Miyeongine: The Best Mackerel Sashimi in Jeju
I can finally write a post about Miyeongine. I always just got takeout, so I never had a chance to take proper photos. But thanks to the kids visiting, I sat down to eat their mackerel sashimi for the first time.
If Seogwipo in Jeju is famous for cutlassfish, the Moseulpo area is famous for mackerel and yellowtail. The wind here is so strong that it used to be called "Mot-sseul-po" (useless port) and didn't have many people, but they say the mackerel catch is great and delicious. Even though Jeju is a small island, the north, south, east, and west all have their own unique characteristics.
Anyway, even in Moseulpo where mackerel is abundant, Miyeongine is considered the absolute best for mackerel sashimi. The reason is that the seasoned sushi rice and marinated vegetables served alongside it pair perfectly with the mackerel. The surrounding restaurants sell similar versions and even give you more side dishes, but personally, I feel they're lacking something. The other restaurants around Moseulpo Port near Miyeongine are known for yellowtail, so it's better to come for that in the winter.
It depends on the time of day, but you usually have to wait in line for a very long time. If there are more than 10 people ahead of you when you get your waiting number, expect it to take well over 30 minutes. Therefore, if you grab a light bite of steamed seafood at Glagla Hawaii (which I posted about before—one seafood dish for 3-4 people) and come back, the timing is usually just right. If you have a big appetite, order a 'large' size for four people; if you can't eat much at once, a 'small' is just right.
Finally, the side dishes and mackerel sashimi come out. It doesn't take too long for the sashimi to be served. Following the instructions on the wall, I tried it once with ssamjang (dipping sauce), and after that, I ate it by wrapping various things in seaweed. They don't give you that many side dishes for the price, but every single one pairs incredibly well with the mackerel.
The mackerel soup can be a bit polarizing, and it wasn't for me. It tastes similar to siraegi-guk (dried radish green soup), and since I don't like this type of soup, I only had a little taste and stopped eating. It has a perilla seed aroma, but surprisingly, they say there are no perilla seeds in it. People who like it love it enough to instantly down a bottle of soju with it, so I recommend trying it and praying it suits your taste.
You have to wait a long time, but if you've toured Sanbangsan Mountain, Yongmeori Coast, and Songaksan Mountain, you absolutely must come to Moseulpo and eat Miyeongine's mackerel sashimi. If it's winter, you'll need to eat yellowtail nearby too, so you should stay for at least two nights. If you also have the Hawaiian steamed seafood at Glagla Hawaii, you won't even need to visit another neighborhood just for the food. The only flaw is that the nearby hotels aren't great, but it's easy to catch a taxi or a designated driver to the Jungmun area, so don't worry and head to Moseulpo Port for dinner.
Oh, one thing to note: it's so popular that even though they say they're open until 10 PM, you might not even be able to get on the waitlist after 8 PM, so keep a close eye on the time.
