Icheon braised pollock restaurant with no wait at 11am: Seonghone

The place I want to introduce this time is Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang in Icheon! I'd been wanting to eat something good with my dad again after a while, and while searching I found out there's a famous kodari (dried pollock) spot in Icheon-! It's a place where you can enjoy a perfect combo of spicy dongtaetang (pollock stew) and generous portions of kodari.

Icheon has hidden gems tucked away everywhere, and I thought Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang was pretty out-of-the-way too, but customers just find their way there. It really is a well-known spot.

Where Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang is and when it opens

Icheon Hoguk Cemetery-area restaurant — Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang

• Address: 4 Seolga-ro, Seolseong-myeon, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
• Hours: 11am - 9pm
• Break time 3pm - 5pm
• Last order 8:30pm
• Group seating, reservations, separate restrooms, wifi, takeout, free parking available
• Closed Sept 25 for Chuseok, closed Mondays

They only close on the day of Chuseok itself, so keep that in mind-! It'd also be great for a family gathering. We went right when it opened and there were already quite a few customers gathered. It really is a spot with a big reputation in Icheon.

There was plenty of parking out front. I'd recommend coming by car-! Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang is located in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, and apparently newly opened in November 2019!

It's made with well-being meals prepared with a mother's touch. Not an artificial flavor at all — this is a place where genuinely healthy umami lingers thickly. You can taste kodari braise made carefully with pure, clean ingredients.

Ordering the flower octopus kodari braise, medium size

The menu was really diverse too. After a lot of deliberating, I ordered the medium-size flower octopus kodari braise! A combination of octopus and kodari braise — isn't that just perfect?

The luxury car of the fish world, hahaha. I used to not know braised fish could be this good, but lately it really is-! The chewy kodari with the umami of the sauce is perfect. The kind of flavor that makes you want to mix it right into your rice.

Arrive at 11am opening to avoid the lunch wait

The interior was so cozy! There were plenty of tables so seating wasn't an issue, but by lunchtime a wait had formed. If you don't want to wait, coming right at opening means you can eat right away! The owner is also super energetic and kind haha.

It seems to be famous enough to have appeared on TV a lot. Even before the food arrived I was already looking forward to it~

Older folks seem to enjoy it a lot as a drinking snack too. Spicy-hot kodari braise with a shot of soju — that's just perfect, isn't it? Also great to bring your parents to.

Pollock is rich in protein, calcium, omega-3s, fat, and even vitamin A~~ At this point isn't it basically an all-purpose health food? The older I get the more I should enjoy fish dishes regularly : )

The siraegi (dried radish greens) kodari braise looked good too. They seem to also sell a kodari set meal.

What side dishes come with the meal

The side dishes were also neat and tidy, like coming to grandma's house. I especially loved this salad. Plus seaweed that's great for wrapping with the kodari haha. The spicy fish cake was really tasty too. Even the side dishes were perfect.

They even bring out bean sprouts to mix in with the kodari braise! You just toss them together and eat.

Dongtaetang, the pollock stew with minari

The dongtaetang (pollock stew) came out first. It was super refreshing and spicy-clean. Loaded with minari (water dropwort), it was fragrant and clean with no fishy smell at all.

The ingredients were incredibly generous too. The broth was so clean I kept spooning it up. My dad loves dongtaetang and ate it happily, which made me proud.

Loaded with seafood too. I get why Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang is so popular. The portion really, really is generous! The three of us ate until we were stuffed.

As it kept boiling, the broth got thicker and spicier, pairing perfectly with the kodari braise. The roe and milt were plump and delicious.

Cheese steamed egg on the side

They also brought out a cheese steamed egg. It looked like it was about to burst off the plate. Plump and generous~ With cheese mixed in, it was salty in a way that hooked your appetite.

The flower octopus kodari braise arrives at the table

While we were eating the dongtaetang and steamed egg, the flower octopus kodari braise showed up! The visual alone was the finishing touch. It was gorgeous just to look at.

A big, thick flower octopus sat right on top. It really did look like it was blooming like a flower — so pretty and vivid. My jaw dropped the moment I saw it. Is that why it's called 'flower octopus,' because it's as pretty as a flower? Haha.

There was plenty of kodari too, plus a really big flower octopus. The spicy, clean sauce was perfect. The octopus wasn't tough at all — chewy and springy.

You cut the octopus into bite-size pieces! Put octopus plus kodari on seaweed and wrap it into one bite, and it just melts in your mouth~ It had been a while since I'd had chewy octopus like this, and it was so, so good. The portion was so huge that just the octopus alone was filling.

Can you tell how big the octopus is? Even in the photo it looks like it's bursting out — no filters, this is the real thing haha. Lots of regulars come here too. Dongtaetang, kodari braise, octopus, steamed egg~~~ a perfect lineup and combination.

Octopus that keeps coming no matter how much you cut it hahaha. Can you get a sense of just how big it is? My dad said he was full enough to skip dinner too, hahaha. Sweet and spicy sauce we never got tired of, so we kept eating it for a long while.

Good for a family dinner or eating solo

The spicy dongtaetang and the braise turned out to be a surprisingly good combo haha. It's so filling for one meal you can eat until you're stuffed. Since a lot of families come here, it's great to visit with relatives and friends too! I looked it up and solo dining is possible as well~

Next time I'd love to try the abalone kodari braise too! The octopus kodari was really perfect.

The sauce has a pleasant kind of spicy heat that feels good, not overwhelming. Even the presentation was neat and the portions generous, so we ate it happily.

The sauce soaks deeply into the kodari braise, so it's delicious even on its own. But with this sauce and this kodari, rice felt like a must, so we ordered rice separately too.

I'd really recommend trying the signature flower octopus kodari braise at least once! Even the side dishes were perfect haha.

I wrapped it up neatly in seaweed like this~ The kodari is so tender and has a nice chewy texture. Kodari braise is love,,

Mixed some into the sauce, piled kodari on top, ate the chewy octopus to my heart's content, and finished it off cleanly with the dongtaetang. It had been a while since I went out to eat with my dad and sister, and we ate so, so well! If you're visiting Icheon, I'd really recommend stopping by this restaurant near Icheon Hoguk Cemetery — Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang!