Mapo seafood feast with shrimp and gizzard shad: Jaecheoldameun

When autumn comes around, don’t you crave shrimp, gizzard shad, and sashimi especially badly!!!! I’m a well-known shrimp killer,,,, Before heading to watch a football match, I looked for a great shrimp spot along Line 6 and visited Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada (제철담은 마포바다), a newly opened Mapo seafood restaurant already getting nothing but rave reviews. Get ready to be surprised (I’m being dramatic).

A seafood restaurant right by Daeheung Station, close to Gyeongui Line Forest Park

Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada is visible the moment you get off at Daeheung Station. It is also close to Gyeongui Line Forest Park, making it perfect for a walk after your meal, with easy connections to Hongdae, Hapjeong, and the Han River. Isn’t that the best route for autumn weather? It is also an easy distance for anyone looking for great raw shrimp in Gongdeok!!

A clean dining room, starting with the tanks

The big aquarium out front caught my eye first, and the tanks were incredibly clean. The fish inside were lively too!!

Inside, there are quite a few large dining tables. For a neighborhood seafood restaurant, it was so neatly maintained that I had high expectations. I visited at Saturday lunch, and most tables were family groups. Shrimp season really is perfect weather for a family gathering. My family has a shrimp party every year, and we have to do it again this year too•••

I could see why so many people already choose it for family gatherings among Mapo seafood restaurants, and in the evening it also looked like a lovely place for drinks. Since the food comes out generously all at once, the tables are nice and roomy too!! It is perfect for a work dinner for Gongdeok and Mapo office workers.

The restaurant pairs California wines with seafood, and apparently runs an ongoing promotion where the second bottle onward is half price!! There was also a draft-beer discount event, plus sake, cheongju (clear Korean rice wine), and soju, so I think it would suit anyone who enjoys drinks for a Mapo work dinner with a full course!!

What comes with the Mapo Bada Signature Feast

• Large assorted sashimi
• 20 salt-grilled shrimp and raw shrimp
• Gizzard shad sashimi, grilled gizzard shad, and assorted seafood
• Seasoned Korean parsley and boiled pork, tofu kimchi, steamed egg, and assorted fried items
• Butter-grilled shrimp heads, abalone porridge, and seaweed soup

A tray slides right onto and joins your existing table. It is fast and neat to set up, and since everything is already prepared, you do not have to hurriedly clear the table. When it is time to clear, they simply take the whole tray away, so turnover is quick and tidy—and the restaurant looks even cleaner.

The abalone porridge that came before the meal had such a deep abalone-innard flavor that it was better than porridge specialty shops, and it settled my stomach comfortably. The rice grains were not bloated either, so it was so good. The seaweed soup was not bland; it had shrimp meat in it and was rich. I started out thinking this was a Mapo seafood restaurant that gets the basics right.

The dishes were neat, and perhaps because they were brass bowls, the soup and porridge did not cool quickly. I was surprised the fried food stayed warm. This is just right for shrimp and soju after work in Gongdeok.

Sweet seasonal shrimp and thick-cut sashimi

The shrimp had grown quite plump by now, and grilling them in salt really brought out their sweetness!! Once again, I am grateful not to have a shellfish allergy,,,,,

The sashimi came sliced thick, so its freshness came through just as it was. The gizzard shad sashimi I make sure to eat every autumn was rich but clean-tasting, and the pieces were big enough to wrap with ssam (leaf wraps) and makjang (fermented soybean dipping sauce). It was a large portion, right?? Still, the sashimi was springy and delicious, so we ate almost all of it. If you are looking for a seafood restaurant near Gongdeok or Daeheung Station, trust me and go. The gizzard shad was oily and pleasantly chewy—sooo good. I do not like fish with lots of bones, but autumn gizzard shad feels essential, so I have been trying to become friends with it, and I think I succeeded 🌀🌀

The raw shrimp sashimi was nicely sweet too, and every shrimp had been deveined—which is genuinely such a tedious taskㅠ Yet they still kept their full shape,,,,, 🖤

There were four grilled gizzard shad too,,,, and the flesh was so plump. It made me crave a big bowl of white rice. The shrimp were all peeled too, so you only have to eat them haha

Later, they stir-fried the butter-grilled shrimp heads separately, and I kept reaching for them even when I was full! They served this as a complimentary item, which made it even more moving,,, No extra charge!!!!!!!

From assorted seafood to boiled pork and tofu kimchi

The assorted seafood with sea squirt and sea cucumber was completely fresh with lively textures, so I was very satisfied. It honestly felt like being near the sea hahaha If you are looking for seafood around Gyeongui Line Forest Park, I absolutely recommend Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada. I piled spoonfuls high with the texture geniuses I love and felt so happy,,,,,, Do you like live octopus haha I ate several sea cucumbers at once too. I am usually team sea cucumber over sea squirt, but the sea squirt was incredibly fresh that day too.

Pairing the boiled pork and sashimi with tofu kimchi made it fun to eat like samhap (a three-part pairing), and the tofu kimchi was thoroughly infused with the deep flavor of stir-fried kimchi. It was the perfect kick when I needed kimchi.

Eating it in a combination like hongeo samhap (fermented skate, pork, and kimchi) made it another special treat, you know?? Daeheung Station is easy to get to, so it is a seafood restaurant that makes me want to return often. And as an extra, I warmed my stomach in the middle with fluffy steamed egg. The fried items that came with it were big too.

Recommended for these gatherings

• Anyone looking for a good restaurant or bar in Daeheung-dong
• Anyone needing a Mapo seafood restaurant for a family gathering
• Anyone looking for a seafood restaurant or great shrimp in Gongdeok
• Groups of three or four wanting a Mapo work dinner with a full course
• Anyone wanting a hearty meal of seasonal autumn shrimp and gizzard shad