Pohang Mulhoe

About

Cozy, local spot near Yeongdeungpo Market serving authentic Pohang-style spicy cold raw fish soup and comforting seafood dishes without artificial seasonings.

Tucked along Gukhoe-daero near Yeongdeungpo Market Station, Pohang Mulhoe is an unassuming neighborhood seafood haunt that could easily escape notice. Inside, the space is modest—holding roughly half a dozen four-top tables—where daytime regulars linger over plates of raw fish accompanied by green bottles of soju. Run by an owner hailing from Andong, the kitchen takes a purist approach, prioritizing domestic ingredients, scratch-made banchan, and a strict no-MSG philosophy. The namesake *mulhoe* adheres to true Pohang tradition: rather than floating in a deep flood of icy broth, a generous mountain of sliced raw fish arrives tossed in seasoned chili paste, paired with extra sauce on the side to adjust to taste. Diners can mix in their choice of warm rice or tender somyeon noodles, rounded out by a steaming bowl of seaweed soup. When the weather turns colder, the kitchen transitions smoothly into rustic, comforting seafood classics. The *saeng daegutang* (fresh cod soup) delivers thick, tender cod fillets simmered in a clear, restorative broth layered with bean sprouts, radish, water dropwort, and tofu. For bolder fare, the *gajami jorim* presents braised flounder simmered with thick radish slabs and scallions in a sweet-spicy sauce reduced just enough to spoon over white rice. Other coastal staples grace the menu across the seasons, including braised spicy monkfish (*agujjim*), squid stir-fry, and winter *gwamegi* (semi-dried Pacific saury). Every table begins with an array of thoughtful, home-cooked side dishes, from pickled cucumber and fish cake stir-fry to sweet potato stems and seasoned fermented baby squid (*horegi jeotgal*). These subtle, unadorned flavors anchor the restaurant as a comforting, authentic outpost for East Coast flavors right in the middle of Yeongdeungpo.