Jagalchi Market’s 75-Year Tradition: Yeontan Halmae Ggomi-jang-eo Visit Review
Busan Jung District Located at Jagalchihaean-ro 49-1, ’75-Year Tradition Yeontan Halmae Ggomi-jang-eo’ boasts a long history. It operates daily from 8 AM to 2 AM, and the phone number is 051-247-6923. While the establishment claims a 75-year tradition, the sign displayed 78 years during my visit, which was interesting. (You need to search for “75 years” on Naver.)
I visited this place with friends to try ggomi-jang-eo for the first time, choosing it because of its claimed 75-year tradition.
The interior of the restaurant was so packed with customers that it was difficult to take proper interior photos. Customers were seated from the back.
Menu
The basic side dishes provided were generous. Since there were many of us, two plates were served per table. We ordered the half-and-half ggomi-jang-eo and added nakji tangtang-i; the nakji tangtang-i was particularly delicious.
First Ggomi-jang-eo Tasting Review
The seasoned ggomi-jang-eo (spicy stir-fried eel) that came out first looked similar to dakbal (chicken feet), but the seasoning made it less intimidating. However, because it was grilled over an open flame, it had a strong burnt taste and was chewier than dakbal. It wasn’t as special as I had hoped for my first ggomi-jang-eo experience.
The salt-grilled ggomi-jang-eo that followed was less to my taste than the seasoned version. It felt rather bland, so we ended up mixing it with the seasoned ggomi-jang-eo. It wasn’t the “must-visit” restaurant experience I had anticipated, but the texture of the ggomi-jang-eo itself was good. Based on this experience, I plan to try ggomi-jang-eo at other restaurants.
Additional Menu: Nakji Tangtang-i
The nakji tangtang-i (chopped live octopus) we ordered additionally reminded me of san-nakji (live octopus) that I’ve loved since childhood, so I was very satisfied. The tangtang-i served as a basic side dish was also delicious, but it disappeared quickly, so we had no choice but to order more. Overall, the ingredients were fresh, but since my judgment on ggomi-jang-eo is still pending, it’s difficult to definitively call this place a great restaurant. I plan to revise this post after a future revisit.
