Matparang in Geoje: A Clean Sashimi Restaurant Worth Visiting
We had wanted to eat at Mongdol Beach, but my husband insisted that hoe must be eaten with soju. Since we could not drink and drive, we drove back to the Marine Gestel where we were staying, parked, and looked for a sashimi restaurant nearby. Below our guesthouse there was a fancy, clean fusion Japanese restaurant, but it was too crowded, so my husband suggested looking around more. We took a walk around the neighborhood for some air. Our area had Gohyeon Port, so there were plenty of restaurants. We wanted not just any sashimi place but a really clean, bar-like Japanese restaurant, and we found Matparang.
Matparang was clean outside and super clean inside. The menu was not exactly cheap, but reasonable for two. First we ordered a medium live-fish hoe.
The interior looked like this. They kept the soju super cold, so we could drink it ice-cold.
The first side dishes: tofu kimchi and tuna mayo with flying fish roe. I am taking notes to make this for my husband after we marry.
Then fried egg. Drizzle a little soy sauce on the egg and mix it with the soy sauce for extra flavor. So delicious.
All the appetizers were tasty. Honestly, the side dishes were not the most generous compared to other Japanese restaurants, but what satisfied us was how fresh the hoe was, cut with such care and precision. The slices were so pretty and neat.
My husband wrapped one beautifully for me. Note: I do not eat garlic, so later I asked them to leave it out. The chili was fiery. The hoe was delicious, melting in the mouth, not a hint of fishiness.
Then the grilled sea bass. More oily than expected, but fish is always a yes. Not fishy, crispy and tender.
And when the hoe was almost gone, we ordered the octopus samhap. You must order this. Twice. We would have regretted leaving without it. So delicious, even though we were already full from hoe, we were happy.
Boiled octopus, pork, with perilla leaves, angelica, radish wraps, and water parsley, wrapped together.
The aroma of angelica and water parsley spreading in the mouth, with soft pork and octopus and radish wraps. Dipping sauce. Truly a fantastic combination. Five stars.
Gone in a flash. My beloved husband polished off three bottles of soju sitting there. Is he really on a diet? I glared at him with sparrow eyes. Since I do not drink, I barely managed one beer.
Still wanting more, we ordered seafood ramen. So delicious too. It seemed to have a whole crab in it, and the broth was so good that just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
We wanted to finish it all but were too full, so leaving ramen behind was a shame. We ate so, so well at Matparang. Next time in Geoje, I hope to visit again, and I hope the place is still doing well until then.
Prices, hours and details in this post are from our visit in August 2016 and may have changed, so check the latest information before you go.