Ansan sashimi restaurant for families: Eochongye 1beonji

Over the weekend, we took the kids out to Bandalseom for some fresh air. The weather was so nice that it felt like a shame to stay home, and the Sihwa Lake route from Bandalseom to Geobukseom is actually prettier than you might expect on a nice day. It feels wide open like the sea and is great for a walk, so it is a nice place for an easy outing with kids. We decided to have sashimi nearby for lunch, and the place we visited was Eochongye 1beonji.

Why it was easy to visit with kids

Honestly, going to a sashimi restaurant with kids is not always easy. My older child does not really like sashimi, while my younger one absolutely loves salmon sashimi. So when we eat out as a family, I tend to look for places where we can order other food as well, rather than somewhere with just one kind of menu. I liked that this place had a wide range of choices, from lunch items and children’s pork cutlet to fried dishes.

Follow the navigation and you will see a Mom’s Touch. It is in that very building. The underground parking lot is supported for two hours; enter the alley where you can see Paris Baguette.

A neat dining room with seats by the fish tank

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was how clean it was.

Perhaps because it has not been open long, the whole place felt clean and organized. It had the atmosphere of a typical sashimi restaurant, but the way the food was served felt a little more upscale, like a Japanese restaurant.

We sat where we could see the fish tank because one of the kids wanted to look at the fish. As it happened, they were stocking the tank with fish and shrimp while we were sitting there, and the kids watched for ages. While waiting for our meal, they looked at the fish and searched for shrimp, and we had more fun with it than expected.

The sashimi, sushi, and children’s menu we ordered

There were so many choices, from assorted sashimi sets to soups, grilled dishes, seafood, and sides. The lunch menu did not seem to show up even on the Naver main page, so I took a photo.

• Mini seasonal assorted sashimi ₩35,000
• 12-piece salmon sushi ₩20,000
• Children’s pork cutlet lunch ₩7,000

They set out seaweed soup and basic side dishes to start.

The seaweed soup, simply simmered with seaweed, was really delicious. The side dishes were pleasantly seasoned too, making them good appetizers. There were also silkworm pupae, makjang (fermented soybean paste dip), shiitake wasabi, garlic, and ssam vegetables for wrapping. I got a little protein from silkworm pupae for the first time in ages, haha. And the shiitake wasabi was truly a special treat. It was unusual and very tasty on its own or with sashimi.

There was onion salad, pickled scallions, and ginger too. Putting that onion salad on the salmon sushi made for another new flavor—so good!!

A neat mini assorted sashimi platter

The seasonal assorted sashimi came first. Even though it was the mini size, I liked its upscale presentation. Rather than the style of sashimi restaurant where endless, abundant banchan (side dishes) keep coming out, it was closer to enjoying the sashimi you wanted in a neat way. It may feel different if you prefer a place with a huge amount of side dishes, but I think it is a good choice for people who want to focus on sashimi. If it were near my home, it would be perfect for a late-night drink with sashimi.

I especially liked that the assorted sashimi starts in a mini size. When you want sashimi but feel burdened ordering a large portion for two, you can enjoy the mini size lightly. The mini is fine for two visitors, but if you really love sashimi, I recommend ordering the small size.

Salmon sushi and pork cutlet my younger child loved

And the menu my younger child had looked forward to most that day was, of course, the salmon sushi. The salmon was piled on thick, so it looked appetizing, and it tasted delicious without any fishiness. Best of all, the wasabi was served separately, which made it easy for my child to eat.

“It is so different from what we had yesterday. This is tastier.”

We had actually bought sushi at a supermarket the day before, and my younger child said this after trying the salmon sushi. I guess even a child can taste the difference. 😂 I also thought it was such a good idea that the chojang (sweet vinegar chili sauce) and soy sauce dish was combined with the individual plate. It kept us from putting lots of dishes on the table, leaving more room, and the sauce wells were small, so there was less waste. We enjoyed the sashimi one piece at a time in different ways. Be sure to try it with the shiitake wasabi. And topping salmon with the onion salad gives it a completely different flavor from eating it plain, too!!

My older child does not eat much sashimi, so we ordered the children’s pork cutlet. The cutlet was a decent size, more than I had expected from what I thought of as a side menu. The coating did seem slightly over-fried, but my child ate it happily, and both kids were able to choose the dishes they wanted.

Personally, this is a restaurant I remember for its neat, upscale-feeling presentation and overall food service. I thought it was a good setup for a day when you want sashimi served neatly. It was also nice that the mini size lets you enjoy sashimi with less of a price burden.

A walk around Bandalseom after the meal

After our meal, we thought we would take a walk around Bandalseom Culture Park, and the weather was just unbelievably nice that day. It felt cool like autumn when we went out, but the sun was still hot. 😅 I thought that next time we should come a little later rather than in the middle of the day. Bandalseom Culture Park is also known for its sunset scenery, so if I come back, I would like to visit around sunset.

Having delicious sashimi, taking a slow walk around the area, and watching the sunset before heading home sounds like the perfect weekend outing.