Pyeongchon tuna restaurant with a dry ice sashimi set: Chamchiya

I was looking for a place near Pyeongchon Station where I could enjoy good tuna sashimi and a mixed sashimi platter, and that's how I ended up at Chamchiya (참치야).

This time three of us went together, and we ordered the mixed sashimi set and two Coke Zeros.

To get straight to the point: the freshness, the selection and the service all made this a satisfying meal. I especially loved trying so many different tuna cuts, and the thickly sliced salmon and chewy white fish were really good too. My friend, who doesn't know tuna sashimi well, tried it and said we should come back for tuna again. Hahaha.

What kind of place is Chamchiya?

Chamchiya is a tuna specialty restaurant near Pyeongchon Station where you can enjoy not just tuna sashimi but also aged sashimi, salmon sashimi and house-made dishes. Three of us went, so we chose the mixed sashimi set, which lets you taste a little of many kinds of sashimi.

How does the mixed sashimi set come out?

The mixed sashimi set arrived with a dry ice presentation, and the moment the platter appeared was the first thing I remembered about the tuna here.

The sashimi came out with dry ice on top, and it looked really impressive. It felt different from just getting sashimi on a plate. They say food that looks good tastes good, right? I felt properly welcomed from the start, and it raised my expectations for the meal.

The platter itself was pretty generous too. There were several tuna cuts plus salmon and white fish, so there was the fun of picking what you like. Chatting among the three of us about which cut was best was fun as well.

How do the tuna cuts taste different?

What I liked most about the mixed sashimi set was being able to compare several cuts of tuna.

Even with tuna, the color, texture and richness change depending on the cut, right? In this platter, each cut clearly had its own charm. I think that difference is exactly why tuna sashimi is so fun.

If you eat a lighter cut first and then a richer one, you can feel the flavor change. All the tuna this time was delicious, so it was hard to pick just one. The cuts that melted softly were great, and the ones with a chewy texture each had their own appeal. Above all, the sashimi was in good condition, so I could fully enjoy the real taste of tuna.

How were the salmon and white fish in the set?

The tuna was good, but what stood out most in the set was the thickly sliced salmon.

The salmon was cut really thick. Unlike thin slices, it filled my mouth in a satisfying way. The texture was soft and the rich, nutty salmon flavor came through, so I really enjoyed it. If you like salmon, I think you'll be happy with this part too. And the white fish served alongside was better than I expected.

The flounder and sea bream had a lovely chewy, springy texture. After rich tuna, a piece of clean-tasting white fish felt like it reset my palate. Since the set brings many kinds of sashimi, the meal felt fuller than eating just one kind.

Why was the fresh wasabi so good?

Surprisingly, the fresh wasabi is one of the things I remember most from the meal at Chamchiya.

I usually think of wasabi at a sashimi restaurant as just a side, but at Chamchiya the wasabi itself was delicious. When I ate it, there was a subtle sweetness first, followed by a spicy kick. It felt a little different from the powdered or store-bought wasabi I'm used to. Personally, I thought it went really well with the tuna. It didn't hide the tuna's rich flavor and made the taste feel cleaner.

They also gave plenty of seaweed, so it was nice to put a little wasabi on the tuna and wrap it in the seaweed. Eating it that way tasted different again.

Do they serve free fried fish and futomaki too?

When I visited, in the middle of the mixed sashimi set they brought out fried fish with sweet and sour sauce and a futomaki-style roll as a free service. The set alone was satisfying enough, so the extra dishes were a nice bonus.

Having other dishes between bites of sashimi made the meal feel much more varied.

Eating only sashimi can get a little monotonous, so I liked that dishes like these came along with it.

The basic side dishes were good too, so the three of us shared a bit of everything and had a fun meal. It felt less like eating a single plate of tuna and more like a full set meal where you enjoy several dishes in turn.

The service dishes may change depending on when you visit and how the restaurant is running, so please take this as my experience on the day I went.

Can you eat tuna sashimi alone near Pyeongchon Station?

Chamchiya has seats for dining alone, divided into individual spaces like a study room. That was another thing that stood out.

When you think of a tuna restaurant, you usually picture groups eating together. So I was surprised there were seats where you can sit alone. It seemed like a good option for anyone who wants to quietly enjoy tuna sashimi by themselves. I thought that next time I want tuna on my own, having seats like these would make it less awkward. That said, if you're going alone, it's best to check ahead which menus and seats are available.

How was the owner's service at Chamchiya?

The owner was really kind, so I felt good throughout the meal. Food matters, but service has a big effect on how satisfied you feel overall at a restaurant.

The food came out well and they even gave us service dishes along the way, so I felt well looked after.

My friend was happy too. She doesn't really know tuna sashimi, but after trying the different cuts herself, she said we should go for tuna again. The fact that someone who doesn't usually eat tuna enjoyed it made this meal even more memorable.

Why I'd go back to Chamchiya near Pyeongchon Station

Overall, I was satisfied with the mixed sashimi set I had at Chamchiya near Pyeongchon Station.

From the impressive platter with dry ice to the flavor and texture of the different tuna cuts, the thick salmon and the chewy white fish, the sashimi itself was very satisfying. The fresh wasabi especially went well with the tuna, and the generous seaweed let us eat it in different ways.

On top of that came service dishes like the fried fish and futomaki-style roll, plus nicely laid-out side dishes, and the three of us had a great meal. Above all, the owner was kind, which made it a pleasant memory. If you want tuna and aged sashimi together near Pyeongchon Station, I'd recommend Chamchiya. It also has seats good for dining alone, so it's worth a look if you enjoy eating solo. Next time I crave tuna, I'd like to go back. :)