Jijunghae Anyang: Blue Ribbon Tuna in Seoksu-dong

Hello! On a chilly day, I visited a tuna spot that is just right with drinks. Because I love sashimi, I have tried quite a few tuna restaurants in Anyang. Jijunghae is one I am genuinely fond of.

The location is in an alley near Seoksu Market. There are so many good places hidden in the alleys around Seoksu Market, and Jijunghae is one of them. There is no dedicated parking, so I use a nearby public parking lot. Hours: 17:00-23:50 Regular closure: Sunday Reservation phone: 031-473-8483 The interior is not very large, so I always call to reserve before visiting.

A counter seat where you can watch the tuna being sliced.

The inner area has spacious, comfortable floor seating. The tables can be joined into a long setup, so if you have a larger group, I recommend the floor-seating area.

I prefer chairs to sitting on the floor, and since I was visiting with family, I reserved table seating. There are only two four-person tables, so if you need one, call ahead and reserve before you go. Because we visited after making a reservation, the spoons and tableware were already set up nicely. Wasabi, minced garlic, radish sprouts, ginger, rakkyo, and danmuji were all served generously. Have you seen a place that gives this much? It makes the meal feel even better.

For the meal, we ordered the "Jung course". Before the food came out, we started by making somaek. Tuna goes well with somaek, soju, and Cheongha, so we began with a cold glass of somaek.

Soft porridge and jangguk soup came out. I usually eat porridge when it is served at a Japanese-style restaurant because it warms the stomach before raw food. The flavor was a little mild, but it tasted good after adding a little soy sauce.

The tuna comes out slightly thawed to a good point. Shari is served with it so you can make sushi yourself. It is delicious on its own, but it was even better with wasabi on top of the shari.

The pieces are cut fairly large, and because they come out just properly thawed, they are neither too hard nor too soft. My favorite combination is the garlic-and-sesame-oil sauce served at the beginning, topped with radish sprouts and wasabi. Please try it this way.

Sip, sip... While drinking somaek, we switched over to soju.

As you are eating, the owner quietly comes by to check on the table.

Then they bring more sliced tuna and carefully refill the cuts we have finished. Such an attentive owner. Every time I come, they are kind and take good care of the table. At tuna restaurants, refills are usually offered at least once, but at Jijunghae, they seem to take care of it before customers even ask. They tell you to say something if it is not enough, but they serve enough that it is hard to be short of anything.

When we were almost finished, grilled items came out. I may have missed some of the side dishes while drinking, but this was definitely tasty.

When it started to feel just a little rich, we ordered one ramen. They brought kimchi with it too. If everyone takes a few bites, the spicy broth cuts through the richness and makes a great finish. I did not order it because I was still hungry; I ordered it because I wanted a spicy broth, and it fit perfectly. I remember Jijunghae because it was the tuna restaurant where I first tried Ilpoom Jinro(?) when I was 20. It has been around a long time, has many regulars, and is also well known as a Blue Ribbon restaurant. If you are looking for a tuna place around Anyang or Seoksu-dong, I fully recommend it.