Cheongju grilled eel with charcoal service: Samhwa Susan

Where is Samhwa Susan, and is parking available?

I visited Samhwa Susan (삼화수산), an eel restaurant in Nami-myeon, Seowon-gu, Cheongju. The address is 269 Daerim-ro, Nami-myeon, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do. The original post lists its hours as 11:00–21:00, with regular closures every Monday.

It did not feel far to drive from central Cheongju. There was a parking lot in front, and the restaurant was already full even on the weekday I visited.

How much is 1 kg of eel, and what are the extra fees?

We ordered 1 kg of Pungcheon eel for ₩50,000. The eel price felt reasonable, but there was a separate ₩4,000 table-setting fee per person.

The restaurant stated that it uses only freshwater eel that meets hazard-management standards.

What is it like for a family meal or dining with children?

The interior had a comfortable atmosphere for a meal. I thought it would suit family outings where several people share eel, as well as group gatherings and company dinners.

High chairs were available too.

The restaurant also said it sells eel extract.

What comes with the self-service bar and table setting?

Alcoholic drinks and beverages were self-service. At the self-service bar, I could take the basic side dishes according to my preference.

There was self-service ramyeon too. I thought it would be useful when you want a hot broth after having drinks.

After ordering, the basic side dishes were neatly set out.

The clam soup that came with the meal also paired well as an accompaniment to soju.

Do staff grill the eel for you?

The eel that arrived looked thick and fresh. After adding charcoal, a staff member grilled it directly and checked how it was cooking from time to time. We could wait and talk without having to keep turning it ourselves.

The eel gradually turned golden over the charcoal.

The staff member cut the eel into bite-size pieces, making it easier to eat.

Because they grilled it until it was cooked through, I thought it would be easy to eat even if you are not used to grilling eel.

How did the eel taste, and how did I eat it?

I tried a piece of the well-cooked eel.

The flesh was plump and tender.

I liked the eel's distinctive nutty flavor, and the golden-browned parts tasted even nuttier.

I ate it wrapped in leafy greens or dipped in the house sauce. It was nice to place eel on the included sushi and eat it like eel sushi. It also paired well with wasabi, ginger, pickled perilla leaves, and aged kimchi.

What stayed with me from this meal was the tender eel flesh and the staff grilling service. Even taking the separate table-setting fee into account, the eel price felt reasonable, and the included sushi and various side dishes gave me several ways to enjoy it.