Build-your-own sushi at a Sinsa Station sashimi bar: Parang Haenyeojip

Hi! It's Melon. ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡

On a day when I was craving seafood with a nice cold beer, my boyfriend and I heard there was an amazing-vibe hotspot sashimi place near Sinsa Station, so we went to check it out.

An honest, self-paid date review of 'Parang Haenyeojip,' where you can feel the seaside vibe of Jeju Island right in the middle of the city — let's get into it!

Where is Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store, and what are its hours?

Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store is within a 10-minute walk of Exit 8 of Sinsa Station (Line 3 / Sinbundang Line). Hours are Sun–Fri 16:00–01:30 and Sat 16:00–02:00.

Walking down the street, the cool, eye-catching blue exterior — true to the name 'Parang (blue) Haenyeo House' — grabbed my attention from far away.

The interior looks like a hip seaside seafood pocha (street tent bar) plucked straight out of a coastal town and dropped in the middle of Gangnam. It's such a unique, charming setup that we were busy taking photos at the entrance before even going in.

The big screen of rolling waves inside Parang Haenyeojip

Inside Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store, there's a long horizontal screen on the wall constantly playing a video of rolling ocean waves.

Even though we visited fairly early, a lot of the tables were already filled — no wonder it's known as a popular spot.

But the moment we stepped inside, what caught my eye first was the huge horizontal screen covering the wall! The whole screen shows a refreshing wave video, and eating sashimi while watching the waves ripple felt exactly like being at a seaside sashimi restaurant. The atmosphere was amazing.

Since we'd reserved through Naver, they had my name written on the reserved table when we arrived.

Terra in a frosted glass and free seaweed soup

At Parang Haenyeojip you order through a tablet at each table. We ordered the aged sashimi platter (small), added sushi rice, and one bottle of Terra.

We comfortably browsed the menu on the tablet at our table and ordered the house's signature aged sashimi along with beer.

What we ordered at Parang Haenyeojip

• Aged sashimi platter (small)
• Sushi rice add-on (highly recommend this! 🌟)
• 1 bottle of Terra

Before the main dish came out, they served rich seaweed soup and fresh seaweed as complimentary side dishes. Dipping the crunchy seaweed into the sweet-and-sour chojang (vinegar-chili sauce) made the drinks go down smoothly even before the main event.

The first thing they brought us was Terra beer in a frosted-glass mug — the second it was poured, it was intensely cold, chilled to the bone. Beer really is all about the chill!

Four kinds of aged sashimi and what comes with the platter

The aged sashimi platter (small) came with thick slices of salmon, flounder, mullet, and sea bream that day. They said the sashimi lineup changes slightly depending on the season.

Finally, the main dish — the 'aged sashimi platter' — arrives!

The day we visited, four types of sashimi — salmon, flounder, mullet, and sea bream — came out neatly and thickly sliced. (Note that the sashimi selection changes slightly by season to feature whichever fish is at its best, so keep that in mind when visiting!)

There's also a really wide variety of things to pair with the sashimi!

A tray comes out loaded with finely chopped chili-and-garlic makjang (savory dipping paste) bursting with umami, a tangy chojang-dressed cabbage salad, fresh wasabi, ginger, rakkyo (pickled scallions), spicy chili, and sliced garlic.

Perilla leaves and seaweed also come out for wrapping the sashimi.

Why add sushi rice to the sashimi platter?

The combo I highly recommend at Parang Haenyeojip is ordering the extra 'sushi rice.' You put on the provided plastic gloves and can make self-made sushi by pressing the rice and topping it with sashimi.

When you order sashimi, fresh seaweed and perilla leaves come along for wrapping. Put on the plastic gloves they give you, shape the rice into little rounds, and top it with sashimi — it genuinely rivals an omakase!

I tried shaping it myself, and the rice was so nicely portioned and shaped that I started to wonder if I had a hidden talent for making sushi — it was that satisfying!

Now we're ready to eat! Let's dig in properly.

However we combined it, the sashimi itself was nicely aged and chewy, melting in the mouth! The best combo was topping my hand-pressed sushi rice with sashimi, dipping it in wasabi and soy sauce, and wrapping it all in seaweed.

Is Parang Haenyeojip a good date spot near Sinsa Station?

Perfectly aged sashimi paired with a romantic wave-screen view in the middle of the city — that's Sinsa's 'Parang Haenyeojip'!

Between the unique atmosphere, the clever touch of frosted-glass beer, and the quality of the chewy aged sashimi, it was a flawless date spot. If you're near Sinsa's Garosugil looking for a hotspot with fresh seafood and drinks that go down easily, definitely give this place a try!