A Taste of the Fresh Sea at Choongmoojip

By Han Sang-hee

Staff Reporter

The weather has finally given in to the sun, hinting at a bit of spring here and there. For those looking for fresh spring dishes, visit Chungmujip and try out the restaurant's specialty: flounder wormwood soup (12,000 won), sea squirt bibimpab and the hard-boiled scabbard (10,000 won). The soup and bibimbap can be ordered together, which is 15,000 won.

With simple tables and rooms and the quite bubbly owner, guests can taste special seafood dishes from Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.

As soon as we placed our order, the waitress brought several side dishes, including kimchi, seasoned wild rocambole, boiled pumpkin leaves and pan boiled anchovies. The simple dishes were fresh and tasty, not overwhelming and perfect as appetizers.

Then came the large pot of hard-boiled scabbard, which was placed on the small stove placed onto the table. With two large pieces of the fish, green onions and the soft radish, the dish was scrumptious. The sweet and tasteful soy sauce complimented the whole steamy dish, which would have been great with even just hot steamy rice.

Then came the large bowls of sea squirt bibimbap. The sea squirts were sliced into small pieces and was made into a salted form, also known as ``jeotgal.''

With hot rice, the sea squirts, and a sprinkle of chopped dried seaweed, sesame seeds, fresh sprouts and sesame oil, it was like the salty fresh sea was somehow brought into the small, white bowl. For some, jeotgal may seem a bit strange, as it tends to have a peculiar scent and taste, hard to find from any other seafood, but once you get used to it, there really is nothing like it.