Yeongdeungpo Korean restaurant for clam shabu & beef: Palmi

The fish tank and interior at Palmi Jogae Kalguksu in Mullae

Palmi Jogae Kalguksu, a shabu kalguksu spot in Mullae, has a fish tank outside. That means you can enjoy fresh seafood here.

When I went inside, a screen showing a sandy beach and emerald sea caught my eye, along with decorations arranged like a little garden.

There is seating on the left, too,

and on the right. I heard there is also a room for six to eight people, but I did not see it that day, so I do not have separate photos.

Clam shabu kalguksu menu and sets

The taste of Palmi in a bowl. You get shabu kalguksu like the one in this photo.

Four seasons in season, Palmi at its seasonal best.

Write a Naver review and get one bottle of soju or stir-fried beef brisket and bean sprouts for free.

Spend over ₩100,000 and you can receive a Palmi T-shirt. It somehow looks like something I would want.

A limited batch of gooseneck barnacles has arrived at Palmi. You pull the hidden flesh right out of the shell and eat it. They say these chewy, springy little delicacies are in season right now.

Clam shabu lunch sets: shabu kalguksu for two plus fried horse mackerel, shabu kalguksu for two plus whole steamed baby squid, shabu kalguksu for two plus mulhoe (chilled raw-fish soup), or shabu kalguksu for two plus boiling seafood.

The clam shabu dinner sets differ from the lunch sets only in price.

Palmi clam shabu kalguksu is ₩15,900 at weekday lunch and ₩18,900 at dinner and on weekends. Weekday daytime orders come with shabu-shabu and kalguksu; dinner and weekend orders come with abalone innards porridge.

You can add pork neck, beef brisket, vegetables and mushrooms, kalguksu, or abalone porridge to the shabu-shabu. Steamed rice is ₩1,500. Other items include whole steamed baby squid, seasoned sea squirt, and chicken karaage.

Boiling seafood, mala boiling seafood, and seafood mulhoe—every one sounds delicious.

Cooking the clam shabu kalguksu

I was pleased by the country-of-origin sign at Palmi Jogae Kalguksu, a Mullae favorite, because there was nothing from Japan. So many places use Japanese scallops that I have gone into restaurants and walked right back out.

After ordering, we received water and chojang (sweet-and-tangy chili dipping sauce). Soy sauce and sweet chili sauce, along with cups, are set out at every table.

Wow—the size was overwhelming! It reminded me of an octagonal grill pan. I exclaimed as soon as the shabu-shabu ingredients arrived: scallops, mussels, napa cabbage, beef brisket, bean sprouts, bok choy, white clams, and pork neck, all piled in generously.

Kalguksu noodles and kimchi. They told us to put in the mussels first, so we did, then kept adding the shellfish. It really filled the broth with the scent of the sea. The fresh seafood made the stock even more delicious. Adding meat to that broth made it even better, too. After putting in the abundant ingredients one by one and diligently fishing them out to eat, we brought the kalguksu noodles to a rolling boil in the broth.

The kalguksu broth had become wonderfully rich with the flavor of every ingredient melted into it, and it was delicious with the perfectly cooked noodles. I immediately understood why people say Palmi Jogae Kalguksu is worth the money and a Mullae favorite.

The stir-fried beef brisket and bean sprouts paired well, too

This stir-fried beef brisket and bean sprouts is Palmi's only meat dish: savory beef brisket and crisp bean sprouts stir-fried with plenty of smoky wok flavor. I ordered it because I was curious about the only meat dish. That sweet-salty flavor really comes through.

For the affordable price, there was plenty of beef brisket, and I loved that it had more lean meat than fat. I wanted to fry rice in it. It goes quite well with the kalguksu~ I debated between the stir-fried beef brisket and bean sprouts and the crispy seafood pajeon fritter. Kalguksu plus scallion pancake is such a classic that I have had it so many times, so I chose the beef brisket—and I am very glad I did. But the owner says the crispy seafood pajeon fritter is much more popular and even tastier. Of course it would be: it is a savory seafood pancake, fried crisp with mussels, squid, and all kinds of clams. Still, I do not regret this choice. I can have the crispy seafood pajeon fritter next time.

Palmi Jogae Kalguksu hours and parking

• Monday–Saturday, 10:30–22:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:30
• Last order: 21:30
• Regular closing day: every Sunday
• No parking; park at a nearby factory or public parking lot