NamAe Hoejib in Gangneung, Gangwon-do, is a raw fish restaurant that deals with natural seafood

Gangneung is a city located in the eastern part of South Korea, belonging to Gangwon Province. Situated along the beautiful East Coast, it opens up to the east with the East Sea and nearby coastal areas. Gangneung is known for its natural landscapes and cultural charm.

Key Features and Landmarks:

Gyeongpo Beach and Gyeongpo Lake (경포대): One of Gangneung’s representative attractions, Gyeongpo Beach and the accompanying Gyeongpo Lake are located on the coastal line. Gyeongpo Lake, along with its beautiful white sandy beach, enhances the natural scenery.

Jeongdongjin Sunrise Park (정동진 열차마을): Famous for its sunrise views, Jeongdongjin is situated on the East Coast and is renowned for the unique sight of a train running along the seashore towards the beach. Jeongdongjin Sunrise Park is a place where you can explore the history and witness breathtaking sunrises.

Local Cuisine and Markets: Gangneung is well-known for a variety of seafood, especially fresh raw fish dishes (hwe/회) and delicious soy sauce marinated crab (ganjang gejang). Local markets offer a chance to purchase regional specialties and fresh seafood.

Gangneung is a city where nature and culture harmonize, providing travelers with diverse attractions while enjoying the beautiful coastal scenery along the East Sea

Natural Seafood Restaurant in Gangneung, Gangwon Province

Encountered in Gangneung, NamAe Hoejib is a seafood restaurant that exclusively deals with natural seafood. While I often come across natural seafood options elsewhere, finding a restaurant that prioritizes natural ingredients in an offsite location like this was a rare experience.

Article and Photos by: Mink

When I think of NamAe Hoejib, the picturesque NamAe Harbor comes to mind. With a background in geography during my school days, including co-authoring travel books under a travel guru, I am quite familiar with various locations in our country.

Now, a humble brag. 😄

✅ Business Hours:

Closed every Sunday

5:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Working just five hours straight. It’s nice, isn’t it? However, considering preparation and closing times, they probably work longer.

The restaurant is located at 2218, Kyunggang-ro, 1st floor, Gangneung, NamAe Hoejib, a favorite spot of both the owner of our business partner and a long-time friend.

Choose between beef and raw fish, and since I was undecided, I went with their recommendation!

NamAe Hoejib is one of the few seafood restaurants in Gangneung that exclusively handles natural seafood.

Menu prices at NamAe Hoejib in Gangneung:

Assorted Natural Seafood: Starting from 80,000 KRW
Flounder, Stone Flounder: Starting from 80,000 KRW
Grilled Flounder, Raw Fish Rice Bowl, Fish Soup: Prices vary
Other menu items may include options like Rockfish, Flatfish, Stone Flounder, with offerings that may change based on the availability of natural seafood

✅ Menu Prices:

Assorted Natural Seafood: KRW 80,000 and up

Flounder, Stone Flounder: KRW 80,000 and up

Options like grilled flounder, raw fish rice bowl, and fish soup may seem limited, but the charm lies in the fact that it’s a Gangneung natural seafood restaurant.

Oh, they exclusively handle natural seafood. Rockfish, flatfish, stone flounder, and they seem to get different types of natural seafood regularly.

Before the raw fish is served, they prepare a table with about 7-8 side dishes.

A bit late, but thanks to the owner, a long-time friend, for preparing a delicious table with a warm welcome.

I had consumed a significant amount of soju that day, nearly 8 bottles among three people. I contributed with 2 bottles, so I exceeded my usual drinking capacity.

Photos of the basic side dishes at NamAe Hoejib in Gangneung

The appetizers were tasty, causing an overindulgence in alcohol. I can hardly remember how I managed to handle it.

Various dishes, including conch and octopus sashimi, were not bad overall, representing the Gangneung-style seafood restaurant.

Grilled flounder and buckwheat pancakes were excellent. I love grilled flounder, but due to the distance, I rarely get to taste it. That was a bit disappointing.

Corn on the cob, sushi, a salad complemented with black sesame sauce, and seaweed soup followed.

I planned to have the famous flounder seaweed soup at Yeottae Gwang Sikdang the next morning, but of course, I ended up having it here again. Please refer to my Yeottae Gwang Sikdang post.

The photo of natural flatfish sashimi

Most of the interior is in a sitting style, and they also have separate rooms. Nowadays, I prefer open spaces over enclosed rooms. Maybe it’s an age where being confined feels stifling?

Just having a drink in a spacious place like this is perfect.

It was around 6 PM, just after opening, so there were few customers.

Sushi is probably also natural, right? I didn’t ask, but the natural sashimi sushi had a different feeling from the start.

Continuing with the visuals of the Gangneung seafood restaurant, they presented the whole head of a fish.

Wow, they displayed the whole fish head, a symbol of the freshness of natural seafood. It was somewhat repulsive but also made me feel a bit sorry.

However, the quality in each bite of the sashimi conveyed the freshness of the East Sea and the small, tender texture of the seafood directly into my mouth.

The eye of the fish looks pitiful.

Attention to pregnant women and the elderly. Even those with kind hearts, be cautious.

I also felt a bit sorry. Am I still kind-hearted?

Depending on my mood, sometimes the dipping sauce comes first, and other times it’s the wasabi soy sauce.

I can’t tell. I just go with the flow.

On this day, any choice of sashimi would have been good.

Still, thinking about health, I tried to befriend as many vegetables as possible.

Wild parsley or real parsley… I’m still weak on my knowledge of vegetable varieties. When will I study vegetables? Sigh…

Leftover sashimi on lettuce leaves.

Korean-style Spicy Hot Pot

By this time, everyone was full except for one person.

The owner who invited me was the most full. Haha. Thanks to him, I was less full.

I drank a lot on that day.

Do you happen to know my drinking capacity? I had almost two bottles of soju.

But then, I had two more glasses of beer for the second round. I don’t remember how I managed it. Haha.

Spicy soup that I would regret not eating.

The broth was really intense and not just spicy and hot.

The unique taste of the broth pouring from the natural seafood was indeed different!

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