Raw fish restaurant in Nam-gu, Busan: early-dinner shad and fast sides

I tried the first seasonal gizzard shad sashimi of the year at Sintongyeong (신통영), a seafood and sashimi restaurant that's a favorite near Pukyong National University in Busan~ With autumn here, the shad is just filling out, and the slices were nice and plump. The sides come out in full force too, so it's a great place for a group meal where everyone leaves stuffed.

What kind of sashimi restaurant is Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch near Pukyong University?

Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch is a raw fish and seafood restaurant near Pukyong National University, and you can watch the seasonal fish swimming around in the tanks. When the weather starts to cool down, certain foods come to mind naturally. And the signature delicacy of autumn is, of course, gizzard shad. This time I visited Sintongyeong near Pukyong University to have shad sashimi, perfect for the season.

A busy dining room even before 5 p.m. on a weekday

I got to Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch early on a weekday, before 5 p.m., and it was already packed with customers, as you'd expect from a hot spot. Lots of groups come for company dinners, and many are office workers and university staff from the Pukyong and Kyungsung area. It seats about 10 tables of four, and since it's in a busy district, it's very easy to get to.

🐟 Sintongyeong near Pukyong University. I went while looking for a good place to eat sashimi near the university. Out of all the kinds of raw fish, I ordered the shad that people seek out so much in autumn. Shad is famous for its rich, nutty flavor, and it's something you want to try at least once when fall rolls around. So I decided to have it as the seasonal fish.

How many people does the small gizzard shad sashimi serve?

The small (so-ja) gizzard shad sashimi at Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch is a very generous amount for two people. Today I ordered the small size. The assorted live fish platter is popular too, and I'm planning to try that next time.

For meals there are hoedeopbap (sashimi rice bowl), mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) and ramyeon, so choosing is half the fun. The seasonal menu has webfoot octopus, cuttlefish, shad, raw shrimp, big amberjack, steamed oysters and more, so there's plenty to pick from haha.

What side dishes (skidashi) come out at Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch?

The basic side dishes at Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch include japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), soft tofu, white kimchi, quail eggs, sea snail, candied sweet potato, Shine Muscat grapes and more. I nibbled on these like appetizers while waiting for the main event, the shad sashimi.

Soon after, the mulhoe, corn cheese, grilled fish and plenty of perilla leaves and lettuce for wraps arrive. The sides come out really fast here, so tables turn over quickly and you can eat without any waiting around, which I loved.

Corn cheese is always the crowd favorite at a sashimi restaurant. It's loaded with cheese, and with the nutty sweet corn it's a sweet-and-salty hit that everyone from little kids to adults loves.

How did the autumn gizzard shad sashimi taste?

The shad sashimi at Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch tasted clean and mild at first, and the more I chewed, the more its signature nutty flavor came through. After a short wait, the sashimi I ordered arrived, and seeing it nicely prepared made me think, yep, autumn means shad. I picked up a slice and found a chewy texture with a subtly nutty taste. It's good on its own, but eaten with chojang (sweet chili vinegar sauce) or other accompaniments, it turned into a different flavor again.

The simplest way is to dip it lightly in chojang, which lets you taste the shad as it is. Being in season, the fish was plump, and the owner trimmed it neatly, so I could just happily munch away haha.

Shad as a perilla leaf wrap and sushi-style

Shad goes wonderfully with perilla leaves. Pile 2 or 3 slices on a leaf, add ssamjang (seasoned bean paste), garlic, chojang or whatever combination you like, and wrap it up. Lettuce is fine too, but I prefer the fragrant scent of perilla with sashimi or meat, so I wrap with it more often. Each part of the shad also tastes a bit different, so savoring them one by one is another way to enjoy the real flavor.

I had the shad sushi-style too, yum. Once you start on sashimi, your chopsticks keep going back for more. I ate a slice, then wraps and sides, and before I knew it the plate was slowly emptying. The nutty flavor of shad seemed like it would go well with drinks, and it's a good dish to share when you come with a group. Above all, since it's autumn shad, it felt like really tasting the season.

The jjijim and tempura at the end, plus my overall verdict

Partway through the meal, Sintongyeong Gyeongseongdae Branch also brought out jjijim (Korean pan-fried pancake) and sweet potato and squid tempura. Fried food straight from the fryer is juicy and piping hot, and it was pure bliss.

This time I tried the seasonal shad sashimi, and I loved enjoying that nutty, chewy taste that only shad has. If you're craving shad in autumn, a plate of good sashimi near Pukyong University with a drink on the side sounds great. Next time I want to try the other sashimi dishes too. If you're thinking of autumn shad sashimi near Pukyong University, have a plate at Sintongyeong! 🐟

• Address: 1F, 21 Suyeong-ro 334beon-gil, Nam-gu, Busan, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 2 p.m. to 1 a.m.