Seongsu monkfish stew with speaker decor and window seats: Seongsu AGU

Why I picked Seongsu AGU for lunch on our Seongsu outing

My husband and I finally took a Seongsu outing after a long time, and we had lunch at Seongsu AGU on Sangwon-gil, near Ttukseom Station. Seongsu has so many good restaurants and so much to look at that just wandering around with no plan is a nice change of pace.

I was curious about Seongsu AGU because I heard it isn't an ordinary monkfish stew (agu-jjim) place: it serves a version topped with fried gopchang (beef small intestine). I went wondering how crispy fried gopchang and spicy monkfish stew would go together.

What are the interior and atmosphere of Seongsu AGU like?

Seongsu AGU has walls that feel like an old building, wooden tables and props here and there, so the vibe is quite different from a typical monkfish stew restaurant. That unique atmosphere was the first thing I noticed when I walked in.

There's a huge speaker on one wall, so it felt less like a restaurant and more like a space for music lovers. The lighting is soft and every table has a different feel, which gave it that distinctly Seongsu personality.

Window seats vs. seats inside

The tables by the window get natural light, so in the daytime it felt a bit brighter and more relaxed. The inner area has calmer lighting, so even within the same restaurant the mood was different.

The menu at Seongsu AGU and the Hanwoo fried gopchang monkfish stew we ordered

The two of us ordered the Hanwoo fried gopchang monkfish stew for 2 (₩23,000; it can be ordered for 2 or more people). The menu also had beef belly and heart monkfish stew, classic monkfish stew and roe stew, plus a wide range of sides like rice balls and pancakes. The signature of the Hanwoo fried gopchang monkfish stew is that fried gopchang and assorted other fritters are piled on top of the stew.

The look of it was impressive the moment it arrived. Big fritters were heaped on top of the red-seasoned stew, so it was definitely different from the monkfish stew we were used to.

The stew had bean sprouts, garlic chives and seasoning mixed in, and on top were what looked like shrimp fritters, vegetable fritters and the fried gopchang. Eating the crispy fritters together with the spicy stew seems to be the whole point of this dish.

How should you eat the fried gopchang and the monkfish stew?

You can eat the fritters on their own before they go soggy, or dip them lightly in the stew sauce, and both worked well. Eating the crispy fritters with the spicy stew totally changes the texture, so it was more fun than a regular monkfish stew.

The sauce is spicy but also savory, and it went well with the bean sprouts. I also liked that the chewy texture of the monkfish plus crispy fritters gives you several textures in one dish. The side dishes were clean and easy to pair, and the corn in particular was great for cooling down the spice in between bites.

Finishing with fried rice after the monkfish stew

Stopping after the stew felt a little disappointing, so we ordered fried rice too. They stir-fried rice, seaweed flakes and more into the leftover sauce, and yes, you really can't skip fried rice after monkfish stew.

The sauce soaked into the rice and the nutty seaweed flakes made it a perfect finisher. We got to enjoy every last bit of the sauce, and my husband and I wrapped up the meal feeling quite satisfied.

Is Seongsu AGU worth recommending for lunch in Seongsu?

If you want a slightly different monkfish stew that isn't common in Seongsu, Seongsu AGU is worth a visit at least once. The combination of fried gopchang and monkfish stew was what stayed with me most.

The restaurant's atmosphere is also unlike a typical monkfish stew specialist, so it works well as a lunch stop while exploring Seongsu. Strolling around Seongsu slowly with my husband and then having a tasty lunch felt like a relaxed outing at last. If you're hunting for a Seongsu lunch spot and want something a little special, Seongsu AGU's fried gopchang monkfish stew seems like a good choice.

• Name: Seongsu AGU
• Address: 48-1 Sangwon-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 11:30-22:00
• Break time: Weekdays 15:30-17:00