Giant clam hot pot broth choice & staff-cleaned scallops in Yeouido

Today I'm bringing you a review of Gaetbeol-ui Jogae Yeouido branch, a giant clam hot pot specialist packed with cool, fresh seafood. From the pleasant interior to the solid lunch menu and the generous hot pot and self-bar, here's everything that made me happy about this visit.

Location and interior

1. A clean exterior and dining atmosphere

Even before you step inside, a giant clam hot pot model and banners at the entrance catch your eye. The interior overall is neatly arranged with a clean, sleek look, making it a fine choice for a family meal, a work dinner, or a date with your partner. The tables were spaced generously too, so I could eat comfortably without feeling cramped.

2. Convenient ordering and broth choice

Every table has a table-order tablet, so you can browse the menu at your own pace and order easily.

The star of the menu is, without question, the 'giant clam hot pot,' which comes in small, medium, large, or special sizes depending on your party size. What I really liked was that when ordering, you can choose the broth flavor to suit your taste: 'clear' (cheongyang chili) or 'spicy' (hot sauce mix). We wanted to taste the clean, savory flavor of the seafood itself, so we went with the clear broth.

3. Unlimited service! The yeolmu barley rice self-bar

While waiting for the food after ordering, we headed to the self-bar set up on one side of the restaurant. The self-bar had all sorts of side dishes and sauces, but the real surprise was that you could make your own free yeolmu (young radish) barley rice bowl! Fluffy barley rice tossed with crunchy yeolmu kimchi, seasoned gochujang sauce, and sesame oil was the perfect appetite-opener before the main dish arrived. That said, since the clam hot pot portion is so generous, I'd recommend not filling up on barley rice!

Menu highlights

4. Tasting the eye-catching 'giant clam hot pot'

Finally, the massive hot pot pot arrived! After putting the lid on and setting a stopwatch, there's a waiting period of about 10-15 minutes of simmering.

When the timer went off, a staff member lifted the lid, and the rich ocean aroma that spread out with the steam was pure art.

• Generous seafood spread: half-shell clam, scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, abalone, squid, and more fresh seafood packed densely into the pot.
• Attentive staff cleaning: staff directly clean the large half-shell clam, squid, octopus, and other seafood into bite-sized pieces. They even used the half-shell clam's shell as a little plate to hold the cleaned seafood, so all I had to do was pick it up and eat.
• Savory cheese fondue: dipping the tender scallops into the earthenware pot of cheese served alongside the hot pot, the savory, salty combination was a really great pairing.

5. Finish it off with kalguksu noodles!

After eating your way through most of the clams and seafood, the broth—infused with flavor from all the seafood and vegetables—becomes rich and deep. At this point, you absolutely cannot skip adding kalguksu (knife-cut noodles)!

I didn't try adding it myself this time, but everyone kept recommending it!

6. Overall review and summary

This is a place that wins you over once with its fresh, generous seafood visuals, and wins you over again with its rich, clean broth. From the barley rice service to the well-stocked self-bar and the staff's friendly cleaning service, my overall satisfaction was very high.

If chilly weather has you craving a warm, hearty seafood dish, I strongly recommend the giant clam hot pot at Gaetbeol-ui Jogae!