Some Korean meals are planned. Others just happen after a game of golf.
This one started on a golf course with old friends and ended around a table in Suwon, covered with dishes from Korea’s southwestern coast, and more bottles than we had planned.
An Early Start on a Perfect Autumn Day
Autumn is one of the best seasons for golf in Korea. The air is cool, the sky is clear, and everyone seems to want to be outside.
That was exactly the problem. We left at 5:40 in the morning, but with so many people heading out of the city, it took us more than two hours to reach Balius CC.
We finished our round and arrived at the restaurant around 3 p.m.
In Korea, a round of golf with friends often doesn’t end at the last hole. Many groups stop somewhere afterward to eat and drink together, and the meal can last longer than the game.
That afternoon, the four of us went to Mihyang (미향), a restaurant in Suwon that serves Namdo jeongsik.
What Is Namdo Jeongsik?
Namdo (남도) refers to the southern part of Jeolla Province, on Korea’s southwestern coast. Koreans often call the region the home of Korea’s best food, thanks to its fertile plains and rich seafood.
Jeongsik (정식) means a set meal. A Namdo jeongsik is a table filled with many small dishes served together, often far more than you expect.
The owner of Mihyang is from Mokpo, a port city in South Jeolla, and you could taste it. Every dish had the deep, well-seasoned flavor that Koreans associate with Namdo cooking.
The Table
The dishes kept coming:
- A sashimi platter with several kinds of fish and fresh abalone, beautifully arranged
- Ganjang-gejang (간장게장), raw crab marinated in soy sauce
- Nakji sukhoe (낙지숙회), octopus lightly blanched and cut into bite-sized pieces
- Jeon (전), fish and meat pan-fried in egg batter
- And many small side dishes: seasoned vegetables, braised eggplant, seaweed, and more
Hongeo Samhap: The Dish That Tests Visitors
The most memorable dish for any visitor would be hongeo samhap (홍어삼합).
Hongeo is skate, and in this dish it is served fermented. As it ferments, it develops a strong ammonia smell that can reach your nose before the food reaches your mouth. Even many Koreans find it challenging. In the Namdo region, though, it is a prized dish served at celebrations.
Samhap means “three together.” You eat a slice of fermented skate with a slice of boiled pork belly and a piece of aged kimchi, all in one bite. The rich pork and the sour kimchi balance the sharp flavor of the skate.
The hongeo here was moderately fermented, strong enough to announce itself but not overwhelming.
I’ll be honest: I enjoy hongeo, but I never eat it at home. Once you do, the smell can linger in the house for three or four days.
The first time I tried it, I wondered why anyone would eat this. But that is the strange thing about hongeo. Not long after you finish, you find yourself wanting it again.
We also had hongeo-ae (홍어애), skate liver, served on a perilla leaf. It was exceptionally fresh, with a rich, smooth texture and a wonderfully nutty flavor. Unlike fermented skate, it had none of the sharp ammonia character. It was a striking reminder of how different the same fish can taste depending on how it is prepared.
Somaek in the Afternoon
We started with somaek (소맥), a popular Korean combination of soju and beer. But as the meal went on, the beer made us feel too full, so we switched to drinking soju on its own.
Starting at 3 p.m. felt relaxed at first. But the dishes kept coming, the conversation kept going, and so did the drinks. By the end, the four of us had finished six bottles of soju and nine bottles of beer. That was far from moderate.
We had driven to the golf course that morning, so none of us drove home. Like many Koreans after a drinking session, we called a daeri unjeon (대리운전), a designated driver service. A driver comes to you, gets behind the wheel of your own car, and takes you and your car home.
What It Cost
The food for four people came to ₩240,000 (about US$180), or ₩60,000 (about US$45) per person (October 2026). Drinks were not included in this amount.
It is not a cheap meal, but for a table this full, with sashimi, hongeo samhap, raw crab, and a long line of side dishes, it felt like a feast worth sharing.
We also paid ₩65,000 (about US$49) for a designated driver to take us and our car home after the meal.
Dollar amounts are approximate and depend on the exchange rate.
Good to Know
- Namdo jeongsik is meant to be shared. Expect many small dishes, and come hungry.
- Try hongeo in small bites. If it’s your first time, eat it as samhap with pork and kimchi. The other flavors soften the strong smell.
- Don’t miss the hongeo-ae if it’s served. Fresh skate liver tastes nothing like fermented skate. It’s rich and nutty, and much easier for first-timers.
- Somaek goes down easily. Over a long meal, the drinks add up fast. Eat well and drink water between rounds.
- Never drive after drinking. In Korea, you can call a daeri unjeon (대리운전), a designated driver who drives you home in your own car. It’s widely used, though most services take calls through Korean apps, so ask the restaurant staff for help.
- Plan for autumn traffic. On clear autumn weekends, roads out of Seoul fill up early. Leave earlier than you think you need to.
🐯 Hodong’s Little Note
Golf was the reason we got up before sunrise, but I think all four of us knew the real plan was the table afterward. Old friends, a Mokpo owner’s cooking, and an afternoon with nowhere else to be.
I felt the somaek the next day. Still, I would happily do it all again, maybe with a few fewer bottles.
No comments:
Post a Comment