Live flounder sashimi with aged-style chew, Magongnaru: Singsing Hoe

Why I stopped at Singsing Hoe on my way home from work in Magongnaru

Singsing Hoe Susan Sijang Magongnaru Station Direct Branch (싱싱회 수산시장 마곡나루역 직영점) is a raw fish restaurant near Magongnaru Station, with a clean exterior and a blue sign you can spot from far away. I was walking past Magongnaru Station on my way home from work not long ago, and this place caught my eye even from a distance.

On top of that, maybe because the weather was so nice, the people on the outdoor terrace enjoying sashimi and soju in the breeze looked so happy... Totally spellbound, I got pulled in at 7 pm on a Wednesday. This is Singsing Hoe Susan Sijang Magongnaru Station Direct Branch.

What are the basic side dishes at Singsing Hoe?

As soon as you sit down, Singsing Hoe Susan Sijang Magongnaru Station Direct Branch brings out basic side dishes such as aged kimchi and salad. This is the spread they set down the moment we sat.

The basics weren't just there to fill the table. Both the aged kimchi and the salad were really tasty.

Flounder and olive flounder signature sashimi platter: price and skidashi sides

The signature mixed sashimi, the restaurant's flagship, was the flounder + olive flounder combo at ₩49,000, and I chose the version that comes with skidashi (side dishes served alongside sashimi). The outdoor tables were full, so we took a window seat and ordered the signature platter. On the kiosk at the table you can choose your set. The flounder and olive flounder combo was ₩49,000, and I picked the one with skidashi!

The skidashi lineup was so generous I couldn't pass it up.

• Volcano earthenware steamed egg
• Corn cheese
• Rice with fish roe
• 2 pieces of grilled king oyster mushroom
• 2 fried shrimp

If you skip the skidashi, the sashimi platter is cheaper.

After-work somaek in a chilled glass

Singsing Hoe keeps its glasses chilled in the fridge, which made my after-work somaek (soju mixed with beer) even more refreshing. The days are getting longer and it was still bright out, and a cold somaek at a 1:1.5 ratio tasted sweet. I really loved that they keep the glasses chilled. It's no exaggeration to say that decides how the beer tastes.

How did the flounder and olive flounder sashimi taste?

The flounder + olive flounder platter at Singsing Hoe was live fish, yet it was chewy and deeply savory like aged sashimi. Finally the main event, the flounder + olive flounder platter, arrived. It was glossy and shiny, passing the looks test right away.

I picked up a piece with an excited heart, and huh?! It was definitely springy, but it clung to my mouth with a sticky chew, with the same deep flavor as the well-aged sashimi an izakaya serves one or two pieces per person on a plate!

The texture and savory depth were so good that I kept marveling the whole meal. The freshness of live fish plus that chewy, aged-sashimi density was great dipped in chojang (sweet chili sauce), and with just a little wasabi in soy sauce it melted in my mouth.

"Is this aged sashimi?" I asked the owner

The owner was going from table to table serving and giving tips on how to enjoy the food, like wrapping the sashimi in a perilla leaf, so I quietly asked, "Is this aged sashimi by any chance?" He asked me why I was asking, then laughed and said, "It's definitely live fish!" To get a texture this chewy from live fish, their knife skills must be seriously impressive.

At other tables, people seemed to be ordering maeuntang (spicy fish stew) after finishing their sashimi, but we were so full by the end that we didn't add any.

Magongnaru terrace mood and overall verdict

Singsing Hoe Susan Sijang Magongnaru Station Direct Branch is clean inside, and on an evening that isn't too hot you really get the outdoor-terrace feel. The restaurant was tidy, and on an evening like these days, not hot and with a breeze blowing, the terrace vibe was just right. I'd give it 120 out of 100.

Flounder and olive flounder with a generous spread of skidashi, in this atmosphere, for ₩49,000 is great value too. If you're looking for a place to unwind after work or a good sashimi restaurant near Magongnaru Station, definitely give Singsing Hoe a visit.

How to get to Singsing Hoe Susan Sijang Magongnaru Station Direct Branch

Singsing Hoe Susan Sijang Magongnaru Station Direct Branch is 300 m from Exit 6 of Magongnaru Station, only about a 5-minute walk. There are so many offices around that on weekday evenings, when I ate, it fills up fast with office workers. The exterior is so clean and the sign so noticeable that even people with a bad sense of direction should spot it right away with a map.