Suwon mackerel sashimi set, 29,000 won: Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda

My husband and I were trying to figure out what to eat, and since it had been a while, we wanted grilled fish, so we headed to Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch. I usually like grilled mackerel, but I'd never had mackerel sashimi before, so I decided to give it a try this time.

I was a little worried at first — eating mackerel raw seemed like it might taste fishy. But once I actually tried it, I realized I'd been worrying for nothing.

What comes in the premium set at Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda, and how much is it?

At Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch, we ordered the myeongpum jeongsik (premium set). It's normally ₩32,000, but there was a discount when we visited, so we got it for ₩29,000.

The set comes with mackerel sashimi, grilled mackerel, grilled atka mackerel, and stir-fried pork all together, which is great if you'd rather sample a bit of everything instead of committing to just one dish.

Once the table was set, with sashimi, grilled fish, and pork all laid out, it was more generous than I expected. My husband, who loves fish, said the lineup was pretty good too.

First time eating mackerel sashimi — is it fishy?

What I was most curious about that day at Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch was, of course, the mackerel sashimi. Right up until the first bite I was thinking, 'What if it's fishy?' But once I tried it, that worry disappeared completely.

The texture was chewy but not tough — it got softer the more I chewed. Most importantly, that distinct mackerel smell I was worried about was barely noticeable, so even as a first-timer, I enjoyed it.

I only meant to try one piece, but it suited my taste more than expected, so after that my chopsticks just kept going back for more. If you've been hesitant to try mackerel sashimi, you might end up thinking, like me, 'Huh, this is better than I thought.'

Wood-fired grilled mackerel and grilled atka mackerel

The mackerel sashimi was great, but the fish grilled in the wood-fired oven at Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch really suited my taste too. Both the mackerel and the atka mackerel were golden and crisp on the outside while staying moist inside.

Picking the flesh off with chopsticks and laying it over rice really brought out that savory flavor.

I especially love the crisped-up skin, and eating it with rice is pure bliss. Grilling fish at home means dealing with the smell, opening windows, scrubbing the pan afterward — it's a whole ordeal. So coming to a spot like this well-known for grilled fish in Suwon and having it served perfectly cooked made it taste even better.

Eating the stir-fried pork in between was nice too — it broke up the meal so it wasn't just fish, fish, fish, with a good change of flavor.

Self-bar side dishes, and nurungji to finish

There's a self-bar set up on one side of Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch, so any side dish we ran low on we could go grab more of, as much as we wanted. Not having to flag down staff every time was convenient too.

And what I was happiest to see was the nurungji (scorched rice). I love nurungji, so even though I was already pretty full, I couldn't just walk past it.

Finishing with a warm bowl of nurungji felt like it reset my palate after all the fish — a perfect way to wrap up the meal.

How big is the Suwon restaurant, and do you need a reservation?

Godeungeo Myeongpumi Doeda Suwon Branch turned out to be much bigger than I expected.

There are plenty of tables and a well-set-up separate waiting area, so it's a good spot for a family meal or bringing your parents along.

Even with all that space, there were quite a lot of customers when we visited. It seems to be a popular Homaesil spot, so waiting during meal hours seemed pretty much a given.

You can reserve ahead through Catch Table, so if you're visiting on a weekend or during lunch or dinner hours, I'd recommend booking first.

My first mackerel sashimi was delicious, and being able to try wood-fired mackerel, atka mackerel, and stir-fried pork all at once made me glad we went with the myeongpum jeongsik. I'd recommend this set to anyone who loves grilled fish, and especially to anyone who's been curious about trying mackerel sashimi at least once, since you get to enjoy several dishes together.