Mokpo City is a gourmet city that declared itself as the 'Capital of Taste' for the first time in Korea in 2019. Mokpo, where the South Sea and the Yeongsan River meet, and where the sea and inland areas converge, gathers all kinds of seafood freshly caught from the clean southern sea and mudflats. It is said that 'Mokpo 9mi(味)', which is made with local specialties including well-known octopus, skate, croaker, crab, mackerel, flatfish, eel, blackmouth angler, and rockfish, is excellent. Therefore, I decided to taste all of Mokpo's 9mi, and today, I am heading out to eat a table full of croaker, which is in season!

As soon as you step into 'Croaker Street', you can see a row of croaker specialty restaurants. It seems like they have been there for quite a while, and the traces of time are noticeable. Among them, I headed to a restaurant that has been serving croaker since 1969. Judging from the dedicated parking lot and the waiting room, it seemed to be a popular restaurant with a lot of waiting customers during peak seasons. As I saw various plaques such as 'Mokpo's Best Restaurant', 'Home of Mokpo's Gourmet Master', and '30-Year Old Local Restaurant Certificate', I was convinced.

Ah! There's a reason why it has been in this spot since 1969. There's a reason why it has kept its place for a long time!

Croaker has been considered a 'luxury fish' that commoners couldn't easily eat since ancient times, and it is said that the best time to eat it is from June to October. The croaker is mostly eaten raw due to its chewy and sweet texture. Unlike other regions, Mokpo is known for serving not only raw fish but also seasoned raw fish, pancakes, spicy soup, skin, stomach, belly, fins, etc. in abundance. In particular, it is said that the croaker caught near Imjado Island in Mokpo is the best product. The croaker is so big that it is called 'the whale of freshwater fish', and there's nothing to throw away from this big fish except for the scales and fins! That's why, here in Mokpo, the croaker specialty restaurants have 'Croaker Course Meal' on their menus. There's no reason not to choose a course meal where you can eat raw fish, seasoned raw fish, pancake, and spicy soup at once. Let's get it started!

The croaker course starts! Fresh vegetables for wraps and various sauces come out with sliced raw croaker, stomach, and skin. The stomach of the croaker is so valuable that it is said to be worth 900 nyang when the croaker is worth 1,000 nyang. Donguibogam, the best medical book in the East, also records that 'croaker tastes good and is not poisonous, and its stomach cures tetanus'. It is said that the taste and nutrition of the croaker's stomach were so excellent that it was considered precious since ancient times.

After enjoying the chewy and smooth sliced raw croaker of the right thickness and the delicacy of the stomach and skin for a while, the sour and sweet seasoned raw croaker and delicious croaker pancake come out next. The fantastic taste continues without a break!

The last course of the croaker course, the spicy croaker soup, comes out just when you start to crave for a hot and spicy soup after enjoying the taste of croaker. Croaker soup is especially known as the best food to overcome the summer heat. Croaker is one of the fishes that is easily digested and absorbed, so it is good for promoting the growth of children and recovering the health of the elderly and patients who have been seriously ill. The gelatin and chondroitin in the stomach of the croaker prevent aging and give elasticity to the skin. It is also recommended as a good food for postpartum care in oriental medicine because it stimulates the appetite of those who don't have an appetite. How great this health food is!

After eating the croaker from the sliced raw fish to the soup, I felt revitalized and energized! Of course, you can eat sliced raw fish or spicy soup as a single dish, but if you visit Mokpo, I strongly recommend this croaker course meal where you can taste various croaker dishes at a reasonable price! There are many croaker specialty restaurants designated as 'Best Restaurants' or 'Model Restaurants' in Mokpo. Most of them were selling croaker course meals at similar prices and compositions, and I could meet many locals and tourists enjoying croaker with drinks from the somewhat early opening hours. Since the ingredients themselves are fresh and of good quality, I dare to speculate that it will be delicious wherever you eat... I will introduce a few 'Top Restaurants' and 'Model Restaurants' in Mokpo where you can enjoy croaker dishes.

[ Restaurants where you can eat sliced raw croaker ]

✔ Top Restaurant [As of 2024]

- Manho Udal Restaurant / 46 Bunhwa-ro, Mokpo / 061-242-8025

- Yeongran Restaurant / 42-1 Bunhwa-ro / 061-243-7311

- Jungang Restaurant / 44-1 Bunhwa-ro / 061-242-5040

- Cheongja Restaurant / 13-2 Sugang-ro / 061-242-0633

- Pung-eogwan / 106-5 Samhyangcheon-ro / 061-285-2988

- Yongdanggol / 2 Yeongsan-ro 282beon-gil / 061-272-5673

✔ Model Restaurant [As of 2024]

- Myeongji Restaurant / 98 Hadangnam-ro / 061-284-1001

- Yeongran Restaurant / 42-1 Bunhwa-ro / 061-243-7311

- Podowon Restaurant / 41 Bunhwa-ro / 061-245-3755