Joy of Eel Dish, Drunk in Fragrance of Spring

When an island becomes part of the mainland, a fisherman becomes a farmer, as well. That is not always true. In Island Kyehwa, which is no longer an island contrary to the perception from the name, Kim Soo-chul, owner of a Korean sashimi restaurant, remains as a "seaman." He is the only resident on the "island," who still goes out every day in the sea to catch fish. He serves customers with sashimi from the fish he himself catches. His restaurant is famous for cheap, but excellent and fresh dishes. Byunsan is about to become another "Island Kyehwa." To taste the clams caught there, drop by Byunsan Spa Hut.

Eels no longer live in the Youngsan River. But the taste still lives there. Exactly at the Myungsan Eel Restaurant located on the way to a lake in Mooahn. A grandchild has grown up and grills eels, a job his grandfather and father did. Please wait a little until arrival at Youngahm. There, you will enjoy the handsome octopus cuisine at Dongnak Restaurant, whose octopus and cutlass fish soup will refresh you top to bottom. Talking about Haenam, have to count in Daehung Temple. The temple calls for a visit to an inn sitting next to a stream running at the foot of the temple`s fence. It is the Korean traditional inn named Yoosun-Kwon, which serves with breakfast and dinner mingling well into the solemn surroundings.

The typical dinner table in southern Korea is experienced at Jonggah Restaurant located in Chungjah Gol, Kangjin. So many dishes are put on the dinner table that it seems as if about to collapse. Nonetheless, naturally feel like having fish near the sea, isn`t it? A strong local fish, which is called "Jomdong fish" hopping over the sand bank, makes a handsome dinner for you. Donghae Restaurant grills it or makes a stew of it. Byungyoung sits deep into the heart of Kangjin. It is also called Hamel village since Hamel from Netherlands once lived here. Want to try a traditional country dinner table? Go visit Sulsung Restaurant. It`s the dinner your grandma did for you.

Nam-do(meaning southern areas in Korea) is well known for quality food and services offered at drivers restaurants. Jinil Restaurant located near Seungju IC is famous for its rice set menu that comes with about a dozen of side dishes. At the center there is a hot Kimchi soup.

Ilpum Mae-u Restaurant boasts its specialty of grilled beef. The owner of the restaurant is a daughter-in-law from the Hong Family, who raise plum trees nearby. They also took over the cow raising business and have been feeding their cows with plum fodders. That is the secret of fresh and delicious beef the restaurant offers. Its beef tastes like tuna sushi.

Mt. Baekun located in Gwangyang area is well known for black goat barbecue. Maehwa Garden treats visitors with barbecued black goat, goose meat and chicken. Daetongbap Restaurant serves a bamboo bowl of rice. To make that special kind of rice, they use green tea and bamboo juice instead of water to steam rice with glutinous and black rice.

Namwon Saejip boasts its 44 years of history of serving loach soups. It uses only fresh loaches, which can also be served as raw and fried fish. Shin Restaurant in Damyang offers delicious barbecued beef-rib. They rid bone of beef rib and grill the seasoned meat over a charcoal fire. It is just delicious. Those who want to have beef rip soups must be there before the noon.

Cho Sung-ha, summer@donga.com