Seonsa Bokjip
선사복집
About
20-year pufferfish specialist in Amsa serving refined fugu sashimi, grilled fugu, and clear broth fugu jjim with fresh daily catch.
# Seonsa Bokjip: Twenty Years of Pufferfish Mastery in Gangdong Tucked near Amsa Station, Seonsa Bokjip has spent more than two decades perfecting the art of pufferfish cuisine—a pursuit that demands both precision and reverence. The owner holds a pufferfish-preparation license dating to 1999, a credential that reflects the specialized knowledge required to transform this delicate, venomous fish into nourishment. The restaurant's C-course tasting unfolds methodically. Bokssashimi arrives as a revelation: translucent slices so thin they seem barely present, arranged to resemble snow falling on pine boughs—a composition that demands a moment of appreciation before eating. The bokkkigis (pufferfish grilled meat) comes layered with mushrooms and minari, then tableside into a caramelized glaze that intensifies without overwhelming the meat's subtle resilience. Bokjiri (pufferfish broth) arrives with its signature clarity—a pale broth simmered until concentrated, releasing umami while retaining an almost medicinal freshness. The stock thickens with beansprouts and minari added mid-meal, each vegetable maintaining its texture and contributing its own brightness to the increasingly complex broth. Fried pufferfish arrives golden and tender, the flesh maintaining its distinctive firmness even when battered. A vegetable porridge closes the meal, infused with the same broth, providing comfort without heaviness. The sideboard speaks to kitchen discipline: pufferfish-skin vinegar salad, perilla kimchi, marinated radish. Even the rice portion, though modest at two-thirds full, feels intentional—a restaurant that respects appetite over excess. The space feels established without pretension. Aquariums display living pufferfish; private rooms accommodate groups. Staff move with the calm of people who have performed these rituals hundreds of times. This is cooking as craft, not performance. Pufferfish's legendary delicacy—its lack of fishiness, its mineral clarity—translates here into food that leaves you satisfied but unburdened, warm from within.
Menu
- Fugu Sashimi
- Fugu Bulgogi₩20,000
- Fugu Jjim (Clear Broth)
- Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
- Monkfish Dishes
- C-Course
- Fugu Bulgogi Set₩20,000
- Fugu Porridge₩2,000
- Seasonal Fugu Set (1 pax)₩25,000
- Fugu Boiled Slices
- Fugu Tempura
- Fugu Skin Seasoned
Local tips
- Owner holds fugu chef license since 1999 — only qualified chefs can prep pufferfish
- Book ahead for fresh catch specials; sashimi presentation is sculptural
- Halal-certified if dining with Muslim guests
- Private rooms available for group entertaining
- Try C-course for full tasting menu experience
Details
Opening hours
- Sunday
- 10:00–23:00
- Monday
- 10:00–23:00
- Tuesday
- 10:00–23:00
- Wednesday
- 10:00–23:00
- Thursday
- 10:00–23:00
- Friday
- 10:00–23:00
- Saturday
- 10:00–23:00