Craving Cutlassfish Sashimi in Crab Alley? Head to Namjin-ne

Mention Bongsan-dong in Yeosu, and soy-marinated crab is the first thing that comes to mind. Crab restaurants line every alley here, enough that the area's known as Crab Alley. The whole alley practically smells of crab seasoning. But tucked inside that same alley is a restaurant that takes cutlassfish (galchi) just as seriously, something only the more curious visitors seem to know about. Namjin-ne Gejang Galchi Myeongga hangs crab and cutlassfish side by side right in its name. What the restaurant is known for is catching its own cutlassfish, which lets it serve fresh cutlassfish sashimi year-round. Sudal, who's been swimming these Yeosu waters for 50 years, is here to introduce this spot that covers both crab and cutlassfish inside Crab Alley.

Right in the Middle of Crab Alley, the Cutlassfish Sashimi Stands Out First

Walk past this restaurant while making your way through Bongsan-dong's Crab Alley, and one thing catches your eye first: filleted cutlassfish laid out neatly inside the shop. Cutlassfish has soft flesh and is tricky to prepare, so it's usually hard to enjoy as sashimi all year round — getting good-quality cutlassfish regardless of season isn't easy. But because this restaurant catches its own cutlassfish, it's known for being able to serve fresh cutlassfish sashimi twelve months a year. Getting to try cutlassfish sashimi on top of a crab meal is, by most accounts, the biggest reason people seek this place out. Laying the fillets out like this is also the restaurant's way of showing, at a glance, that the day's cutlassfish is fresh.

The main dishes are cutlassfish sashimi and grilled fresh cutlassfish. Cutlassfish sashimi is typically sliced thin enough that the silvery skin barely shows through, and it melts softly in your mouth in a way that sets it apart from other white-fish sashimi. The grilled version uses a whole cutlassfish with just the right amount of fat, coming out crisp on the outside while the flesh inside stays moist and flaky. Try the sashimi first for its softness, then the grilled version for its savory char, and you've essentially tasted the same fish twice, two different ways.

Pick a Set Menu, or Get It All in One Course

The menu splits roughly into three tracks. The crab set menu brings soy-marinated crab, spicy marinated crab, and braised cutlassfish all to the table together. You go back and forth between the salty soy crab and the sweet-spicy marinated crab, working through your rice, then finish with the braised cutlassfish. The sashimi set menu adds cutlassfish sashimi salad into the mix, so there's the added fun of mixing tangy, dressed cutlassfish sashimi into your rice. Being able to get cutlassfish as sashimi, as a salad, and as a braise, all on one menu, is what sets this place's lineup apart.

If you want to try both, go with the course menu. It combines the crab set and the sashimi set, so you get soy crab, spicy crab, braised cutlassfish, and cutlassfish sashimi salad all in one sitting. If you're visiting with a group, it's more filling to order the course across the table and share rather than ordering the individual set menus separately. This is a menu built to be enjoyed properly with two or more people rather than solo. That's especially handy if it's your first time in Yeosu — the course lets you sample the whole menu in one go, without having to weigh each dish separately.

Braised Cutlassfish, Boneless — No Need to Pick Around Bones

Braised cutlassfish usually brings to mind the hassle of picking meat off the bone, but this restaurant's version comes boneless. You can just dig in with your chopsticks, no need to work around bones at all. The boneless cutlassfish, soaked in a sweet-spicy sauce, is a treat on its own once you add the braised radish and potato served alongside it. One piece of radish soaked in that sauce is enough to send a spoonful of rice right down. Because there's no bone to worry about, it's an easy dish to recommend for families with kids or for older guests at the table. Even with just a spoon, you can scoop up plenty of the sauce along with the fish, which makes for an easy bowl of rice to finish off.

The seasoning on both crab dishes is something this restaurant clearly pays attention to as well. The soy crab isn't overly salty and comes seasoned just right, so it keeps calling for more rice, while the marinated crab leans sweet, making it an easy pick even for people who don't love spicy food. Around Crab Alley, some places run notably salty and others notably spicy, but this one is known for keeping both crab dishes on the gentler side. That's worth noting if you're new to crab dishes or tend to find strongly seasoned food a bit much.

Easy for Families, Easy for Groups

The fact that the braised cutlassfish comes boneless is especially welcome for families. With no bones to pick apart, setting the table is a lot easier when you're bringing kids or older relatives along. The set menus and course are split out clearly, too, so it's simple to pick a configuration that fits your group size. If there are two of you, order a set menu each; for a group of four or more, unify around the course to fill the table properly.

With this much variety on the menu, it helps to work out your group size and what combination you're after before you arrive if it's your first visit. Just decide whether you want to go heavy on soy and spicy crab, or stretch to the course for the cutlassfish sashimi too — everything else can be sorted out once you're seated.