Aged sea bream and amberjack at a Sinsa sashimi bar: Parang Haenyeojip

Parang Haenyeojip (파랑해녀집) Sinsa Direct Store is an aged sashimi restaurant on Gangnam-daero 160-gil in Gangnam, Seoul. I had the small mixed aged sashimi platter with amberjack, mullet, sea bream, salmon and amberjack belly. The sea bream was especially memorable, and I even enjoyed the amberjack with no fishy taste. You also get seaweed soup, seaweed stems, gim and perilla leaves on the side. It's a good option when you're looking for a sashimi get-together or dinner near Sinsa Station and Garosu-gil.

Do you think sashimi tastes about the same wherever you eat it? This time I went with my older sister to Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store, a well-known Sinsa raw fish restaurant, and afterwards we both raved about it. Haha! The sea bream in particular was honestly the best sashimi of my life!

I'm from Jeju, so I've eaten a fair amount of sashimi, and having this kind after a long time felt extra welcome. It suited my taste, since I like white fish, and even though I don't usually go for oily fish, I enjoyed the amberjack too.

What comes in the small aged sashimi platter at Parang Haenyeojip?

At Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store, we ordered the small mixed aged sashimi platter. One plate came with amberjack, mullet, sea bream, salmon and amberjack belly, so we could taste a good variety.

The sashimi was neatly arranged and lovely to look at, and trying one of each kind just melted in my mouth, ㅠㅠ

With sashimi, texture and flavor matter most to me. Right from the first bite I was satisfied, and my sister and I kept saying how good it was. When you're choosing a Sinsa raw fish restaurant, the menu lineup matters too, right? This mixed platter lets you enjoy several kinds at once, so it was great for two people to share.

Sea bream sashimi that impressed a Jeju local

The most memorable item on the platter was definitely the sea bream. I usually like white fish, and the sea bream's texture and flavor were especially impressive. After one piece, I understood why sea bream is considered such good sashimi.

Even though I've had plenty of chances to eat sashimi as a Jeju local, this was a piece I genuinely found delicious after a long time. My sister raved about it the moment she tried it. I lost count of how many times we said "so good." Haha!

If you care about the taste of the fish itself when choosing among Sinsa sashimi restaurants, I hope you'll try the sea bream. Of course, tastes differ, but by my standards the sea bream that day was definitely a standout.

Amberjack with no fishy taste, even for a white-fish fan

Honestly, I like white fish better, so I don't usually seek out amberjack.

But the amberjack I had at Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store that day had no fishy taste at all, and I really enjoyed it. I liked its rich, nutty flavor, and being able to try the amberjack belly too made it even more satisfying.

If you've hesitated over amberjack because of the smell or taste of oily fish, this may be worth a try when you want a variety of sashimi. Going from sea bream to amberjack, mullet and salmon, I never got tired of one flavor and kept reaching for more. Isn't that the charm of a mixed aged sashimi platter? ◡̈

Seaweed soup, gim and more: what sides come with the sashimi?

At Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store, seaweed stems, seaweed and warm seaweed soup come as standard, and they gave us tea instead of water. This basic setting was almost as memorable as the sashimi itself.

The seaweed soup was clean and tasty, a nice way to start the meal. I also liked that they serve tea instead of plain water. It felt like they'd thought about even these small details.

The gim (dried seaweed) that came with the sashimi was really good too! You can put sashimi on the gim or pair it with a perilla leaf for a different combo each time. I liked the gim so much that I kept eating it with the sashimi.

The sashimi plate itself was neatly put together too, with shredded radish laid underneath. It looked clean and I was happy with it the whole meal.

Is Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store good for groups?

The restaurant felt clean overall, and with flexible table arrangements it looked fine for group gatherings.

The tables can be arranged flexibly depending on the situation, so it looked fine for groups of several people too.

They even show the ocean on a screen, such a nice touch,,, It was comfortable for a meal with my sister, and it seemed like a good fit for meeting friends or a dinner after work.

If you're looking for an aged sashimi restaurant near Sinsa Station and Garosu-gil, Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store is worth putting on your list.

Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store location and opening hours

• Name: Parang Haenyeojip Sinsa Direct Store (파랑해녀집 신사직영점)
• Address: 1F, 19 Gangnam-daero 160-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Public transport: about 401 m from Sinsa Station Exit 8
• Hours: Sun–Thu 16:00–01:30 (next day) / Fri–Sat 16:00–02:00 (next day)
• Parking: please check with the restaurant about valet parking before visiting.

※ Please check the latest restaurant information for hours and details before you visit.

Next time I go to Parang Haenyeojip, I want to start with the sea bream again. One more best sashimi of my life added to the list. Haha! What about you: are you a white fish person like sea bream, or a rich, nutty fish person like amberjack?