Donji Sikdang, JejuThe Squid Rice Bowl Is Summer-Only

Check the season before anything else

When you plan a seafood meal on Jeju, the first thing to check is not the restaurant — it's the calendar. This place is a good example of why.

The same restaurant serves a different table depending on the month.

Going in summer, the tables around me were mostly ordering mulhoe — a chilled, tangy raw-fish soup that Jeju does particularly well. I've heard the winter yellowtail here is worth a trip on its own. I haven't tried it, so treat that as hearsay rather than a recommendation — and one more reason to come back.

Hanchi hoedeopbap — the lettuce is the point

Hoedeopbap is raw fish over rice with vegetables and a sweet-spicy red pepper sauce. What makes this version different is the basket of lettuce that comes with it.

Two ways to eat it, both correct:

1. Take the squid and vegetables straight from the bowl and wrap them in a lettuce leaf
2. Mix the whole bowl first — rice, sauce and all — then wrap spoonfuls in lettuce

Mixing first makes it a fuller meal; wrapping it unmixed keeps the texture of the squid and the raw vegetables sharper. Do both across one bowl.

The lettuce was genuinely fresh, and that combination is what I remember about the place — more than the fish itself.

What it looks like

In a large grey bowl, finely shredded carrot, lettuce, cucumber, seaweed flakes and translucent squid sashimi are arranged in separate color sections, with sesame seeds scattered over the center. In a black bowl alongside is an orange-colored broth with cucumber and shredded radish. The side dishes come in small plates: kimchi, a seaweed salad, braised black beans, stir-fried anchovies, pickled garlic and a red seasoning, with a basket of lettuce for wrapping. Garlic and green chili are served too.

Menu words

• Hanchi is a kind of squid caught in large numbers around Jeju in summer
• Deopbap is a rice-bowl dish with toppings, and hoe-deopbap is the version topped with raw fish
• I recommend wrapping the rice in lettuce

The side dishes are not an afterthought

One rice bowl came with around eight banchan: stir-fried anchovies, soy-braised black beans, seasoned seaweed, kimchi, pickled vegetables, plus soybean paste and red pepper sauce for the lettuce wraps.

In tourist areas side dishes are often filler. Here they were fresh enough to be a reason to come back.

It's busy from the moment it opens

I arrived right at opening time and the place was already in full swing. That's usually a good sign — it means locals eat here, not only visitors.

Come at opening if you want a relaxed lunch, but don't expect it to be quiet.

What I didn't try

I've heard the fried hanchi is good. I'll order it next time. Passing that along as hearsay, not a verdict.

Before you go

• Check the season. This matters more than anything else. Squid in summer, yellowtail in winter.
• Getting there — near Moseulpo Harbour on the southwest coast. It's a long drive from Jeju City, so pair it with a west-coast day rather than a special trip.
• Closing time — 9:00 PM, and holidays may differ.
• Flowers too — if your west-Seogwipo day runs longer, Camellia Hill in Andeok-myeon is worth folding in.