Homaesil-dong, Suwon eel restaurant: salt-grilled dinner, 99Jangeo88

Affordable grilled eel

Why go back to 99Jangeo88 Suwon Homaesil Branch?

I really, really love eel rice bowls. I have fond memories of stopping by 99Jangeo88, a Suwon Homaesil eel spot, for a delicious eel rice bowl at lunch once when I had a meeting near Sungkyunkwan University. The name is a little goofy, almost funny, so it's super easy to remember — and after a long while, I came to visit my aunt who lives in Homaesil, Suwon, and we ended up going for a full platter of grilled eel at dinner.

I'd told her back then that I'd take her next time I came to visit, and I finally kept that promise. The place is right next to the Homaesil Switzen apartments, and you can park in the same building.

This is clearly a neighborhood regular's bar-and-restaurant — plenty of local residents even in the evening. I'd guess it's the affordable prices, and honestly, even to me, 99Jangeo88, a Suwon Homaesil eel spot, felt pretty cheap. On top of that, the owner takes care of every little detail — exactly the style that makes for a good local haunt.

The menu at 99Jangeo88: fried shrimp to fish porridge, one platter feeds two

Here's the menu at 99Jangeo88. It ranges from fried shrimp all the way to fish porridge — quite a variety. That's probably why nearby regulars looking for a drink make this their go-to spot~ I noticed quite a few noses already turning red here and there haha.

My aunt and I don't drink, so we ordered a platter more as a meal. One full platter of salt-grilled eel is plenty for two people to share. Which is exactly why the price is so reasonable.

Pre-grilled salt eel at 99Jangeo88: no wait, no smoky smell on your clothes

The salt-grilled eel comes out already pre-grilled. You can dip it in salt or in the eel sauce, whichever you like. Grilled eel usually tastes great but takes so long to cook that waiting around can get irritating — but at 99Jangeo88, the owner pre-grills it over high heat, which makes things really convenient. And the smell doesn't cling to your clothes either.

The free doenjang jjigae that comes with the eel platter

A rich soybean paste stew comes free~ This was really clean and nice. There doesn't seem to be much in it, but the flavor is surprisingly deep and good. With soybean paste stew, the cook's hand really is like 80% of the result... I already knew the owner had a good touch, but even the stew turned out delicious~~~~

Now it's all grilled. I told my aunt to go ahead and eat first, then tried a piece myself dipped in salt~ Hmm... it's lean, with the oiliness stripped right out, so it's easy to eat.

Gardenia rice at 99Jangeo88: two bowls with the meal

The rice came as this yellow-tinted gardenia rice too. I ended up eating two whole bowls. Sharing a meal with my aunt after so long brought back childhood memories — it was nice.

Salt-dipped eel in a lettuce wrap: why 99Jangeo88 suits older family members

The best combination is dipping the eel lightly in salt and then wrapping it in lettuce — I really love this. It suits eel even better than it suits pork belly, I think. Lean, greaseless, well-grilled salt eel plus the freshness of the vegetables — that's health right there. Since it's not greasy at all, it's great for elderly family members to eat.

My aunt preferred dipping the eel in the original sweet sauce that comes with it. I find that a bit too sweet for my taste, but she says she likes sweet, and that it keeps the eel from tasting earthy when you eat it that way... So particular haha~~~~ I tried it her way too, and yeah, it was a bit sweet for me haha haha.

Just eating the plain salt-grilled eel with a bit of shredded ginger on top was lean and satisfying. When eating grilled eel, you really, really crave a drink, but since it was such a long trip back, I held off on drinking, and it was a bit of a struggle. So I ended up eating two bowls of rice instead, for no good reason.

So, what do you think? If you're craving grilled eel on a budget, 99Jangeo88, a Suwon Homaesil eel spot, with the friendly owner's attentive service, could make for a nice, pleasant meal or drinking spot.

99Jangeo88