Amberjack, salmon, flatfish platter with cider at a Jeonpo, Busan

I want to introduce Rigo Susan (리고수산), a spot with the looks, the mood, and the taste to make the drinks go down smoothly. Instead of the heavy feel of a traditional sashimi bar, it has the modern, sleek vibe that twenty-somethings love, so it works great as a date course or a hangout with friends.

How far is it from Jeonpo Station Exit 8?

Rigo Susan is about a 2–3 minute walk from Jeonpo Station Exit 8, once you head into the alley. It sits right in the middle of the popular Jeonpo Sai-gil alley, so it's easy to find and the flow works great whether it's your first stop or your second.

What we ordered — mixed aged sashimi and cider

Rigo Susan's signature dish is the mixed aged sashimi set, made by aging fresh live fish. Depending on preference, you can also order just one fish — flatfish, salmon, tuna, and so on. Looking around, a lot of people were ordering live raw shrimp. Anyway, time to order!

I really wanted soju with the mixed sashimi platter, but since I'd driven, I ordered cider instead — done!

A staff member brought us caramel popcorn. I don't usually buy popcorn unless I'm at the movies, so it was a treat to have it again — so good. While we were happily munching away, the banchan (side dishes) showed up!

A spread of 8+ banchan

A full spread of 8+ banchan gets laid out on the table. It was so pretty my jaw dropped. Honestly this banchan alone could take down a bottle of soju. At this rate we'll be full before the sashimi even arrives.

California roll, plump shrimp, okonomiyaki, corn salad, wrap vegetables, seaweed, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), aged kimchi, fried squid and sweet potato, cold udon, and seasoned squid all came out. Every single one was delicious, and I dug in with gusto. The cold udon, tteokbokki, and California roll especially had me wanting more.

But the mixed sashimi platter was still ahead of us, so I had to leave some room and not fill up completely!!!!

The mixed sashimi platter — amberjack, salmon, flatfish

Finally, the star of the show arrived: the mixed sashimi platter. Ta-daaa~~~~!!

Amberjack, salmon, and flatfish sashimi came out, along with sushi rice and sprouts. It looked so picture-perfect I almost couldn't bring myself to touch it — the banchan had the same problem, and now the main event too. Hard to disturb something this pretty. But I had to taste it!!!!

Amberjack: chewy and rich

I mixed a generous amount of wasabi into the soy sauce, stirred it, and dipped a piece of amberjack lightly. The more you chew, the more its umami and dense, chewy texture shine through. I also tried it wrapped with seasoned squid vegetables — just as good.

Flatfish, stacked two or three pieces in a wrap

Next, I loaded up two pieces each of flatfish and amberjack onto a lettuce wrap and ate it in one satisfying bite. So, so good. Zero fishy taste, with a subtle, natural sweetness and chewy texture that builds the more you chew. I especially love flatfish among sashimi, and I was hoping for thick cuts, but the flatfish was quite thin this time, so I stacked two or three pieces together. Still tasted great, so no complaints!!

Salmon wrapped in seaweed, finished off with shrimp

I put a piece of salmon on seaweed, added a sprout, and wrapped it up — the rich fat gives it a savory sweetness! The texture is so soft it melts the moment it hits your tongue. I also tried topping sushi rice with wasabi and two pieces of flatfish, but I was too busy eating to snap a photo!! Haha, it went missing.

I was too busy eating to give the shrimp much attention. As the finale, I peeled the plump shrimp and dipped it in chojang (vinegared chili sauce). As always, the flavor you already know is the scariest — unbelievably good.

The vibe and the seating

It's a trendy, mood-filled space that's comfortable enough for a date or a hangout with friends. The tables are spaced generously, never cramped, and even with a lot of customers around, it stayed quiet — which I liked even more.

Review event

Write a Naver review and get a taste of mulhoe (cold raw fish soup); write a Catch Table review and get spicy fish stew. You can apparently do both, so keep that in mind.

Why I'd recommend Rigo Susan Jeonpo Station Main Branch

• Insanely photogenic even for a clumsy photographer
• A generous spread of banchan
• Chewy, mouth-coating aged sashimi flavor
• The hip Jeonpo alley atmosphere

I fell for Rigo Susan in Jeonpo-dong twice over — first for the table-breaking spread of banchan, then again for the chewy aged sashimi and its picture-perfect looks. It's right near Jeonpo Station too, so if you're ever in the area, don't overthink it — just head to Rigo Susan. I hear the live shrimp is famous here, so I'm planning to go back just for that. Soju next time for sure!!!