[REVIEW] Visit Korea VIP Invitation Tour Day 1: Omoni Saengson 어머니 생선

Grilled Mackerel a.k.a Godeungeo-gui (고등어구이) is a popular fish dish in Korea. It’s not only tasty but is also a good source of protein, vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E and K, various minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and essential oils such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are all good for the body.

I’m glad I was able to try Grilled Mackerel during my latest trip to Korea via the Visit Korea VIP Member Invitation Tour, sponsored by Korea Tourism Organization. It was my first time to try a Korean fish dish, as I’m a meat lover who usually orders samgyeopsal.

It was dinner time, and because we didn’t push through with plans to try Kondae Common Ground’s food trucks because of the rain, our very nice guide, Kim eonni brought us to Omoni Saengson a.k.a Mother’s Fish (어머니 생선) in Insadong. The name of the place pretty much gives you a hint about what to expect from it- home cooked dishes and cozy ambience. It’s a pretty small place, but the food is good.

Here’s my brief review on Omoni Saengson (어머니 생선):

Food: 8/10 

- The food is really good. I love how tasty the grilled mackerel is and the serving is big enough for two. But each of us got one order each so we ended up really full.

Aside from the mackerel, we also had Hameul Pajeon a.k.a Korean Seafood and Spring Onion Pancake (해물파전), seaweed soup, rice and various banchan a.k.a Korean side dishes (반찬) such as Kimchi, and fried anchovies. We also had Makgeolli, and it was my first time to drink it in Korea.

May favorite is the Hameul Pajeon as it’s so delicious and really filling. Their serving is bigger than the pajeon I’ve tried here in Manila.

I also like the rice being wrapped in nori/seaweed wrapper, and then dipped into a sauce.

Grilled Mackerel a.k.a Godeungeo-gui (고등어구이)

Hameul Pajeon a.k.a Korean Seafood and Spring Onion Pancake (해물파전). I miss eating pajeon!

I asked Nat to take a photo of the Makgeolli so I can show it to my friends here in Manila, since we always drink Makgeolli here. Thank you Nat for this photo! Photo Credit: Natty Naza

By the end of dinner, we were all so full because we ate a lot, LOL :)

Ambience: 8/10 

- The place is small, but clean and homey.

Value for money: 8/10 

- The price range for the food is from KRW 7,000-KRW 15,000 (Php 280- Php 600), although I saw something at KRW 1,500-4,000 (Php 60-Php160), which are probably meal add-ons and drinks. Over-all their price is quite economical, and really worth it for a good meal.

My version of this photo is so blurry. Good thing eonni has it too. Photo Credit: Vera Lee

And thank you too to Tere for this photo^^ Photo Credit: Jeanne Therese Kurniawan

Accessibility: 9/10 

- The place is at the 2nd floor, and they have a huge signage at the facade of the building so it's quite easy to find at Insadong.

Service: 8/10 

- The staff is nice and accommodating, but can’t speak English.

Will I go back to this place? : Yes.

- I’ll be back to have that delicious grilled mackerel and yummy Hameul Pajeon again.

PROS:

- Good food, affordable prices, homey ambiance, clean surroundings and highly accessible

CONS:

- The place is quite small and may be crowded during peak hours.

- Non-English speaking staff (for foreigners)

Other important details about Omoni Saengson (어머니 생선)

Address: 36-1 2nd floor Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

- The restaurant is closest to Jongno 3-ga Exit 5. I remember seeing a restaurant with the name Siwhadam 시화담.

Contact numbers: +82 -2-7374082 (landline) /010-8499-3225 (mobile)

This is my last review for Day 1 of our trip. Yay!... I know, they're long overdue, but I want to give everyone as much info as I can for each of the places we visited :) Hope you enjoy reading, and that I'm able to impart some useful information and insights to you ^^ I've also added some new heart icons and a PROS and CONS section in the review portion which will serve as an over-all summary. I'll be applying them in my previous reviews as well :)

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If you want to know other places we visited during this trip, you can check out the following related blog posts:

Visit Korea VIP Member Invitation Tour

Kondae Common Ground

Dore Dore Cafe (Common Ground)

Hello Kitty Cafe

Trick Eye Museum

Nature Kitchen

Many thanks again to Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) for making this trip possible. You can check out the KTO official website and follow their accounts on Facebook and Twitter for details on tour sites and packages, as well as helpful tips in travelling to Korea.

For Filipinos, follow Korea Tourism Organization Manila at Facebook, Twitter, and KakaoTalk (@ktomanila) for the latest updates on Korea tourism, events, tour packages and promos. :)