Beomgye Japanese set course for Mom, fried cuttlefish: Namhae Mulgogi

Last Thursday I left work early and took my mom to Namhae Mulgogi Anyang (남해물고기 안양평촌점), a Japanese course restaurant in Anyang. I'd been wanting to treat her to a really good meal, picked this place after a lot of thought, and it turned out even better than I expected. Great value and great quality, so let me tell you all about it!

What is the atmosphere like at Namhae Mulgogi Anyang?

Namhae Mulgogi Anyang is on the 4th floor of a building in the middle of the Beomgye Station area, and the moment we stepped up, it had the calm feel of an upscale Japanese restaurant. Even on a weekday evening, every table was already taken by reservations, so you can really feel how popular it is. Inside, neatly set tables and cozy lighting made me feel relaxed right away.

My companion had arrived earlier and greeted us happily, so we sat down in a great mood. Overall the place feels upscale yet comfortable to eat in.

Namhae Mulgogi near Beomgye Station: location, parking and reservations

Namhae Mulgogi Anyang is in Room 404 on the 4th floor of the Jungang Plaza building (KT and Ora Piercing are on the 1st floor), about a 100m walk from Beomgye Station Exit 2 toward the fountain. They give you a 2-hour free parking ticket, and reservations are a must. Here's what's good to know before you go!

• Location: About 100m from Beomgye Station Exit 2 toward the fountain, 4th floor, Room 404 of the Jungang Plaza building with KT and Ora Piercing on the 1st floor. It's really close to the station, so it's easy to reach by public transport.
• Parking: Use the mechanical underground lot of the Paik's Coffee building behind the building, across from KB Kookmin Bank. The restaurant gives you a 2-hour free parking ticket, so parking was easy. However, large SUVs, EVs and vehicles over 2 tons can't get in, and if the lot is full you'll need a nearby paid lot. After the free time, it's ₩1,000 per hour.
• Reservations: It's so popular that the tables fill up fast, so reservations are a must. I booked ahead through Naver. The 6, 7 and 8 p.m. slots may take about 5 minutes for table turnover, so it's best to stick to your reservation time.
• Restrooms: Separate men's and women's restrooms inside the restaurant, convenient and clean for before or after your meal.

How much is the Namhae Mulgogi set course?

Namhae Mulgogi's signature set course is ₩42,000 per person, and they take one order per person from elementary-school age. The menu shows how stubborn they are about quality: experts with over 25 years of experience pick thick, large live fish of 3–15kg and fresh vegetables at the source every morning. I was impressed that, to keep costs down, they don't use frozen or processed goods and cook only handmade, fresh ingredients.

We ordered the set course (₩42,000 per person) too. Compared with other Japanese course restaurants, the price for the quality felt really reasonable, great value. Once we'd ordered, I started getting excited about all the dishes to come.

In what order does the set course come out?

Porridge to open the course

The set course begins with warm porridge. Honestly, my stomach hurt a bit before the visit and I was worried about whether I could eat well, but thanks to this soft, mild porridge first, my stomach settled and the pain gently eased, amazingly. It was a perfect start to soothe an empty stomach.

Aged sashimi from large live fish and a cuttlefish platter

Next, the main assorted sashimi arrived, showing off a gorgeous presentation. I couldn't not take a photo of the whole table spread out.

The sashimi came with big, thick slices of aged large live fish alongside milky-white cuttlefish and more, a really varied and generous selection.

Namhae Mulgogi's own aging method completely removes any fishy taste, so the deep savory flavor of the fish itself came right through on the tongue.

By the way, pickled scallions (rakkyo) and chojang (sweet-spicy chili vinegar sauce) aren't part of the basic setup, but the staff kindly bring them separately if you ask.

Futomaki, two pieces of sushi and mulhoe

What made the course feel really generous is that, in the middle of enjoying the sashimi, you get a big futomaki (thick sushi roll) and two pieces of melt-in-your-mouth sushi,

and then a sweet, sour and refreshing mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) too, with no skimping. I loved how the crunchy vegetables and chewy sashimi in the mulhoe filled my mouth.

Fried cuttlefish instead of shrimp tempura

Around when we were finishing the sashimi, a fried dish arrived with a savory aroma, and it wasn't ordinary shrimp tempura but fried cuttlefish! The coating stayed crisp, and inside the cuttlefish kept its springy, chewy texture, so it was fun to chew.

Grilled herring with a squeeze of lemon

Then came a golden-brown grilled fish, mild grilled herring! I squeezed sour lemon juice evenly over it before eating, and the flavor really came alive. The herring head had been neatly cut off, which looked nice and made it really easy to pick out the bones.

A vongole-style clam dish, rare at a Japanese restaurant

Next came an unusual dish you rarely see at a Japanese restaurant, a clam dish just like the vongole pasta you'd find at an Italian restaurant. The clean, deep broth from fresh clams and the chewy noodles cut through any richness, so it felt fresh and really appealing.

Finishing with spicy maeuntang and rice

The set course ends with a hot, refreshing maeuntang (spicy fish stew). When I took a spoonful of the broth bubbling in its earthenware pot and giving off a deep, rich aroma, the spicy yet clean taste was superb.

The maeuntang is generously filled with fragrant mushrooms, tender fish and more, and it wasn't fishy at all, much tastier than I expected, which amazed me. You can add steamed rice or noodles to the maeuntang to taste, and I wanted a hearty finish, so yes, I added rice! The richly simmered broth was impressively clean and refreshing.

The broth really soothed my stomach, so I enjoyed it down to the last drop, and my companion finished a full, satisfying meal too.

Is Namhae Mulgogi good for taking your parents?

Visiting Namhae Mulgogi Anyang with Mom after leaving work early left a deep impression: from the taste to the service, we felt treated like guests, and it's a great Anyang restaurant. Even the clean, refreshing maeuntang finish was perfect, so I'm 200% going back. If you want a high-quality Japanese sashimi course at a reasonable price with someone special near Beomgye Station, be sure to reserve on Naver first!

One more thing: Namhae Mulgogi Anyang doesn't accept Apple Pay, so make sure you check your payment method before you go!