Siheung ocean-view sashimi restaurant: abalone mulhoe at Crab Yasijang

On a particularly sunny weekend, with clear blue skies and a cool breeze blowing, staying home felt like a waste, so I headed out to Oido's coast to shake off the daily fatigue. Driving along the wide-open coastline, I arrived at a place that's been getting buzz lately as a Geobukseom hotspot: Crab Yasijang Multinational Course Sushi Geobukseom Main Branch.

Parking at Geobukseom and finding Crab Yasijang

Crab Yasijang Oido Geobukseom Main Branch is inside a building at 116 Geobukseom-ro in Siheung, so you just park and take the elevator up. As soon as we reached Geobukseom, the area was pretty packed with outing traffic. The building already showed a 'full' sign, but luckily there was a good spot, so we parked right away and took the elevator up to the restaurant.

How good is the ocean view from the sliding glass wall?

One entire wall of Crab Yasijang's Geobukseom main branch is finished with an open, full-width sliding glass door. The moment we walked in, we couldn't help but gasp.

With one whole wall made of open sliding glass doors, the blue sea view pours into your field of vision. The weather was great and there's no building blocking the view in front, just the sea right there — it's a feast for the eyes just to sit and look.

The ceiling has a stylish grid truss with warm bulb-toned pendant lights hanging like little stars, giving off an exotic vibe as if you'd stepped into a fancy beachside night market abroad.

Bamboo details, rattan and palm tree props on the walls add even more resort mood. The blue sky and sea during the daytime are already lovely, but I can imagine it would be even more romantic in the evening once the lights are on, or at sunset when the sky turns red.

Ordering on the tablet: what we chose at Crab Yasijang

As soon as we sat down, a staff member gave us a brief rundown of the menu, and after looking it over carefully, we finished ordering comfortably using the tablet set up at the table.

Today's picks were the Jumunjin Live Abalone Mulhoe Special and the Omakase Aged Sashimi. Shortly after, our order arrived.

What the Jumunjin live abalone mulhoe special tastes like

Neatly arranged in a wide bowl, the Jumunjin Live Abalone Mulhoe Special showed off its colorful look with fresh live abalone, sea squirt, seasonal raw fish, thin wheat noodles (somyeon), and crunchy vegetables.

The moment I picked up a piece of abalone with chopsticks and popped it in my mouth, that distinctive crunchy texture and faint ocean fragrance of live abalone filled my mouth. The tangy-sweet broth with floating shards of ice instantly revived my appetite.

Mixing the crunchy cabbage, cucumber and seaweed flakes into the soft noodles and topping it with a piece of raw fish gave a perfect balance of chewiness and refreshing coolness. The spiciness wasn't heavy or lingering — about as clean and crisp as Shin Ramyun spice level — so I could finish every last sip of broth without getting tired of it.

Omakase aged sashimi: what comes on the plate and how thick

Next up, the omakase aged sashimi was overwhelming with its glossy sheen and thick-cut pieces. Salmon, tuna, flounder, sea bream and more were balanced nicely, making it a joy to pick and choose.

Dipping the well-aged flounder lightly in soy sauce and popping it in, a chewy bite gave way to a deep, mellow umami. The lightly seared sashimi with a hint of smoky char had a savory fattiness that came out more the more you chewed it, melting away in the mouth.

It was also fun to make our own instant sushi by piling thick pieces of aged raw fish onto the rice served alongside, with a bit of wasabi on top. Because the fish was cut so thick, the chewy texture stood out while still melting softly, and I could really compare the depth of flavor across the different types of aged fish on one plate — very satisfying.

Who is Crab Yasijang best for?

This place, where you can enjoy neatly prepared, high-quality dishes while gazing at an open ocean view, is a perfect spot for couples on a date, for taking your parents out, or for a gathering with close friends. Next time, I plan to visit around sunset and enjoy a relaxed meal under the exotic beach-night-market lighting as the sky turns red.