Eating in Jeju: 4 Course 갈치 (Kalchi) Meal
Two months ago, I went to Jeju Island for the annual Fulbright conference to present my research. I stayed a few extra days after the conference to explore the island. Which, of course, means trying different foods as well!
For our first meal after the conference, we decided to stop at a restaurant that specializes in the fish known as 갈치 (kalchi) in Korean, which literally translates to sword fish, but is not the same type of sword fish with the long nose that is more common in restaurant menus in the US. The official name of this fish is the largehead hairtail, and it is a small and long fish shaped like a sword, hence the name in Korean. This fish is a speciality of Jeju Island and this restaurant (which I unfortunately forgot the name of and I didn’t take photographs either of the name of the restaurant!!!) is located in Seogwipo, which is where we stayed.
We had just walked an incredibly long distance, following one of the beautiful Blue Pony trails (officially they are the Jeju Olle trails, but the mascot is a blue pony), which is also the same name of our fabulous AirBnB! The owners, a lovely couple, had walked every single trail, which traverses the entire island and its coasts and their love of walking gave birth to the idea of opening a guesthouse named after what brought them to Jeju Island in the first place. We actually walked from the Blue Pony Guesthouse to the KAL Seogwipo Hotel and were pretty much starving by the time we were ready to eat dinner.
We figured since we had essentially been receiving free food from the conference and since we were so hungry, we decided to splurge on the four-course kalchi meal, which came with kalchi prepared 4 different ways: raw, in soup, stewed, and grilled. This seems like a lot of food to commit too in case we didn’t like the fish, but it turned out to be a really great meal!
First up was raw kalchi (갈치회). I normally don’t like Korean-style sashimi because usually the fish tastes too frozen (as if it was just taken out of the freezer) or the flesh is too firm and chewy. (I generally prefer raw fish that tastes as if it almost melts in my mouth like butter…) While the kalchi was still chewier than I would prefer, the fish definitely tasted extremely fresh and dipping it into the vinegared gochujang (초고추장) made for a perfectly suitable bite.
Shortly after the sashimi arrived, we received the second course: stewed kalchi (갈치조림). The spicy sauce was perfect and the fish was so delicate. Despite thinking that the small long fish would be oily like mackerel, the flesh is more similar to a white fish – meaty and surprisingly substantial. And it also tastes just as good cooked as it does raw!
Third course was kalchi soup (갈치국). This is a traditional Jeju dish and the fish is boiled with some green vegetables and pumpkin (단호박). Compared to the 조림 (stewed dish), it was very bland, so we ended up not appreciating it as much. I would have preferred to have this dish come out second because then we would have eaten a lot more of it. The stewed kalchi and then the next course ended up completing stealing the soup’s thunder sadly…
This is the grilled kalchi (갈치구이). This was everything I could have ever wanted in a fish dish – salty (the kind of salty that is addictive so you go back for bite after bite), crispy (just look at that skin!), and meaty (the white flesh of the fish was just so good). Each bite was perfect and we unanimously agreed that this was the best of the four courses. Simple and delicious, this is fish and kalchi at its best.
I would definitely recommend giving kalchi a try; my partner’s mom in Seoul cooks the fish quite regularly as well! This fish tastes good in so many different preparations as well – raw, stewed, boiled, and grilled – so there is something for everyone! Hopefully I’ll be able to find this restaurant again!
Awesome blog! Do you have any recommendations for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own blog soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many options out there that I’m totally overwhelmed .. Any tips? Appreciate it!
1Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any points for first-time blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
2Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!…
3Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off topic but I had to tell someone!
4Just want to say your article is as astounding. The clearness in your post is simply spectacular and i could assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the rewarding work.
5I think other web site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and wonderful user genial style and design, as well as the content. You’re an expert in this topic!
6Terrific work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the net. Shame on Google for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my website . Thanks =)
7Your style is so unique compared to many other people. Thank you for publishing when you have the opportunity,Guess I will just make this bookmarked.
