Hot-day Jonggak sashimi spot: olive flounder fin & mulhoe, Suksseong

I had errands in Jonggak today, and I wanted tasty aged sashimi and mulhoe (cold raw fish soup) somewhere private with a nice atmosphere. So I went to Suksseong Susan (숙썽수산) Jongno Main Branch, a well-known aged sashimi spot in Jonggak.

Location and hours of Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch

Suksseong Susan Jongno Main Branch is on the 3rd floor at 16 Samil-daero 19-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and it is open Mon–Fri 11:00–24:00 and Sat–Sun 15:00–24:00. It is in the Jonggak Youth Street alley, 285m from Exit 4 of Jonggak Station.

Are the seats private?

Each seat can be screened off with a curtain, so it was great for a private meal. The spaces seat 4 to 6 people, so it looks good for dates or group get-togethers haha.

The huge fish tank you see as soon as you walk in was kept clean too haha.

Suksseong Susan specializes in aged sashimi, and they say they use top-grade fish, drain the blood completely, then age it at low temperature for 24–36 hours 😲 Maybe that's why the sashimi wasn't fishy at all and melted in my mouth haha.

How ordering works and the side dishes

You order through a table ordering device, and the side dishes include soft tofu and boiled beans. We had reserved, so our table was set on time haha.

The side dishes were soft and nutty, nice for a light start before the meal haha. The soft tofu in particular, topped with sesame sauce and bonito flakes, had extra depth and savoriness, so it was even tastier!

The menu has a good range: lunch menu, seasonal menu, signature dishes, seafood, stews and mulhoe, and grilled and fried dishes.

It was hot and we wanted something cold, so we ordered the flounder mulhoe, the signature small aged sashimi set, and the red crab innards cream croquettes 😆 The restaurant is currently offering seafood or croquettes for a receipt review, so keep that in mind 🤭

Small aged sashimi set for 2 (₩69,000): what comes with it?

The signature small aged sashimi set for 2 is ₩69,000 and comes with 6 kinds of fish. The portion is generous, and I liked that each kind has a name tag so you know what you're eating haha.

Large olive flounder fin meat and belly

The large olive flounder (daegwangeo) came as fin meat and belly cuts, big pieces, and it was nice to enjoy both. The bouncy texture of live fish plus the savoriness from aging was incredible 🤤

Sea bream, croaker, greater amberjack and salmon

The sea bream was firm and springy, and the crunchy texture of the skin was fun and delicious haha.

The croaker (jeomseongeo) was exceptionally thick, soft to chew, and rich and nutty with its oiliness. Really good haha.

The greater amberjack had a bouncy, jelly-like texture, and the savoriness clung to my mouth the more I chewed. It was even better with wasabi or flying fish roe haha.

The salmon melted softly, with a tender texture, and the aging gave it good flavor and richness 😆

Monkfish liver, sweet shrimp and tuna

The monkfish liver, a great side to pair, was rich and tasty, and it went well with the aged sashimi 😋

The sweet shrimp was plump and juicy, with an appealing sweetness haha. The tuna melted like sherbet, and the juices burst out like eating beef. Delicious.

Flounder mulhoe (₩28,000): taste and portion

The flounder mulhoe is ₩28,000 and arrives in a big bowl piled with flounder and other ingredients. You mix it all together, and I liked the variety of vegetables and the sweet-sour, nutty aroma from the sauce, soybean powder and seaweed.

The mulhoe broth was wonderfully sweet and sour, and with the crunchy vegetables and springy flounder it was refreshingly good. The portion was generous, and I think I'll crave it every time it's hot. Adding somyeon (thin wheat noodles) would work too 🤭

Red crab innards cream croquettes (₩19,000)

The red crab innards cream croquettes are ₩19,000 and come with cabbage and spicy fried shishito peppers. We were eating mostly raw food, so I ordered something fried as a side.

The coating is very crispy, and the rich innards cream inside has a strong red crab aroma and was amazing. I said "wow" from the first bite. The sauce drizzled on top was a perfect match, and eating it with the cabbage added a nice texture.

The fried shishito peppers were crispy and tasty too, and a few of them were slightly spicy, which I personally liked haha.

Suksseong Susan prepaid card and final thoughts

On my way out I noticed Suksseong Susan has launched a prepaid card, which looked like it would make a good gift haha.

If you want tasty low-temperature aged sashimi and cool mulhoe near Jonggak Station in Jongno, I recommend Suksseong Susan 👍