Imone Haemul Bossam: Top Seafood & Soju in Gyodae
I quit my job near Gyodae (Seoul National University of Education), but strangely, I keep ending up with plans here. I guess I just can't escape this place.
Today I was treated to a meal, and thanks to an older friend with excellent taste in drinking spots, I discovered a really great restaurant. To get straight to the point, this place has an "Owner's Menu" (chef's choice), and that's exactly what you need to order. Since I didn't foot the bill this time, I'm not entirely sure of the exact price, but I heard it was around 90,000 KRW. It's smart to ask before you order.
As the sign on the window proudly states, they bring in seasonal live catches, which explains why the seafood is so good. On the flip side, I personally wasn't a fan of their soup dishes, so if you're craving a good broth, I recommend quickly moving on to a second spot. There aren't many tables, so you might have to wait, and it can get pretty loud with conversations from the next table. But on the bright side, it gives off a cozy pojangmacha (street tent bar) vibe where you can drink heavily in a small group.
There's a notice saying they don't accept tables that don't order alcohol, which is probably where they make their profit. Given the cramped space and the fact that it's not really a dinner-only atmosphere, I completely understand. Our drinking master for the night—a regular here—ordered the off-menu "Owner's Menu." It takes a little while to come out since it includes a variety of seafood, but they serve side dishes so you can start passing the soju glasses around. We were happily throwing back soju with bean sprout soup and fish cakes until the main dish arrived.
I don't know if it's my body or the oysters, but I often get an upset stomach when I eat oysters in Seoul. So when a massive oyster appeared right in the middle of the plate, I was a bit worried, but I felt completely fine the next day. Whether they have great turnover or just source really high-quality oysters, they get a thumbs up for this alone. I don't know much about sashimi, so I couldn't tell you what was what, but to this Seoul city boy's palate, nothing was fishy and it all tasted fantastic. The server gave us a brief explanation when bringing it out, but I was already pretty drunk on soju, so it went in one ear and out the other. I should probably rename my blog to "The Blog with No Focus and No Knowledge."
Our group grew from three to four people, so the portion ended up being a little lacking. Personally, I think it's the perfect amount for three guys. You can tell this place is loved by folks from the countryside looking for a proper seafood joint—everyone around us was speaking in their regional dialects and drinking heavily.
We were still a bit hungry after that, so we ordered steamed scallops and ramen, but the broth wasn't as refreshing as I'd hoped. Everyone's tastes are different, so some might enjoy it, but if you're like me and might find it a bit underwhelming, I'd suggest sticking mostly to the sashimi. After all, the signature dishes here are sashimi and bossam (boiled pork wraps).
Surprisingly, there aren't many good seafood spots in the Gangnam area. There are some famous tuna restaurants, but regular sashimi places are usually just okay. In a neighborhood like Gangnam, Imone Haemul Bossam is one of the top places to get quality seafood—as long as you can handle the wait and the tight space.