8You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
9My spouse and I stumbled over here by a different page and thought I should check things out. I like what I see so now i’m following you. Look forward to looking over your web page for a second time.
10I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks
11I dugg some of you post as I thought they were very useful very helpful
12Wohh just what I was searching for, thankyou for posting.
13Some truly fantastic blog posts on this site, regards for contribution.
14the restaking explanation is the most accurate ive found trustworthy and it matches what you see on liquid staking
15Thanks for the update, can I set it up so I receive an alert email every time you make a fresh post?
16Rattling excellent information can be found on web blog.
17I couldn’t resist commenting
18Great website. Lots of useful info here. I am sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks for your sweat!
19It’s really a cool and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
20Thanks for this marvellous post, I am glad I observed this website on yahoo.
21Absolutely pent written content, Really enjoyed reading.
22Hello there, You’ve done an incredible job. I’ll definitely digg it and in my view recommend to my friends. I’m confident they will be benefited from this web site.
23I think that is one of the such a lot significant information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. But want to remark on some general issues, The website style is ideal, the articles is actually nice :D. Just right job, cheers
24Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any tips?
25Good write-up, I’m regular visitor of one’s web site, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a long time.
26I am impressed with this web site, rattling I am a big fan .
27Some times its a pain in the ass to read what website owners wrote but this site is very user genial! .
28Woah! I’m really loving the template/theme of this blog. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very difficult to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appeal. I must say you have done a awesome job with this. In addition, the blog loads extremely quick for me on Chrome. Outstanding Blog!
29I like this blog so much, saved to fav.
30I am glad to be one of the visitants on this great website (:, thanks for putting up.
31Appreciating the time and energy you put into your blog and detailed information you offer. It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed information. Great read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
32Some genuinely quality articles on this site, saved to my bookmarks.
33This design is incredible! You certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
34I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great posts.
35Good write-up, I’m normal visitor of one’s website, maintain up the nice operate, and It’s going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.
36Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this site. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s challenging to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appearance. I must say that you’ve done a awesome job with this. In addition, the blog loads super fast for me on Safari. Exceptional Blog!
37In this awesome design of things you secure a B+ with regard to hard work. Where exactly you actually confused us was first in all the particulars. You know, it is said, the devil is in the details… And that could not be more accurate here. Having said that, permit me reveal to you exactly what did deliver the results. Your authoring can be pretty convincing which is possibly the reason why I am making the effort to opine. I do not really make it a regular habit of doing that. Next, although I can notice the leaps in reasoning you come up with, I am not necessarily certain of just how you appear to unite the details that make the actual conclusion. For right now I will subscribe to your position however trust in the near future you actually link the dots better.
38Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for! “One man’s folly is another man’s wife.” by Helen Rowland.
39Great post. I am facing a couple of these problems.
40I got what you intend,bookmarked, very nice site.
41I am forever thought about this, appreciate it for putting up.
42Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly return.
43Thanks so much for providing individuals with remarkably marvellous chance to read in detail from here. It’s always very cool and also stuffed with a good time for me personally and my office friends to visit the blog particularly thrice in 7 days to see the new guides you have got. And lastly, I’m at all times pleased with all the remarkable solutions you serve. Selected 4 tips on this page are rather the most effective I have ever had.
44Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all of us you really know what you’re talking about! Bookmarked. Please also visit my site =). We could have a link exchange agreement between us!
45Simply a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding pattern.
46Real clear internet site, thanks for this post.
47It is perfect time to make a few plans for the long run and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this put up and if I could I want to recommend you few attention-grabbing issues or tips. Maybe you can write subsequent articles referring to this article. I desire to learn more issues approximately it!
48Please let me know if you’re looking for a article author for your site. You have some really great articles and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d really like to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please send me an email if interested. Regards!
49Hey would you mind stating which blog platform you’re using? I’m looking to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Sorry for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
50