Ayeosu in Gangnam: Spicy Seafood Stew & Shrimp
Ayeosu
The food posts on this blog aren't really from a "foodie blog" perspective since there are a lot of things I can't eat; I'm just sharing places I personally like. (I have zero expertise.) One of those foods I can't eat is hongeo (fermented skate). Back in college, a senior bought some for me, and hearing it was expensive, I gobbled it down—only to swear it off forever after that. So it's a huge surprise that I ended up eating hongeo here without even realizing it. To be exact, I didn't eat the fish itself, but it was used like a seasoning. I had no idea that tiny amount could give the broth such a deep, spicy kick that makes you want to drink endless amounts of soju. (A dull-palated person like me can't smell the hongeo at all at this level.)
The stew takes a long time to come out, so I planned to eat the ganjang-saewu (soy sauce marinated shrimp) as an appetizer. But they served them together, so I ended up filling my stomach with side dishes for no reason. I think asking them to serve the soy sauce shrimp first makes it flow perfectly, like a course meal.
Sometimes the owner throws in a massive amount of blue crab or other seafood, saying they have a lot left over. At first, you cheer at the mountain of seafood, but the moment you take a shot of soju and taste the broth, the spicy depth leaves you speechless. One thing to watch out for is not letting the heat get too high and boiling it down too fast. If the broth reduces too much, that refreshing soup becomes incredibly salty. (Of course, if you tell the owner, they'll revive it to some extent, but it's never as good as the first taste.) I'm just an average guy who thinks fast food can be gourmet, so I don't really know what authentic Namdo (southern province) food is—I can only guess the general vibe. (How would I know when I've never even been to the southern provinces?) Still, tasting the stew at Ayeosu makes me wonder, "Is this pretty good for Namdo food?" Of course, I'd love to go try the real thing myself someday.
I rarely ever have to wait in line to eat here. However, if you have more than four people—meaning you need two tables—a reservation is essential. On weekends, if you're really, really lucky (like when business is slow and they have leftover ingredients), you might get a literal mountain of blue crabs.