Daejeon monkfish stew restaurant with fried rice: Seommaeul

Spicy agu-jjim on a rainy day

Today, I visited “Seommaeul Agujjim & Nakjibokkeum,” a spot on the first floor along Yuseong-daero in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon that is known for agu-jjim (braised spicy monkfish)! When the weather keeps switching between rain and shine like it has lately, I start craving something spicy and pleasantly pungent. So I headed over with friends to Seommaeul, known in Yuseong-gu for agu-jjim, haemul-jjim (spicy braised seafood), and nakji-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried octopus)—let’s go!

I loved the neat, polished atmosphere right from the exterior.

Seommaeul information and interior atmosphere

The address is 25-11 Jaun-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, on the first floor. It is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 to 21:30, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00. It is closed on Sundays, and there is parking in the alley beside the restaurant. It is near the Jaundae Intersection, so public transportation is an option too!

A truly established local favorite with 17 years of history in Sinseong-dong and Jaundae, it felt like one of Daejeon and Yuseong’s leading restaurants specializing in agu-jjim and haemul-jjim.

Once I opened the door and stepped in, the interior was more spacious than I expected, and there were private rooms too—such a fitting atmosphere for family gatherings or company dinners. I spotted quite a few families with children as well. High chairs are available, so I recommend it for diners with little ones!

It gets busy with office workers at lunchtime, but we went in the early evening, so it was quiet and we could take our time with the meal. There were lots of tables in the spacious dining room as well as group rooms, so you can choose the seating you prefer; it is great for group gatherings or family visits too. The owner guided us so kindly that we had a really pleasant meal.

Medium agu-jjim and thoughtfully prepared side dishes

Here is the menu—have a look! We ordered the medium agu-jjim.

As soon as we ordered, a whole line of side dishes arrived: steamed egg, seasoned shredded seaweed, stir-fried fish cake, salad, and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi). Every one was prepared with care and was the ultimate rice thief. I was happy that we could have more of any side dish we ran short on.

The steamed egg that came with the basic sides was so delicious that I ordered another one, haha. At last, the main dish arrived! The agu-jjim came out, and just looking at it made my mouth water…! It was piled with big pieces of monkfish and bean sprouts, plus minari (water dropwort), so even the colors looked incredibly appetizing.

Clean heat and plump monkfish

The sauce was spicy but clean-tasting—not the kind of heat that stings your tongue, but a crisp spiciness that really awakened my appetite. The monkfish was plump and tender, practically melting in my mouth, yet it still had a satisfying bite.

The monkfish was truly tender and nice and plump, with a great chew. Taking a big bite together with the bean sprouts and minari was so delicious—I was very happy with it. ♡

There was absolutely no fishy smell from the monkfish, and I could tell the ingredients were really fresh. Because they use fresh ingredients, there was no off taste at all. The portion was generous too: even with three of us eating, we were full and still had some left. Finishing with fried rice made from the remaining sauce was seriously delicious.

The homemade iced sikhye (sweet rice drink) had such a comforting, home-cooked taste—I enjoyed it several times, haha. Next time, I want to try the haemul-jjim too.

If you are looking for a spicy, generous agu-jjim restaurant in Daejeon or haemul-jjim packed with fresh seafood in Yuseong-gu, I recommend Seommaeul Agujjim & Nakjibokkeum!

If you love spicy seafood, I definitely recommend visiting Seommaeul Agujjim & Nakjibokkeum in Yuseong-gu.