Dongdaemun seafood restaurant with thick sashimi: Simdo Hoetjip

Simdo Hoetjip near Jegi-dong Station

It looks like an ordinary neighborhood sashimi spot, but Simdo Hoetjip (심도횟집) in Jegi-dong is personally run by a chef with 40 years of culinary experience, including work as a head chef at an overseas embassy. It had that familiar local sashimi-restaurant feel from the outside, but everything from the table spread to the sashimi and spicy fish stew was impressively substantial and delicious?!

It is in Unit 119 on the first floor of the Lotte Castle Firenze shopping arcade in Dongdaemun-gu, less than a five-minute walk from Exit 3 of Jegi-dong Station, so it was quick and easy to find! I do not think it even took five minutes on foot. Maybe because it shares the building with apartment shops, Simdo Hoetjip felt especially clean from the entrance onward.

A look at the menu, including spicy fish stew and ramen

At a sashimi restaurant, the menu lineup is what I look at most closely—I find myself checking whether the sashimi, spicy fish stew, and ramen offerings are good. Some places do not sell spicy fish stew as a finishing dish and instead price it at ₩20,000–₩30,000, or charge a lot for seafood ramen, so I have hesitated when ordering before. Simdo Hoetjip had spicy fish stew for ₩8,000 and ramen for around ₩10,000, which I loved! At these prices, though, spicy fish stew with an added ramen noodle portion seems like the better move!!

The seating is mostly set up for groups of four, and for gatherings they can join tables together! They also offer private rentals, so it seems like a great option for a get-together.

When I visited, there was a nice mix of people having gatherings and couples on dates, haha.

Ordering the Assorted Sashimi B Set and taster raw shrimp

I ordered three things: the Assorted Sashimi B Set, raw shrimp, and spicy fish stew!! What was neat was that they also sell raw shrimp as a ₩9,900 taster portion! Sashimi alone felt like it would be a little sad, so I gave the taster a try :) With so many menu options, it was easy to mix and match an order.

A generous starter spread with herring and maki

The starter spread arrives with the table practically groaning under it. I had never seen a herring dish included in a basic spread before,, Herring is a ₩12,000 item on the menu, yet they served it as part of the spread with shredded scallions and seasoning on topㅠ And maki (sushi rolls), too,, it was such a generous table spread.

Thick assorted sashimi with bright plating

Finally, the main dish arrives :) The plating was so bright and pretty that it lifted my mood the moment it came out, haha. And the sashimi was cut incredibly thick—so moving,,,

Raw shrimp that was still wriggling, plus butter-grilled shrimp

The taster raw shrimp arrived, too! Even after their heads were removed,, they were wriggling so energetically that it was a little scary but also exciting,, haha. They were so fresh, with that wonderfully chewy, springy texture.

Even though I had only ordered the taster shrimp, the owner grilled them in butter for me too,, I ordered just five shrimp, but they did it without an extra chargeㅠㅜ

Spicy fish stew loaded with rockfish and ramen noodles

I was already full, but I simply cannot resist spicy fish stew, so I went ahead with spicy fish stew plus ramen noodles! But,, can you see how much fish there is? They even used rockfish,, I was endlessly touched,,

Considering the portions, the dishes are not expensive, and they also run review and reservation promotions. The review promotion is a full ₩5,000 discount—₩5,000!!! It is already a great restaurant, and they are generous with the promotions too,, thank you,,❤️

Shrimp season is coming up soon, so next time I need to come back and order the full raw-shrimp dish rather than the taster :) It had been so long since I had left a sashimi restaurant absolutely stuffed! The location may be a little awkward for a company dinner, but if you live in Dongdaemun, I strongly recommend visiting at least once :)