Suwon Homaesil eel rice bowl lunch, almost no bones: 99Jangeo88

Summer was winding down, and since it was a rare chance to meet up with a friend, I wanted a lunch that felt heartier than usual. While figuring out what to eat and catching up on things we hadn't talked about in a while, we decided to go all in and get some eel for good health. That's how we ended up at 99Jangeo88 Suwon Homaesil Branch (99장어88 수원호매실본점), a freshwater eel spot known around Suwon Homaesil.

I usually think of eel as something you grill, but that day we unexpectedly ended up with an eel rice bowl instead. The owner had mixed us up with a different group of reviewers and prepared the eel rice bowl instead of what was originally planned. We only realized after the food arrived, which was a bit of a surprise, but it meant we got to properly try a dish we hadn't planned on.

Where is 99Jangeo88 Suwon Homaesil Branch, and where do you park?

99Jangeo88 Suwon Homaesil Branch is located in Homaesil-dong, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon, and there's a big 99Jangeo88 sign out front that's easy to spot once you're nearby. We drove, and were able to use the building's basement parking — there was signage for the restaurant right at the parking entrance too, so we didn't get lost. The parking entrance had a height limit of 2.3m marked.

Inside 99Jangeo88: atmosphere and seating

There were more tables inside than it looked like from outside. Thanks to the wood-toned tables and warm lighting, it didn't feel heavy or old-fashioned the way you might expect from an eel specialty restaurant.

It felt comfortable for a casual hangout like ours, and the tables were shaped well for larger groups too — I could easily picture it being used for Homaesil-dong get-togethers or family meals. The staff handled everything we needed during the meal without any issues. That said, it's not a huge restaurant, so I imagine it could get a little crowded during peak meal times.

The menu at 99Jangeo88 and the regular eel rice bowl

Looking at the 99Jangeo88 menu, there was quite a variety — salt-grilled and seasoned-grilled freshwater eel, eel rice bowl, eel soup, and spicy fish stew.

We had the regular eel rice bowl.

After a short wait, the whole eel rice bowl setting arrived. I thought it would just be one bowl, but once it was on the table, it filled up quite a lot of space.

Bite-sized pieces of eel were laid neatly over the rice, and it came with soup, egg custard, fried food, chive salad, and more. Sitting across from my friend, we both said "there's more than I expected" and dug in.

How did the eel rice bowl taste, and were there bones?

What I was most curious about that day was, of course, how the eel would taste.

Taking a bite, the sweet-savory sauce coated the eel well, and the flesh was so soft it almost broke apart slightly. What I liked most was that I barely noticed any bones while eating, which made it really comfortable. Eel can sometimes make you eat cautiously because of the bones, but this rice bowl had none of that hassle — I could scoop it up with the rice using a spoon with no trouble.

Under the yellow-tinted rice was a layer of seaweed with the eel on top, and the part where the sauce had soaked slightly into the rice was delicious too.

Eating a piece of eel together with the rice, the sweet-savory flavors blended together naturally.

Adding a bit of shredded ginger or wasabi in between bites gave a different flavor to enjoy. That said, the sauce itself leans sweet and salty, so if you prefer plain grilled eel, it might taste a bit rich depending on your preference.

Side dishes with the eel rice bowl: seasoned chives, fried squid, steamed egg

Among the side dishes that came with the eel rice bowl, I kept reaching for the chive salad. Pairing the seasoned chives with the eel added a crunchy texture, so it wasn't just one flavor the whole way through.

There was also golden fried squid, crispy on the outside with squid inside, which my friend and I each tried a piece of. It had a completely different texture from the eel, making it good for a bite in between.

The egg custard topped with shrimp and mushrooms was soft, and came with broth we spooned up now and then between bites of eel. I'd only planned on the eel rice bowl at first, but with all the side dishes too, it truly turned into the fully filling lunch the title promises.

Next visit to 99Jangeo88: grilled freshwater eel

A different dish than planned turned this into an unexpected eel rice bowl experience, but that ended up making it a memorable lunch. What stuck with me most was the sweet-savory sauce I love, the soft eel, and how the bones never got in the way, so I could eat comfortably with the rice. It also suited catching up with a friend after a while, as a good pick for restoring energy at the tail end of summer.

One thing I regretted was not getting to try the dish we'd originally planned. So next time I meet a friend around Homaesil and get a craving for eel, I want to try the grilled freshwater eel myself.

If you're looking for a Suwon Homaesil eel restaurant and want something simpler than grilled eel in a single bowl, check out the eel rice bowl at 99Jangeo88 too. If you're the type who likes to eat eel and rice together heartily like I do, it should make for a pretty filling meal.

Meeting a friend after a while to recharge at summer's end, we ran into an unexpected eel rice bowl instead — but left full and happy thanks to the sweet-savory sauce and soft eel. A Homaesil lunch worth remembering.