Hwaseong aged sashimi restaurant, soy sauce and fish stew: Mulgogijari

What kind of sashimi restaurant is Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch?

Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch (물고기자리 화성점) is a sashimi restaurant in Namyang, Hwaseong, near Hwaseong City Hall. It serves "live aged sashimi": fresh live fish prepared that day, then aged at low temperature. My husband and I love sashimi (he's a total sashimi killer), so we went after hearing it was good.

I used to think sashimi tastes about the same wherever you eat it, but my husband, the one with the perfect palate, says not all sashimi is the same. Some is especially sweet (meaning it practically sticks to your mouth, I guess?).

Fresh live fish prepared the same day, aged at low temperature: live aged sashimi [Mulgogijari]

Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch location, hours and parking

Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch is near Hwaseong City Hall, at 1st floor, 10-17 Yeokgoldong-ro, Namyang-eup, Manse-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi, South Korea. It is open daily 16:30 to 23:00, last order at 21:30, and closed on Sundays.

See the Mulgogijari sign on the side of the building? There's a big open lot beside it, prepared for visitors, so you can come easily. There's parking by the entrance too.

Can you see it? "Un-lim-it-ed re-fills!" But what exactly is aged sashimi?

Unlike live fish sashimi, which is cut and eaten right after the catch, aged sashimi is prepared fish kept at a low temperature of about 0–5℃ for a set time before eating. It's a process of refrigerated aging for as long as the fish tastes best.

What is the atmosphere like at Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch?

The restaurant is decorated with rattan pendant lights and wooden tables, so it feels cozy and spacious, and it looked good for family meals or company dinners. The entrance, filled with plants, puts a smile on your face.

The first thing I noticed inside was the soft lighting. Rattan pendant lights hang at even intervals, which gives the whole place a warm, comfortable feel.

Wooden tables and chairs were neatly arranged. It didn't feel cramped but looked spacious, so I thought it would suit a family meal or a company dinner. When we arrived, there were already guests who looked like they were out for a family meal.

What we ordered at Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch

We ordered two omakase-style refill courses at ₩40,000 per person, plus a seodeori-tang (fish-head stew) for ₩10,000.

The difference between the sea bream aged sashimi and the omakase-style aged sashimi is whether sea bream or a mixed platter comes out. The mixed aged platter is reportedly available after 8pm. We looked over the menu,

and browsed it with the air of sashimi experts.

Then the table was neatly set.

What makes Mulgogijari's house sashimi soy sauce different?

The house sashimi soy sauce at Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch is said to be made with 30-odd ingredients, including bonito flakes (katsuobushi) and kelp, boiled and cooled repeatedly for over 6 hours. While waiting for the food, we got our sauce ready.

Neighbors, you should keep an eye on this soy sauce.

Now that's real soy sauce flavor!

It reportedly cuts the salt while lifting the flavor of the aged sashimi.

What comes with the omakase-style refill course?

At Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch, the omakase-style refill course brings out mae-saengi-juk (seaweed porridge), sashimi salad, abalone, sea squirt (meongge), butter-grilled corn, onion and sweet potato tempura, fried sea bream head and sashimi sushi in order, and then the main live aged sashimi arrives.

Maesaengi-juk (seaweed porridge) and sashimi salad

The seaweed porridge came first. A faint scent of the sea. I took a spoonful: soft and warm. Oh~~!!

Honey, have some too. It will gently wake up your appetite before the aged sashimi.

The flashy main dishes matter, but even a small dish that starts the meal like this shows care and thoughtfulness. (I like this place~~!!)

Next came the sashimi salad. Fresh sashimi cut into bite-size pieces, sprinkled with nutty sesame seeds, plus crunchy sprouts. Thick yet tender~!! The more you chew, the more natural umami~!!

Now I'm even more excited for the aged sashimi!

Abalone and sea squirt

Chewy yet tender abalone

and sea squirt, with a crunchy bite and faint sweetness,

was a treat that went well with the aged sashimi.

My husband loves sea squirt. Eating it all by himself, is that allowed or not?

Tempura, fried sea bream head and sashimi sushi

Can onion tempura really be this good? The sweet potato tempura was good too.

The fried sea bream head had nutty, rich flesh. And sashimi sushi too~~ Eating all this generously prepared food,

How does the live aged sashimi taste at Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch?

The main dish at Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch, the omakase-style live aged sashimi (for 2, unlimited refills), was glossy and came with several cuts, each with its own texture and flavor. Perhaps thanks to the aging, the umami felt deep.

The main dish, the live aged sashimi, has arrived.

It's glistening, and the look alone is something special.

You can try various cuts, and each has a different chew and flavor.

I think the deeper umami probably comes from the aging process.

I can see why so many people look for aged sashimi.

See how the two kinds of sashimi have different sheens? Eat the leaner one on the left first, then the one on the right.

I tried it with wasabi on top.

Neighbors, can you imagine the taste of aged sashimi?

Is the seodeori-tang (fish-head stew) worth ordering?

The seodeori-tang at Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch costs ₩10,000, and the broth was spicy yet refreshing. You'd regret skipping it! It's fun picking the meat off the bones~^^

How much sashimi can you eat on the refill course?

We took one refill of the live aged sashimi, and got a plate the same size as the first. Another full one seemed like too much~~

Boss, please don't fill the whole plate, just a third!

If you love sashimi, I think you must visit Mulgogijari Hwaseong Branch.

With someone you love, watching that person enjoy the food,

you get to share a happy time too. If you're ever near Hwaseong Namyang City Hall, I recommend having dinner at Mulgogijari.