Seolleung eel restaurant anniversary dinner: whole eel set, Manmok

Why Manmok near Seolleung Station for our anniversary dinner

Every year when our wedding anniversary comes around, I quietly start wondering where we should eat. I didn't want somewhere too crowded — I wanted a place where we could sit comfortably, talk, and eat something a little special. This time we went somewhere that let us enjoy both grilled eel, which we both love, and warm hanwoo nabe (Korean beef hot pot) together. Sitting down slowly, eating good food and chatting about this and that after a while — it turned into such a warm, lovely anniversary even without any big event. :)

There are really so many restaurants around Seolleung and Daechi-dong that office workers flock to. Among them, Manmok stood out to me for its hearty yet special menu of grilled eel and hanwoo nabe. It felt right for a date or anniversary dinner, but also good for sharing several dishes among a group, so I thought it would work well for anyone looking for a Seolleung Station restaurant for a team dinner too.

Once we sat down, the basic side dishes and sauces were set out neatly first. Salad, pickles and vegetable side dishes that were easy to pick at one by one came out tidily, along with wasabi, salt and sauce to go with the eel and meat. Even the same bite of eel felt different depending on which sauce I paired it with, so it was fun experimenting to find what suited my taste.

Manmok's menu — types of grilled eel and set options

Looking slowly through Manmok's menu, it's built around eel — grilled eel, nabe, and eel rice bowls in various forms. In particular, the grilled eel comes in premium grilled, salt-grilled, and sauce-grilled options depending on preference, with separate whole and half portions, so it's easy to order according to how many people you have. For a special day like ours, ordering the set with one whole grilled eel and hanwoo nabe together let us taste both menus at once, which made the meal feel even more satisfying.

For lunch, there were also dishes good for a solo meal, like hanwoo nabe and eel rice bowl, with the eel rice bowl also available in different portion sizes, making it suitable for solo dining or a lunch break. There was also a wide selection of sake and other alcohol, making it a good fit for an evening date, a team dinner, or an anniversary meal. Since it was our anniversary, I wanted to eat something a bit more special than usual, and I was glad we chose to pair the warm nabe with grilled eel. ♥️

The banchan and sauce spread

Once we sat down, the basic side dishes and sauces were set out neatly first. Salad, pickles and vegetable side dishes that were easy to pick at one by one came out tidily, along with wasabi, salt and sauce to go with the eel and meat. Even the same bite of eel felt different depending on which sauce I paired it with, so it was fun experimenting to find what suited my taste.

A whole grilled eel with wasabi and salt

The grilled eel we'd been waiting for finally arrived. It filled a long plate, its surface beautifully browned and glistening — just looking at it made my mouth water.

One bite in, the outside had a lightly grilled aroma while the inside was moist and tender. Even plain, you could fully taste eel's distinctive savory flavor, and topping it with a bit of wasabi cut through the richness cleanly. Dipping it lightly in salt worked well too, so I alternated between the two, enjoying it different ways.

What's in the hanwoo nabe, and how it tasted

Among the dishes I chose for our anniversary dinner, the first thing that caught my eye was the generous hanwoo nabe (Korean beef hot pot). A large pot arrived packed with Korean beef, napa cabbage, bok choy, mushrooms, tofu and minari (water dropwort), and it looked absolutely appetizing the moment it hit the table.

With so many vegetables packed in, it looked great, but what I liked even more was how, as the broth simmered, the sweetness of the vegetables and the flavor of the meat naturally came together. The beef was tender when I pulled it out at just the right point without overcooking it, and pairing it with napa cabbage and mushrooms that had soaked up the warm broth felt comforting all the way through.

Good for team dinners and family meals too?

Maybe because it's a dish you simmer together with one pot in the middle, the meal felt a little more relaxed than usual. Saying things like "this is good" and "try this too" while looking out for each other's favorite bites felt extra warm because it was our anniversary. A dish like this would also work well for a family meal out or as a Seolleung Station restaurant option for team dinners. Every ingredient felt premium and fresh. Next time, I'd love to order just the nabe, add udon noodles to it, and finish with porridge made from the leftover broth.

Dessert: black tea and matcha ice cream

Looking at the ice cream that came out for dessert, it really felt house-made. It was super chewy and delicious — the black tea flavor had a strong milk-tea taste, and the matcha flavor was distinctly matcha. I think I'll definitely come back just thinking about that dessert ice cream. If you want a premium, delicious meal, do try Manmok in Yeoksam — it's really good.