Eel 2-person set near Sagajeong Station: Cheonsangae Jangeoga

Summer's winding down, but eel, being so good for you, is honestly delicious any time of year, right?? Today I want to introduce an eel restaurant called Cheonsangae Jangeoga. I found it while scoping out spots in my new neighborhood, and it seemed like the kind of place that does a lot of community giveback activities, so I got curious! I was also craving eel, so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone and visit.

The side dishes that surprised me right away

This place had a lot of banchan (side dishes) I'd never seen before as standard fare — wild ginseng cultured root, seolhwa mushroom, Tongyeong salted oysters (eoriguljeot)?! I've never seen a spread this varied and generous before,,

What comes in the 2-person set

• Eel for 2
• Wild ginseng cultured root
• Seolhwa mushroom
• Tongyeong salted oysters
• 2 pieces of sushi rice
• Soybean stew
• 2 roasted potatoes
• Nurungji (scorched rice) soup

That was the whole spread!! I also learned for the first time that these side dishes go really well with eel, and I ate so well and so happily. So let's get into the actual review :)

The atmosphere and room seating

The restaurant looked really clean, and since there's no step at the entrance, walking in felt easier too.

Once inside, the hall is mostly set up with 4-person tables, and further in there's a room designed for group parties. The room has its own separate air conditioner, so it shouldn't get hot even in the peak of summer. It seemed like a good spot for gatherings like 60th birthday parties or family get-togethers.

The self-service corner, the domestic charcoal room, and the restrooms were all impressively clean. (They'd labeled the restroom a "rest room" haha, and inside they even had mouthwash and hair ties all ready to go ㅠㅜ)

Charcoal-grilled Seolhwa Samsan freshwater eel, 2-person set

What I ordered was the charcoal-grilled Seolhwa Samsan freshwater eel, 2-person set!! The composition of the 2-person set was so unique and great. I'd never seen wild ginseng root or seolhwa mushroom given as sides before, but this was also my first time at an eel place that grills you potatoes and finishes with nurungji. The menu name is a bit long, but there's a reason for it! Let me introduce the basic side dishes. They gave a whole plate of wild ginseng cultured root, in the same generous amount as the other sides ㅠㅜㅠ so touched,,

The seolhwa mushroom that came on top of the eel! This was my first time eating this kind of mushroom too — grilled and cooled slightly before eating, it was surprisingly crispy and nutty. They grill it diligently over domestic charcoal!

You don't have to grill it yourself

A staff member stayed right beside our table grilling the whole time,, it's really great that I didn't have to grill it myself,,

My eel, grilled golden brown in no time :) Even lined up neatly in a row — and it was ready!

Salted oysters, sushi rice, and soybean stew

Around the time the eel finished grilling, the salted oysters (eoriguljeot) came out along with sushi rice and soybean stew — the oyster jeotgal,, I honestly wanted to buy some if they sold it,, The soybean stew leaned more spicy and fiery than a typical doenjang.

With so many side dishes, I could enjoy the eel in a bunch of different combos without ever getting tired of it! Eating it with the mushroom, dipping it in eel sauce with the wild ginseng root — I kept eating trying to figure out which combo was the tastiest haha.

Roasted potatoes buried in the coals, and the nurungji soup finale

I felt like I was about to burst, but it wasn't over yet — two potatoes were hiding in the charcoal. The potatoes were roasted so fluffy that dipping them in salt made me want to eat them even while they were still too hot to handle haha.

By the time I finished the potatoes I was so full, but it still wasn't over,, the nurungji soup was left. Eating the nurungji soup together with the salted oysters that had come with the sushi rice was seriously so good!!!! I ended up eating it all until I'd scraped the bowl completely clean, believe it or not?!

Why I'd recommend it for a family gathering

I visited as part of a sponsored campaign, but it was such a good experience that I almost felt bad about it when I went to pay the owner — it was that good of a restaurant! It's really well set up for family gatherings too, and with such a generous, thoughtful spread, I strongly, strongly recommend giving it a visit at least once !!! :)