 아구찜&낙지볶음) while looking for a good agujjim (spicy braised monkfish) restaurant in Yuseong, Daejeon. There were all sorts of choices, from agujjim to haemuljjim (seafood braise) and nakjibokkeum (stir-fried octopus), and I ordered the monkfish-and-octopus braise, haha.

Parking, hours, and a private room

Parking is the most important thing when visiting a restaurant, and it was convenient to come by car because I could park right in front of the place.

• Hours: 11:00–21:30
• Closed every Sunday
• 1F Seommaeul, 1163 Yuseong-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea (대전 유성구 유성대로 1163 1층 섬마을)

There was also a separate room that looked great for group visits, so it seemed like a nice option for family gatherings or group meals. The overall atmosphere was neat, and it was not the kind of agujjim loaded with lots of unnecessary extras.

There was a wide range of menu options, haha.

Banchan and steamed egg

Before the main dish arrived, a neat spread of banchan (Korean side dishes) came out first. There were several kinds, including salad, stir-fried fish cake, stir-fried potatoes, seasoned seaweed flakes, and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi)!

The side dishes were mild and clean-tasting overall, so they went nicely with the main dish.

The fluffy steamed egg that came as a side was delicious too. It was soft and mild, making it perfect with the monkfish-and-octopus braise, haha. With steamed egg included, I thought it would be good for a family meal with kids too!

Monkfish-and-octopus braise

When there is too little monkfish in agujjim, it is disappointing because it feels as if you only ate a huge pile of bean sprouts. Here, there was a good amount of monkfish, so I could enjoy it with the bean sprouts rather than feeling like I was eating sprouts alone.

It did not include gon (fish roe) or mideodeok (sea squirts), but that actually kept the dish clean and straightforward.

Most of all, the octopus was not tough—it was pleasantly chewy yet tender, and went so well with the agujjim seasoning. The spicy sauce had soaked right into the octopus, so I kept reaching for more, haha.

The monkfish-and-octopus braise was such a rice thief when eaten with rice 😋 The sauce was spicy and savory, and as I piled monkfish and bean sprouts onto each spoonful of rice, the rice just disappeared, haha.

Can you see how much monkfish and octopus there was? 😋 There was more of both than I expected, so the portion was quite satisfying too! Haha.

If you have been disappointed by agujjim with too little monkfish and too many bean sprouts, Seommaeul Agujjim & Nakjibokkeum in Yuseong might be a good choice.

The monkfish was mild and moist, while the octopus had a springy bite, and they tasted even better together.

After the meal, I finished refreshingly with homemade sikhye (sweet rice drink) :)

For family meals and group gatherings

If you are looking for a good restaurant in Daejeon or Yuseong, or for agujjim, seafood braise, or stir-fried octopus, I recommend Seommaeul :) Parking was easy and there was a separate group room, so it also looked like a good venue for family dining or group gatherings in Yuseong!