Yeongdeok Hwae sikdang

To make one of the best delicacies of the winter, guamegi, this restaurant dries herring or billfish in the ocean air. In the process, the fish freeze and melt over and over. Its taste and smell are very distinct, which people either love or hate. There’s actually a good number of “guamegi manics” who are addicted to it. Yeongdeok Hwae Sikdang, which is famous for its guamegi, is located in Chungmuro. The restaurant is small and shows the wear and tear of its 28 years of existence. But even if I visit at the early hour of 3:30pm, half the tables are full. When you order guamegi, you get side dishes of parboiled seaweed, dashima (kelp) and garlic. The guamegi they sell here are dried in an effective manner and thanks to that, it doesn’t taste that fishy. Their sauce is absolutely delicious as well. They made their own red pepper paste, which makes it completely different from other sauces. They make guamegi until January and vacuum pack them for storage. So, even in the summer, guamegi lovers still get their guamegi from here—but of course, it’s best during the winter.