Mapo seafood restaurant with autumn gizzard shad: Jaecheoldameun

I’d been craving sashimi so badly lately, so I went to Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada (제철담은 마포바다)! True to its name, it’s a place where you can enjoy a wide variety of seasonal seafood, so I think seafood lovers would be happy from the moment they look at the menu, haha. I like having lots of different kinds of seafood rather than just sashimi, so I really love seafood restaurants with this kind of selection.

A convenient spot right by Daeheung Station

Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada is located at 104 Baekbeom-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It is right in front of Exit 3 of Daeheung Station on Line 6, which made it really convenient to visit by public transit.

Inside is a neat seafood restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. Rather than being flashy and hectic, it felt like a comfortable place to sit down and have a meal! There are long tables too, so it looked suitable for family gatherings or group visits.

A wide variety of seasonal seafood

Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada has so many dishes that seafood lovers will be glad to see, from seafood in season to raw shrimp, raw gizzard shad, grilled gizzard shad, and assorted sashimi. Seasonal food is always best when you eat it at exactly the right time, isn’t it? I loved that I could enjoy the seafood that is at its tastiest at that particular moment.

There are set menus too, making it a good setup for a group to visit and order a variety of things.

Raw and grilled gizzard shad for autumn

When autumn comes around, you simply can’t leave out gizzard shad. The raw gizzard shad came thinly sliced, and its nutty flavor really came through the more I chewed. I could see why people seek it out every autumn. It can be hard to eat if it is too fishy, but this was so fresh that I could fully enjoy gizzard shad’s signature nuttiness without any fishiness. It was delicious with a little chojang (sweet-tangy red chili dipping sauce), and delicious on its own too.

And the grilled gizzard shad was just as tasty as the sashimi! It looked perfect from the start, all beautifully golden brown. The outside was nicely crisp, while the flesh inside was moist and tender, so it was truly delicious eaten warm. The lightly salty, nutty flavor of the fish really came alive in my mouth.

Having raw and grilled gizzard shad together made me realize that even though they were the same fish, they had completely different charms. I was so glad I tried both.

Bouncy, fresh raw shrimp

And then there was raw shrimp, which I love! These days, I’m a cool grown-up who can order a serving of raw shrimp just for myself… haha. The shrimp arrived already peeled and prepared, so I could eat them easily without the fuss of peeling them.

With one bite, you immediately get that bouncy texture, followed by a subtly sweet flavor as you chew. Freshness is especially important with raw shrimp, so even a small difference in condition affects the taste. These had such a lovely springy texture, and I enjoyed them a lot.

After you finish the shrimp bodies, they gather up the heads and make them into butter-grilled shrimp heads! Such a special treat… I had shrimp once as raw shrimp and then again as butter-grilled heads, so it felt as though I got two dishes from one shrimp. The richly shrimp-flavored, buttery grilled heads were crisp, so I could enjoy every last bit.

Filling side dishes, not just seafood

It is not only the seafood that is done well here; there are also plenty of side dishes that go nicely with it. From kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) to chilled boiled pork, tofu kimchi, and steamed egg, there were dishes that were great to have whenever I wanted something warm while eating sashimi.

When you keep eating seafood, sometimes you start craving something warm and filling. Having dishes like these alongside it made the meal feel much more substantial.

For anyone who loves seasonal seafood

Overall, Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada felt less like somewhere you go just to eat one type of sashimi and more like a place to enjoy a variety of seafood that is at its best in season. The raw gizzard shad was nutty, the grilled gizzard shad was warm and clean-tasting, and the raw shrimp was bouncy and sweet. Being able to have the shrimp heads butter-grilled too gave every dish its own distinct appeal.

Best of all, being right outside Exit 3 of Daeheung Station is a major advantage! If you are looking for a seafood restaurant near Daeheung Station, or want a generous meal of seasonal sashimi and fresh seafood in Mapo, I recommend Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada 🤍 In autumn especially, I recommend trying the raw gizzard shad + grilled gizzard shad combination along with raw shrimp! Seasonal food tastes best in season, after all 🤩