This post was written in 2008. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
Seongbuk-dong is an upscale residential neighborhood. Like Azabu-Juban in Tokyo, it seems the kind of place that should have plenty of hidden gems. It wasn’t in the plan, but I ended up at Biyangdo, a Japanese restaurant that’s apparently doing really well around here. Honestly, Japanese restaurants in Korea are a bit risky. Korean-style Japanese food is tuned to Korean tastes, so it’s a long way from the real thing, and the freshness of the fish is different too.
I arrived a little uneasy, but it turned out to be a surprisingly neat, tidy restaurant.
A staff member was waiting for us outside. The rooms are in the style of a hanjeongsik (Korean table d’hôte) restaurant. Each room is well partitioned, so you can eat in peace. Perfect for the neighborhood ladies’ gye (savings club) get-togethers.
Looking at the menu, it’s pretty reasonable. I went for the cheapest course, 50,000 won.
The basic table setting
There are hashioki, chopstick rests. That’s a Japanese touch ^_^ It’s obvious when you think about it, but I’ve hardly ever seen them in Korea.
Soup
It’s a Japanese restaurant, yet instead of chawanmushi they bring out soup. I had a hunch from this point on, but honestly this place is less a Japanese restaurant than a neat seafood specialty restaurant.
Heobeok-ju, a Jeju specialty
It’s 35 percent alcohol. Straight it’s a bit strong, so I had it on the rocks. It tastes a lot like Japanese shochu. I don’t love the slightly harsh aftertaste, but for a Korean traditional liquor, this is well made. For food pairing, Japanese food and soju don’t really go together, but young people would never be happy with bland Japanese sake. (Not that I’m sure I still count as young..) If anything it livened up the mood.
Sashimi salad
If there’d been rice, it would have been great mixed up with it ^_^ But then there’d be no point in eating a course meal.
Heobeok-ju on the rocks
The taste and aroma are both decent. They say the better the shochu, the better it is as mizuwari (with water), since that brings out the aroma. Mizuwari might have been better than on the rocks, but it’s not an izakaya or a shochu bar, so no need to fuss over details that fine.
The basic side dishes
The tableware, too, is fusion Korean rather than Japanese.
The main event, the sashimi, arrives.
The tuna was thawed badly. The texture is a mess. The sea bream and flounder seem to have been aged too long. I couldn’t taste any freshness. I suppose it can’t be helped when they prepare the food in big batches ahead of time. Still, it’s not inedible, just the average level of Japanese food you can get in Korea. Maybe a bit better than average.. The abalone was a nice touch. Ah.. but at this level, is there really any need to fly it in directly from Jeju Island? Couldn’t you just go to Noryangjin market?
One more platter
Very generous for a 50,000-won course. The chewy boiled octopus dipped in wasabi sauce was delicious. Now that’s proper Japanese food ^_^ The amaebi (sweet shrimp) came out firm, not mushy. The sea squirt was fresh, and the whelk was fine too. The one at the back seems to be hairtail sashimi, but the taste was just so-so..
Grilled mero (Chilean sea bass).
All the fat has been cooked out. One look tells you it’s a completely Korean-style dish. It tastes fine whatever country it’s from, so I don’t really mind..
Nakji-tang (long-arm octopus soup)
Refreshing and tasty. It’s already quite a lot of food. I’m starting to get full. But I can’t show any weakness.
Tteokgalbi
From here on it goes fully fusion. The rice cake was tastier than the galbi, but it’s too much to finish it all.
Shrimp tempura
I don’t like mayonnaise sauce, so I stopped after a few pieces. Most people would probably like it. The ingredients are good, but the frying skill is lacking. Korean standard, as expected.
White fish, I think..
The things I ate later on are getting hazy in my memory.
Albap (flying fish roe rice)
Very ordinary. I wouldn’t have missed it if it hadn’t come.
Jiri (clear fish soup)
The broth is clean and refreshing. Having finished with jiri, it feels more like an upscale sashimi house than a Japanese restaurant. Maybe I’m just too picky about food..
Strawberries for dessert
Whatever the course, dessert is a must~
Sujeonggwa (chilled cinnamon-ginger punch)
A place that kept us satisfied right to the end. It was a pleasant evening. The food fell a little short for a place aimed at gourmets, but it’s somewhere anyone can come and enjoy a relaxed meal. I can see why the neighborhood ladies love it so much. Next time, though, I’d like to go to a real Japanese restaurant. Or a real sashimi house.