[Jeonnam / Goheung] Doraji Restaurant – Southern Summer Delicacy, Yellowtail Sashimi

From the moment I decided on Goheung as my travel destination
Yellow stingrays (snow ray) that are in season nearby starting from when the weather gets warmer
I planned to visit because I heard there is a restaurant that specializes in it.

1 PM, as soon as you get off at the terminal
I headed to Doraji Restaurant before I had even finished unpacking.

The yellow stingray is a fish caught off the southwestern coast during the summer.
It is a rare species, so it is not easy to come across it on a sashimi restaurant menu,
In the southern region, including Yeonggwang and Goheung, you can often find restaurants that serve yellow stingray.

The yellow sign immediately catches the eye.
Menu names such as yellowtail stingray, flatfish sashimi, butterfish sashimi, and octopus were written in handwriting and posted on the window.

A whiteboard menu written in neat handwriting catches the eye.
Yellow stingray sashimi is 30,000 won for two people. Rice is free, so the price is quite good.

After finishing my order, I looked around and saw a glass refrigerator near the entrance.
It is packed with ingredients, including cleaned fish.

The interior is filled with old wooden items and yellow clay walls.
An oil painting of a rural landscape, a calendar, and handwritten scribbles filling the wall.
Signs saying "Water is self-service" are posted side by side,
The unique density of an old restaurant fills the space.

A framed newspaper article titled 'Kim Jun's Taste and Island' was hanging on the wall.
This is an article introducing Doraji Restaurant, featuring Goheung yellow stingray sashimi.
A detailed explanation of the yellow stingray is a bonus.

Yellow Stingray Sashimi (For 2 people / 30,000 won · Free rice)

It's finally out.
The plate is filled with sashimi that is pink with bloodstains marked in dot patterns.
It is not white and transparent flesh like halibut or turbot,
It has a unique visual appearance with red veins rising up like dots.
Unlike its unconventional appearance, the taste is quite familiar, so don't be afraid.

Judging by the way the meeting was going, it didn't seem like they had caught anything ordinary.
“This fish is really big, isn't it?”
“We only use the big ones. Today's is a 24kg one.”

The owner personally showed me how to eat it.
Lay down some pickled perilla leaves, put a little rice on top,
Place a piece of raw fish dipped in oil sauce on top, then wrap it with ssamjang and eat it.

Raw fish like beef sashimi tastes good, and the well-fermented pickled perilla leaves
It is good to completely eliminate the cloying taste.

Ordered as a privilege of walking Makgeolli
I chose Sudeoksan Saeng Makgeolli produced in Goheung.
5,000 won.

The label says Goheung Takju, a distillery that has been passed down for three generations.
The cloudy and slightly sweet makgeolli cut through the greasiness of the sashimi well.
Slightly less sweet than Jangsu and with a slight acidity
It was a sweetened makgeolli with a decent balance.

The raw fish itself tasted best when dipped in sesame oil.
The texture is similar to beef sashimi.
It is firmer than white fish, and the mild flavor comes out as you chew.

The yellow lump quietly placed on one side of the plate is the liver of a yellow stingray, called 'ae'.
As it comes with the sashimi order
This is truly the essence of yellowtail snail gourmet cuisine.

As I picked up a piece and took a bite, a rich and heavy flavor came through.
It has a different texture from the light flavor of raw fish, so if you mix it in occasionally...
The rich and savory flavor adds depth.

If you look around, in addition to yellowtail snails, grilled fish or
There were also many locals who came for typical meals, such as braised pomfret.
There were also many outsiders who made reservations and visited.

It is a shop that doesn't fall short in terms of price, composition, or taste.
I was able to start the trip on a high note with my first meal in Goheung.
This is a restaurant I can confidently recommend as a great place to eat in Goheung.