Raw fish platter with halibut, rockfish, sea bream: Dowon Susan

I was looking for somewhere to eat dinner in Cheonho and found Dowon Susan tucked down an alley. At first I thought it was just another neighborhood raw fish place, but by the time I walked out I was already thinking, "let's come back here."

I'm not usually a fan of rockfish, but the rockfish I had that day was so sweet and delicious that I kept reaching for more — that's what stuck with me most.

We got to try halibut, rockfish and sea bream all in one sitting, plus a solid lineup of sides that made it great for a soju night. Here's the story of this raw fish restaurant near Cheonho Station :)

Finding Dowon Susan down an alley near Cheonho Station

Dowon Susan sits a bit further back from the main road rather than right on it. So on the way there I was thinking "is this really it?" — but once inside, the space was bigger than I expected.

There were quite a few tables, and the whole place had that comfortable neighborhood-regular vibe for a casual drink. Less of a flashy, mood-lit hoe restaurant and more of a place for when you just want proper raw fish and a shot of soju.

What's on the menu at Dowon Susan

The menu had large halibut, rockfish, sea bream, and sea bass, plus you could order combos like halibut+rockfish, halibut+salmon, or rockfish+salmon.

There were also raw fish sets divided into small, medium and large depending on how many people you have, which looked good for group visits. We went back and forth and ended up ordering the mixed platter, small size — a combo of halibut, rockfish and sea bream all at once.

The halibut, rockfish, sea bream mixed raw fish platter

The platter came out more generous than I expected, so the visuals alone were satisfying. One plate, loaded with plenty of halibut, rockfish and sea bream, each in their own section.

Once photographed, it was the kind of plate that makes any raw fish lover immediately think of soju haha. The slices weren't cut paper-thin either — each piece had a real chewy texture when you picked it up.

Halibut: chewy and clean

First up, halibut dipped lightly in soy sauce with a bit of wasabi — clean-tasting and nicely chewy.

The texture of the fish itself was good enough that I preferred going with just soy sauce and wasabi rather than loading it up with ssamjang or garlic right away. After a few pieces I naturally thought, "I should order soju."

But the rockfish was the real winner

What surprised me most that day was the rockfish. I'm not usually the type to deliberately pick out rockfish at a hoe restaurant — if there's halibut, I go for that first. But after one bite of the rockfish here,

Is rockfish supposed to be this sweet?

I thought. There was this subtle sweetness that built up the more you chewed, combined with a chewy texture that made it genuinely delicious. So that day I actually kept picking out the rockfish instead haha.

Personally, the fact that it changed the mind of someone who doesn't usually like rockfish was the most impressive part.

Sea bream rounded it out

The sea bream was also clean and had a nice bite. A piece of halibut, then rockfish, then sea bream — having a few different kinds meant it never got repetitive the way eating just one type of fish can. I was glad we went with the mixed platter.

Especially with a little wasabi on a piece of fish, a quick dip in soy sauce, then a shot of soju — that combo is unbeatable haha.

A place that was even better because of the sides

Another thing I liked about Dowon Susan was the side dishes. It wasn't just the raw fish that was good — there was always something to eat on the table, so my chopsticks never had a chance to rest.

• Kimchi pancake
• Steamed egg
• Corn cheese
• Grilled fish

Kimchi pancake

The kimchi pancake came out bigger than I expected.

Golden and crispy, pulling off pieces from the edge one at a time — this alone could probably take down a whole bottle of soju haha. A piece of raw fish followed by a warm bite of kimchi pancake was a great combo.

Steamed egg & corn cheese

The steamed egg (gyeranjjim) came out too, perfect for when you want something warm in between bites of raw fish. Soft and easy to spoon up, and

the corn cheese next to it was savory and sweet enough that I kept going back for more. The sides didn't feel like they were just there for show — each one really pulled its weight as a drinking snack.

Grilled fish: down to the bones by the end

Grilled fish also came out, and at first I barely touched it since I was busy with the raw fish. But once I started, I kept picking off more meat, and

a bite of grilled fish between pieces of raw fish paired well with another round of soju.

A good spot near Cheonho for raw fish and soju

The drinks really flowed that day. A piece of halibut → soju, a piece of rockfish → soju, a bite of kimchi pancake → soju again haha.

The combo of raw fish plus warm sides meant we never got tired of eating all the way through. Above all, the fact that I — someone who doesn't usually like rockfish — kept picking it out all night is probably the best measure of how much I enjoyed this meal.

It's tucked down an alley so you could easily walk right past it without noticing, but once we went in and ate, it became the kind of place I'd want to return to next time I'm craving raw fish in Cheonho.

If you're looking for a raw fish restaurant near Cheonho Station and want to try a variety of halibut, rockfish and sea bream, or you're after a night of raw fish and soju with friends or a partner, Dowon Susan was pretty good :) Next time I'd like to try a different combo.