On my way to Seoul Brewery I passed by a grilled fish restaurant location in Hannam-Dong. According to my trusty sidekick Google Translate, it’s literally called the “Grilled Fish Restaurant.” I’m not sure how accurate that is, but let’s roll with it.

Since my time in South Korea was running out, I wanted to try something new, and grilled fish sounded appealing. A simple, delicious meal at a small, local restaurant is always enjoyable and this fit the bill.

The menu was straightforward, featuring just a few items. Unfortunately, Google Translate could only make sense of a couple of the items. One item was the mackerel, which is what I went with for a very affordable 2,000 won / $9 USD.

The mackeral came out smoking and crackling in the bit of oil leftover from the pan it was grilled in. You can’t ask for anything fresher or hotter off the grill than this.

The grilled skin was golden, incredibly crispy, with a nice crunch to it. In contrast, the meat was moist and tender, not dried out at all, and perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of salt.

The dipping sauce tasted like a sweeter type of soy sauce on its own. But when mixed with the spiciness of the wasabi and combined with the fish’s saltiness, it created a harmonious blend of flavor. Especially when paired with some rice, these flavors came together beautifully.

At first glance, I didn’t expect this to be enough food, but the meal turned out to be quite filling. Factoring in the banchan dishes and a seawood soup, it turned out to be quite the filling dinner.

Featuring perfectly grilled salted mackerel, The “Grilled Fish Restaurant” was a fantastic discovery, providing a delicious dining experience for one of my last nights in Seoul. I’m grateful to have stumbled upon it!