Saturday eel BBQ lunch in Myeonmok, top hygiene grade: Cheonsangae

What is Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch?

Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch (천상애장어가 면목사가정점) specializes in charcoal-grilled freshwater eel, cooked the traditional way. They use domestic Japonica eel, shipped directly from Jeolla-do and prepped by hand every day, they say.

They're generous too: people aged 80+, pregnant women, police officers, firefighters, national merit holders and others get one eel free. I came for lunch in Myeonmok for the first time, and the eel was so good!! I'm already planning to come back.

Location, parking and hygiene grade at Cheonsangae Jangeoga

The restaurant sits between Myeonmok Station and Sagajeong Station. There's no parking (the nearby Nice Park lot is recommended). It recently received the 'Excellent' hygiene grade from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, so you can trust the cooking environment, ingredients and hygiene management.

Can Cheonsangae Jangeoga host groups and family gatherings?

There's group seating for up to 36, so it's perfect for small gatherings or larger groups! It's a standalone building, very spacious and pleasant, and the interior has a Korean touch, so it also works for family gatherings, company dinners and anniversaries.

I went on a Saturday at midday, and seeing the place packed with customers, it's clearly a popular spot in Myeonmok. Naver reservations are available, so book ahead if you can~

Side dishes and the self-serve bar

The basic side dishes at Cheonsangae come out neatly arranged. To eat with the eel you get wild ginseng, shredded ginger, garlic, ssamjang (dipping paste), lettuce wraps, perilla leaves, seasoned onion, pickled chili peppers and more. Most refills come from the self-serve bar, and everything is so tasty that you end up going back for more.

Even the drink isn't plain water or barley tea, it's domestic hovenia tea haha. Just right for a stamina meal.

What charcoal does Cheonsangae Jangeoga grill with?

The charcoal is 1000° oak white charcoal (baektan)! Made at a full thousand degrees, it gives strong, steady heat, so the eel cooks crispy outside and moist inside.

The charcoal-grilled snow mushroom and wild ginseng eel set for 2

The set for 2 comes with two large domestic Japonica freshwater eels, plus snow mushroom, cultured wild ginseng root, Tongyeong salted oysters (eori-gul-jeot), doenjang stew, nurungji (scorched rice) and grilled potato.

A staff member grills everything for you from start to finish, so it's comfortable and delicious~~! Great, great.

Lovely smoky flavor, and the fat is drained off so it's grilled clean~ Whichever way you look at it, the charcoal is the real kick haha

Doenjang stew, hot-stone eel sushi and Tongyeong salted oysters

A piping hot earthenware pot of doenjang (soybean paste) stew with tofu, zucchini and onion comes out,

and the eel stone sushi and Tongyeong salted oysters come too. It's like a course meal, with one generous dish after another.

Especially this Tongyeong salted oyster!!! The savory depth is amazing. It goes well with the eel sushi, but on the nurungji that comes later it's pure heaven ☆ The first plate is included, and extra is ₩6,000.

Snow mushroom (white wood ear fungus)

And the snow mushroom (white wood ear) looks as pretty as a snowflake, as the name says, and it turns out to be a treat too.....!!!

They tap the eel over the snow mushroom so it picks up the eel aroma and the flavor gets richer, but the mushroom's texture is great on its own too.

How did the eel at Cheonsangae Jangeoga taste?

And the grand finale, the eel: one bite and an honest exclamation popped out, it was that good lol. Seriously!!

The skin is properly cooked and the flesh is chewy, so it's good on its own and with the sauces served alongside. Dipping it in the special sauce with cultured wild ginseng root is not only tasty but even more of a stamina boost! (They say the cultured ginseng root is supplied to 5-star hotels.)

The nurungji fills you up even more~ and with the Tongyeong salted oysters I could honestly eat several bowls of just that lol

Grilled potatoes from under the grill to finish

When the eel is finished, they remove the grill plate and bring out the grilled potato hidden underneath. A carb finish made it a truly filling meal.

Is Cheonsangae Jangeoga in Myeonmok worth a Saturday lunch?

Cheonsangae Jangeoga Myeonmok Sagajeong Branch offers guaranteed flavor from fresh, honest ingredients and cooking methods, in a comfortable, upscale setting, so I had a really good meal. If you're looking for an eel restaurant in Jungnang, lunch in Myeonmok, or healthy stamina food, do visit! Recommended.