Korean restaurant in Gwanak, Seoul for spicy braised skate and rice

I visited Yeseoban, known as a great Korean restaurant in Gwanak-gu. I found my all-time favorite braised skate here, so I really want to recommend it as a Sillim restaurant!

Yeseoban exterior between Sillim and Seowon Stations

Yeseoban sits roughly halfway between Sillim Station and Seowon Station, so it was easy to reach from either one.

There was a Gwanak-gu exemplary restaurant sign posted in front of Yeseoban.

There were chairs where you could sit if there was a wait. That would be handy when waiting!

Yeseoban's braised dishes and takeout discount

Yeseoban's braised-dish menu included braised pollock, braised pollock with siraegi (dried radish greens), and braised skate. There were also dishes such as stir-fried webfoot octopus and ttukbaegi bulgogi (beef bulgogi in an earthenware pot), so I thought it would be a nice place to try if you're looking for lunch in Sillim.

There was also a discount for takeout, so it seemed easy to enjoy without too much 부담.

A clean, neatly arranged dining room

The restaurant felt clean and orderly, with spacious tables for four, so it seemed like a good place to come with family or coworkers.

I could glimpse the kitchen from outside, and it was so clean that it made me look forward to the food even more.

Clean aprons were provided too, which was nice to use while eating.

I caught a warm, nutty smell and realized it was the scent of pot rice being made as soon as an order came in. There was a water bottle and cups on the table with chilled drinking water, plus a separate thermos of water to pour into the rice pot.

Each table also had a QR code for Naver ordering.

Spoons, chopsticks, napkins, and more were kept in the drawer beside the table.

Neat side dishes and freshly cooked pot rice

Before the main dish arrived, they set out the basic side dishes. Every single one was neat and generous.

I don't usually like lotus root, but its savory seasoning was so good that I ate every bit with my rice. The kimchi and pickled radish were crunchy and great alongside the meal, while the gungchae namul (seasoned vegetable side dish) was crunchy too, with seasoning that suited its flavor well. None of the side dishes were overly salty; the seasoning really brought out each ingredient's character, and everything was delicious. There was also acorn jelly, perfectly seasoned and springy because the jelly was so well made.

The pot rice, sending out such a delicious scent, arrived first! Open✨ Plain white rice would be good on its own, but how much better would rice freshly cooked in a pot be!

The rice was beautifully separate and fluffy, with a full, nutty aroma. As I transferred it to my bowl, it looked so good that I tried a spoonful of rice by itself—and it was delicious even on its own👍 After moving all the rice, I poured hot water into the pot and put the lid back on.

A generous small braised skate dish with garaetteok

Our small braised skate arrived. The small braised skate was ₩40,000. I also captured the side dishes and braised skate on video.

The menu said the small braised skate was for two people, but its color was unreal and it was seriously generous.

There were long pieces of garaetteok (cylindrical rice cake) in the braised skate, and this garaetteok was seriously insanely good...

I ate it sliced and held whole pieces too; it was so chewy, and dipped in the truly delicious braising sauce, it was the best.

There were long pieces of tofu in it as well, perfect to eat with rice.

The radish had a gentle sweetness that went so well with the sauce. The sauce was the kind where you think, “Is it a little spicy?” but then get hit with umami—an addictive flavor you can't stop eating... The sauce was so good that I was spooning it over rice and mixing it inㅠㅠ

Tender skate with mixed bean sprouts

Now it was time to try the star of the show: the skate!

The skate was easy to eat, incredibly tender, and so delicious with its soft fleshㅠㅠ I had found my all-time favorite braised skate.

The owner shared the best tip: mixing the bean sprouts into the braising sauce makes them much tastier. I tried it, and the bean sprouts were tender already, but with that delicious sauce, the flavor was genuinely eye-opening.

A big spoonful of pot rice topped with sauce-soaked radish, bean sprouts, and tender skate—this is truly an irreplaceable flavor...🥺

The gim (roasted seaweed) served alongside was mild and nice with the rice too. As we were finishing the rice, I opened the pot and scraped it well. The nurungji (scorched rice) from the pot was nutty and went down so easily even by itself. I topped that pot rice with radish and skate too, and there was no fishiness at all—it was so delicious💓

Leaving this review after such a satisfying, neatly prepared Korean meal at Yeseoban! If you're craving Korean food, I highly recommend Yeseoban, a great Korean restaurant in Sillim!