Clean, mild loach soup on a cool day in Milyang: Ilpum Irojeong

Why loach soup at Ilpum Irojeong on a cool day in Milyang

Ilpum Irojeong (일품 이로정) is a Korean restaurant on Baekmin-ro in Milyang, a good pick when you want to properly try loach soup (chueotang, a hearty mudfish soup). In Milyang, familiar dishes like pork and rice soup (dwaeji-gukbap) or Milyang noodles (milmyeon) are great, but as the weather gets cooler there's one dish I always start craving: loach soup that warms you from the inside. This time I visited Ilpum Irojeong, and it turned out to be a great place for exactly that.

I think loach soup has a different charm from simply pouring hot broth over rice. The depth of the broth, the nutty flavor of the loach and the vegetables that go in with it make the taste vary quite a lot from place to place. At Ilpum Irojeong, a subtle nutty aroma rose up from the very first spoonful, and I liked that the flavor wasn't overwhelming.

Does Ilpum Irojeong's loach soup broth have a strong smell?

The loach soup at Ilpum Irojeong tasted clean overall, and it wasn't the spicy or salty, in-your-face style. People tend to be divided on loach soup because of its distinctive smell, but here the broth came across as clean.

Because it isn't overly spicy or salty, it was comfortable to eat from start to finish.

A spoonful of broth is nutty and rich, and when you add rice, the broth and rice blend together naturally. The deep loach flavor is still there, but it doesn't leave a heavy, muddy aftertaste, so my spoon kept going back in.

Above all, I think loach soup is at its best when it's hot. Stirring rice into the warm broth and eating it spoonful by spoonful really fills you up all the way through.

How to eat chueotang: broth first, then add rice

At Ilpum Irojeong, taste the broth on its own first, then stir in the rice little by little, and you get to enjoy two different stages of flavor. I recommend not adding lots of seasoning at the start, so you can taste the soup as it is.

One reason I love loach soup is that it tastes different as broth alone and once rice is mixed in. Start by savoring the broth itself, then add rice a little at a time, and the nutty broth soaks between the grains and turns into a much richer taste.

You can also add side seasonings to your liking for yet another flavor. Adjusting the seasoning yourself is part of the fun with loach soup, so I'd suggest enjoying its natural taste first rather than adding a lot of seasoning right away.

I also liked that the broth stayed warm for a good while during the meal. It didn't feel like grabbing a quick bite on a busy lunch break; it felt like a proper meal, slowly enjoying warm broth and rice.

Who is Ilpum Irojeong's loach soup best for on a Milyang trip?

The loach soup at Ilpum Irojeong suits people who like Yeongnam-style loach soup or rich, nutty rice-soup meals. It's also a good stop for a family meal after sightseeing at places like Yeongnamnu Pavilion in Milyang.

Milyang has all kinds of food, but on a trip it's nice to try something the region has loved for a long time. In that sense, I felt Ilpum Irojeong's loach soup is a dish that lets you really feel Milyang's food culture.

If you like the appeal of the loach soup people enjoy in the Yeongnam region, I think you'll be very satisfied. It's also a great fit for anyone who loves a rich, nutty broth or a hot, filling rice-soup style meal.

A bowl of loach soup isn't a flashy dish, but oddly, it's one that stays in your memory after you eat it. If you're tired of intense flavors and want a hearty meal with a bowl of warm broth, you'll probably find yourself craving it even more.

If you're planning a Milyang trip and wondering what to eat after sights like Yeongnamnu, try a bowl of loach soup at Ilpum Irojeong this time. With its nutty broth and a filling bowl of rice, it suits a family meal and anyone looking for a proper meal in Milyang.

Personally, I think the biggest charm of loach soup is how filling it feels afterward. Thanks to its deep, non-spicy broth, I enjoyed Ilpum Irojeong to the very last spoonful. On a day in Milyang when you're craving loach soup, it's worth remembering as a place to visit at least once.