Sokcho raw fish and crab set C, mother-daughter meal: Palpal Hoesenta

A trip to Sokcho with my mom! Since we'd come all the way to Sokcho, I wanted both fresh raw fish and snow crab, so we headed to Palpal Hoesenta Sokcho Daepo Port Market Branch, a fish restaurant inside Daepo Port Fish Market. It's known for letting you eat raw fish and crab in one sitting, so I picked it for one of our meals on this trip with my mom :)

• 1. Location and Daepo Port Fish Market
• 2. Restaurant atmosphere & the Daepo Port view
• 3. Menu & the crab set
• 4. Banchan, raw fish, and crab review
• 5. Visit tips & final thoughts

Where is Palpal Hoesenta Sokcho Daepo Port Market Branch?

As the name suggests, Palpal Hoesenta Daepo Port Fish Market Branch sits right inside Daepo Port Fish Market. The address is 1st floor, Building S, 59 Daepohang Huimang-gil, Sokcho.

Outside, there's a big sign and a red awning that catch your eye even while driving by, so it wasn't hard to find.

Walking into the market, you pass rows of raw fish restaurants with tanks full of snow crab, king crab, and live fish.

In front of Palpal Hoesenta, too, there's a big yellow tank so you can see the fresh seafood for yourself.

Since we came for the crab set, we checked out the fresh snow crab in the tank, then headed inside.

Inside Palpal Hoesenta: sea views over Daepo Port

Inside, Palpal Hoesenta Sokcho Daepo Port Market Branch was bright, with the Daepo Port sea visible through the windows. I'd expected a somewhat chaotic vibe given it's a fish restaurant inside a market.

But the interior was brighter and cleaner than I expected.

There were wood-tone tables and pink benches, plus whale paintings and a small surfboard decoration. Best of all, the Sokcho Daepo Port sea stretched out through the windows.

Eating with my mom while looking out at the Sokcho Daepo Port sea felt more like a real trip than just having a meal.

Crab Set C: raw fish and snow crab in one course

What we picked at Palpal Hoesenta Sokcho Daepo Port Market Branch was Crab Set C. The menu had a variety of sets combining snow crab, king crab, and live fish sashimi.

Since we wanted both raw fish and crab, we went with Crab Set C.

From side dishes to raw fish, snow crab and spicy stew

The banchan alone from Crab Set C filled the whole table. Along with assorted raw fish, we got squid sashimi, abalone, Dokdo shrimp, mulhoe, clam soup, fried crab, corn cheese, and more.

Once the food started coming out, the table filled up with banchan in no time!

From the banchan to the seafood, everything was fresh overall, and we enjoyed it a lot.

The mulhoe that came with it had broth that was tangy and savory, and the raw fish inside was fresh too — it really got our appetite going.

What my mother liked most: the live-caught raw fish

What my mom liked best, of all things, was the raw fish (hoe). Even after finishing all the crab, she said the raw fish was more delicious, haha. Not that the crab lost — no way!

The raw fish was fresh, so it was chewy with a sweet flesh — genuinely delicious.

The snow crab finally arrives

And then, finally, the snow crab arrived!!! Look at that meat yield. It came out a bit later than expected the day we visited, but the second we saw the big chunky crab, the wait didn't matter at all.

Crab, I forgive you for being late because you're delicious lol. It had been a while since I'd had snow crab, so we practically inhaled it — it was pleasantly warm, not fishy or salty, just fresh and tasty.

Once you've eaten most of the crab meat, they stir-fry the crab tomalley (innards) with rice — and this is a real delicacy!

Piling the leftover crab meat on top — ah, even full, you can't skip this. It's salty and savory, the kind of flavor that keeps your spoon going.

We finished with spicy fish stew! The broth was genuinely refreshing and spicy-hot. It didn't taste like it was just fish bones — there seems to be a real recipe behind that broth. Why can't I ever get this flavor at home?

Tips for visiting Palpal Hoesenta and final verdict

The Crab Set at Palpal Hoesenta Sokcho Daepo Port Market Branch comes with so much to eat that the whole meal took longer than I expected. So if you want to eat without rushing, I'd recommend not packing your schedule too tight afterward.

If you're traveling in Sokcho and want fresh raw fish and snow crab together, or you're looking for a good restaurant near Sokcho Daepo Port, Palpal Hoesenta Sokcho Daepo Port Market Branch is worth considering. Especially if you love raw fish like my mom does, you might end up looking forward to the live fish sashimi that comes with the crab set even more than the crab itself :)