Ansan Korean restaurant for eel and abalone pot rice: Dongyang Sotbap

A hearty pot-rice date in Ansan Jungang-dong

On one of those days when I especially did not feel like cooking, I headed to Dongyang Sotbap Ansan Main Branch with my husband~ I had visited before with a friend, so I recommended it and this became my second visit, this time with him~ He was happy with it too! Shall we go on this hearty meal date at Dongyang Sotbap together?

• Location: 11 Yesuldaehak-ro, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do
• Hours: Daily 10:00–22:40
• Parking: Not available

I arrived before my husband and looked over the dishes on the banner outside while deciding what to eat~ I wanted to feed my husband the Eel Special Sotbap to cheer him up, but it is limited to just 10 a day, so I was not sure we would get it~

As you would expect from a popular spot, Dongyang Sotbap had a waiting board at the entrance. Luckily, there was no wait when we visited, so we could go straight in~

The restaurant felt bright and clean, and I loved the wide-open city view through the floor-to-ceiling windows~

Wow~ It has a top hygiene rating, which was so reassuring! Dongyang Sotbap also says VIP guests get a free birthday meal—I wonder how often you have to come to become a VIP~ Since the sotbap is cooked to order, people on a tight schedule should check the timing. There is also a Naver receipt-review event underway, so keep that in mind!!!

You can order and pay directly from the Kiosk machine at your table~ It also explains how to enjoy the food properly, so it is worth reading~

There is also a stamp event: collect 10 stamps and receive one main dish free. If you come often, make sure to collect them~ If you have a specific allergy, let the staff know before ordering so you can dine safely.

Ordering eel special and abalone sotbap

The menu had a variety of sotbap dishes, sides, and drinks~ The sides were very reasonably priced, so they seemed easy to add whenever pot rice alone feels a little lacking. We ordered four things: Eel Special Sotbap, Abalone Sotbap, Dongyang Pork Cutlet, and Oriental Salad~ I had worried that the Eel Special Sotbap would be sold out, but although it is limited to 10 servings, it was still available—perhaps because at ₩22,900, it is the priciest sotbap on the menu and does not get ordered as often.

The self-service bar had three kinds of basic side dishes, so you can help yourself~ There was also scorched-rice tea and cold water, so choose whatever you prefer.

Wet wipes and napkins were set out beside the self-service bar too, so just take what you need~ The Polo mints are nice to take one each on your way out after the meal, to freshen your mouth.

Once all our food arrived, I took some photos before really digging in~ It was so colorful and pretty that it almost felt too nice to eat~!!!

What the sides and pot rice tasted like

I started with the Oriental Salad~ The salad in its large bowl was more generous than I expected, which I loved. The sweet tomatoes, tangy Oriental dressing, and crisp vegetables worked beautifully together, making it just right as a pre-meal appetizer!!!

The pork cutlet had thick meat and a crisp coating, so it was delicious~ Its tangy yet mellow old-fashioned Korean-style sauce went really well with it.

The Eel Special Sotbap looked well worth its ₩22,900 price~ I was happy with the generous scrambled egg and plump grilled eel piled over the pot rice.

The Abalone Sotbap came loaded with abalone, shiitake mushrooms, and scallions~ With four abalones on top, it felt thoroughly satisfying for ₩16,900!!!

They said they would give us abalone innards sauce if we asked, so I requested it right away~ It was savory, nutty, and full of umami. Add a little to the rice at a time and the Abalone Sotbap tastes twice as good, so I definitely recommend requesting the innards sauce when you order it~

The miyeok-guk (seaweed soup) had crispy, nutty little bites of shrimp, while the seaweed had a pleasantly springy texture~ The broth was refreshing and clean too, and my husband especially loved it. Since refills were available, he even got another bowl!

The eel was tender yet pleasantly chewy, which was really appealing~ A tiny bit of wasabi made it fragrant and so clean-tasting.

The rice had a lovely nutty aroma, making me think they use good-quality rice~ It was so delicious with pickled ginger and wasabi—fresh and nutty at once. Wrap it in gim (roasted seaweed) too; the salty, nutty combination is delicious, so give it a try~

The Abalone Sotbap had wonderful umami and texture from the chewy shiitake mushrooms and abalone~ Topping it with shredded pickled chili peppers made it spicy and refreshed the palate beautifully. Add the nutty innards sauce and the umami and richness are doubled, so you really have to try it!!!

My husband was especially crazy about the braised beans~ They were nutty and delicious, so he went back to the self-service bar for two more helpings. I loved how soft and nutty the burdock root in them was~ It looked just like banana chips, which was so funny haha.

After we finished the eel, the pork cutlet filled the empty spot in the eel rice bowl~ The nutty egg strips and crisp pork cutlet went so well together. Eating it this way, it was basically a pork-cutlet rice bowl of its own~ haha.

The salted squid had dried radish and garlic in it, giving it lots of different textures and a lovely salty flavor~ The combination of chewy salted squid and tender, springy abalone was great too. The pot rice itself had pleasantly sticky yet firm grains, so we scraped up every last bit!!! Thanks to the eel and abalone sotbap, it felt like we had enjoyed restorative food in one simple bowl~ If you are looking for a meal with friends, a date spot, or an easy restaurant for dining alone, I recommend Dongyang Sotbap Ansan Main Branch!!!