Uri Dongne Jeonbokjip: the abalone and shrimp course fell short

It was a Sunday, and I had been resting at home when I felt like having a drink with a friend. We went to an abalone restaurant I had been curious about since it opened but had kept putting off. It is over by Mandeok Station.

We went in at about 5:20 p.m., not long after it opened. Nearly every table was reserved, and we took the one round table left.

We ordered the course of abalone and shrimp for two. It is 42,000 won per person, so 84,000 won for the two of us. Most of the shrimp in the tank looked dead to me. I briefly thought about switching to the abalone course (jeonbok-kase), but stayed with the original order.

First came salt-grilled shrimp, raw shrimp, and raw abalone.

My guess was that they picked the shrimp in good condition to serve raw. Butter-grilled abalone came next, and the last dish was abalone soup.

The abalone was not especially large, just ordinary in size. It was decent to eat and tasted fine. The owners were kind, which left a good impression. The two of them seemed to be a married couple.

Customers who came after us could not order shrimp. It is open daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., with last orders at 11:30 p.m. For parking you have to use a paid lot nearby.

Still, for 84,000 won it was a letdown, and I have not decided whether I will go back. I even wondered if we should have gone to a sashimi restaurant. A few days earlier a family member had brought home fresh abalone, which we boiled and ate, and the difference felt large. Was that memory the reason I was less satisfied? I am not sure myself.