Myeolchi House Sadang Branch

About

Cozy retro drinking spot near Sadang Station serving Gijang-style seasoned raw anchovy salad alongside regional makgeolli and boiled pork belly.

Tucked two and a half floors up in the bustling alleys off Sadang Station, Myeolchijip offers an unpretentious refuge framed by warm lighting and yellow window frames overlooking the neighborhood’s neon evening glow. The intimate space channels a rustic, lived-in energy where groups gather around sprawling table spreads and regional brews. The undisputed centerpiece is *myeolchi-hoe-muchim*, starring large raw anchovies sourced from Gijang. Arriving piled high like a mountain, the raw fish is tossed with crisp minari, cabbage, onions, and garlic chives, then finished with a heavy dusting of roasted soybean powder and microgreens. Despite the visible silver scales and delicate bone structure, the fillets are tender, with no intrusive fishiness or sharp bones. Dining etiquette here is ritualistic: stack a sheet of roasted dried laver over a perilla leaf, heap on a generous mound of the seasoned anchovies, and bundle it together. For a heartier course, order the self-service hoe-deopbap bowl to mix the tangy raw anchovy salad directly into rice. To temper the punchy seafood, the kitchen pairs the salad with boiled pork belly (*suyuk*), sliced tender and served alongside sliced garlic, hot peppers, salted shrimp, and radish kimchi. For hot broth, simmering pots of *myeolchi-jjigae* deliver a clean, oceanic counterpoint. A dedicated regional makgeolli lineup anchors the drinks menu, detailing the sweetness, acidity, and body of each bottle—including options like dry, weighty Ureongi Ssal unfiltered rice wine alongside standard staples. With complimentary bowls of dried anchovies and seaweed set down on arrival, it is a focused tavern built for lingering over drinks with close company.