Gangseo, Seoul eel grill with eel broth and jangchu-tang: Jangsuchon

So here I am, dragging my tired body to work again... the changing seasons and the daily temperature swings have left me with a lingering cold that just won't quit, and suddenly I was craving eel, so I went back to the grilled eel place near Balsan Station I'd visited before. This was actually supposed to be a date, but I ended up dragging my work bestie along instead, haha.

Hours 11:00–21:50 / Last order 20:50 / Corkage fee applies / Restroom available / Zero Pay accepted

How to find Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel and where to park (Balsan Station Exits 3 and 4)

Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel is located near NC Department Store if you walk straight out from Exit 3 or 4 of Balsan Station. There's parking right in front, and it's free. It's on the 2nd floor above Donuri Meat Restaurant, so you go up the stairs — but don't worry, there's an elevator too! I also liked that there's a separate restroom. It can be awkward sometimes when a restaurant doesn't have one...

A wide hall built for group dinners, with windows open for an outdoor feel

The interior of Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel is pretty spacious, making it well-suited for company dinners or gatherings. The tables were wide enough that it felt private. There was even a robot server bringing things over, haha. All the windows on the 2nd floor were open, giving it a bit of an outdoor-tent feel with a nice breeze drifting in — so good. This autumn weather is driving me crazy...

What 2kg of salt-grilled eel costs for three people

Since there were three of us, we ordered 2kg of salt-grilled eel. Salt-grilled eel is ₩59,000 per kg. They also have meal options like janchi guksu (banquet noodles), bibimbap, kimchi stew, and ongshimi (dumpling soup), so it looked like a good idea to grab some carbs at the end. They're also running a review event where you get grilled king prawns, so it might be worth joining.

• Salt-grilled eel 1kg ₩59,000 × 2
• Bokbunja (Korean raspberry wine) ₩10,000
• Soju ₩5,000
• Drink ₩2,000

The side dishes and the cup of eel broth served to each guest

The basic side dishes included white kimchi, seasoned lettuce, perilla leaves, garlic, ssamjang (dipping sauce), eel sauce, salad, and a lotus root side. What stood out was that they gave everyone their own eel extract. I wondered what it would taste like — it was kind of like herbal medicine? Or red ginseng? That kind of flavor, the sort that makes you feel like it'll cure whatever cold you have, haha. I noticed they sell it separately near the entrance, so if you're interested, keep that in mind.

There's also a self-service bar, so you can pile on side dishes without feeling awkward about it. The perilla leaves and white kimchi especially ran out fast eating them with the eel, but my work bestie kept bringing me more, which I was so grateful for, seriously...

How does the eel taste when the staff grill every piece for you?

First, the 1kg of grilled eel came out. Nicely browned and well-grilled eel — since it comes already grilled, all you have to do is eat, which is so convenient. Plump, fatty eel... just looking at the photo again makes me want to eat it all over.

The eel was crispy and savory on the outside, while the inside was moist and tender, practically melting in your mouth. You could taste the eel's distinctive clean flavor with a subtle charcoal-grilled aroma layered on top — so good. My favorite combo is perilla leaf + white kimchi, and the salty perilla leaves were so tasty with it. Eel can be quite fatty, so it's easy to get sick of it after a while, but pairing it with the vegetable side dishes cuts right through the richness and you can just keep eating endlessly, no joke...

Purple bokbunja salt and bokbunja cider at Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel

Interesting find — there was a purple salt on the table? I had no idea, but apparently it's salt made with bokbunja (Korean black raspberry). It basically just tasted like regular salt, but it was fun to look at. Dip the eel in the bokbunja salt and follow it up with a bokbunja-cider mix right after. Mixed with cider, it goes down like a soft drink, so easy to drink. But... it has a decent alcohol content, so be careful. I only had a little and my face turned bokbunja-colored, haha.

The extra 1kg of eel we added came out next. The staff member was super kind, which put me in an even better mood. They plated each piece for us one by one right in front of us, haha.

Jangchu-tang, the free eel and loach soup that comes with the meal

At Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel, jangchu-tang comes complimentary. At first I had no idea what jangchu-tang was... turns out it's eel (jang) + chueotang (loach soup), so jangchu-tang, get it, haha. It genuinely tasted like chueotang — thick, rich, and hearty, perfect as a boyangsik (health-boosting dish). Adding a bowl of rice to it would be perfect.

• A great eel restaurant near Balsan Station for a boost of energy
• Highly recommend Jangsuchon Pungcheon Eel for delicious pre-grilled eel near Balsan Station〰️