We continue on our special coverage of our recent trip to South Korea! We were extremely honoured to be invited by the Jeju Tourism Organization to go on a trip to South Korea and explore not just the interesting spots to visit but also the interesting places to makan!
We’ve covered the bits in Busan and now we’re onto the island of Jeju 제주도! 
(BTW – head down to our Instagram profile page and watch all the IG Stories from the trip!) 
“This place is famous for serving Cutlassfish…”
PARDON?!?
I really didn’t know what to expect on the way to Chunshimine 춘심이네 본점. After all, I didn’t even realize what a Cutlassfish was until I Google-ed it let alone tried it before. This unique-looking fish known as the ‘Belt Fish’ or the ‘Hairtail Fish’ (you’ll see why later) and is apparently quite a delicacy in Jeju which is rich with seafood.
Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out how tasty Cutlassfish is.
But first… there’s always some Banchan! And WOW they had A LOT of Banchan at Chunshimine 춘심이네 본점!
As you can see, there’s plenty to nibble on while awaiting the main dish to arrive at the table. I probably don’t need to remind you that with most Banchan (side dishes), these are meant to work up your appetite and prepare you for the upcoming feast. The flavours are normally tangy or a little salty to awake your taste buds!
And while they may seem really simple, there were very very enjoyable!
But don’t worry – they also have some side dishes which were more substantial that just light nibbles.
The ever-welcome Grilled Mackerel also makes an appearance here with few other fish friends. I’m not sure what fish exactly it was but it was super tasty! There was one with like a Teriyaki sauce and another with a creamy and tangy Tartar sauce too.
Temaki Handrolls also made an appearance. Quite a bit of Japanese influence here at Chunshimine 춘심이네 본점. But let’s not forget that these are just the appetizers before the main!
I guess you can now see how this fish got its (many) name(s) 😛
I think that some similar species may even be present here in our local Singaporean waters now that I think about it (any Bedok Jetty regulars wanna concur??). But in the end, what matters is the eating experience and I found it to be a very very familiar one.
Which is a good thing LOL
PRO TIP: When the Cutlassfish is served at your table, don’t go and start attacking it first (I did and I kena scolded sia by the Chunshimine 춘심이네 본점 staff :P)
So the staff will come and prep everything for you. Meaning they will slowly dissect the fish and remove all the major bones (which they do quite expertly as you can see from the photos above). What you’re left with is a whole lot of fish to enjoy. But still, look out for the small bones okay (especially if got kids) because there are A LOT of bones. They might wanna give this fish another name – Fish of a million bones 😛
As for the fish itself, it REALLY reminded me of Ikan Parang. Brought me back to times when we simply bakar-ed Ikan Parang and enjoyed with chili kicap and piping hot rice. SHOIK! And they do serve something like a chili kicap here Chunshimine 춘심이네 본점… Not as much kick but jadi lah!
If you’d like to enjoy your Cutlassfish in a different style, you’re in luck! They also have this hotpot-style stew that bubbles appetizingly at your table 😀
The accompanying gravy is Kimchi but it’s more on the spicy than sour side. Think of this as kinda like a… Cutlassfish Asam Pedas!! 😛 Best enjoyed hot-hot and with plenty of white rice! And don’t worry – they totally de-boned this beforehand I personally preferred the grilled version so that’s what I stuck with.
PS I’d like to point out that both the Grilled and Stewed Cutlassfish is served based on the number of pax you’re ordering for. The more the people, the bigger the serving size of the fish! Anyways we’ve got images of the menu so drop us a message if you need it 🙂
A Quick Word About Halal Food In South Korea
So in case you’re wondering, it’s (thankfully) getting easier to find Halal food in Korea these days. It may be particularly easier to find it in big cities like Seoul but cities like Busan and Jeju are doing their best as well.
You may see some of these labels when you visit restaurants that are suitable for Muslims to visit. They have 4 main categories that determine the ‘Halal-ness’ of an eatery. This is to be expected lah I guess especially where the Halal food scene is still developing.
The 4 categories are;
- Halal-certified (safest as the eatery is certified Halal by the Korea Muslim Federation)
- Self-certified (basically means eatery is Muslim-owned)
- Muslim-Friendly (serves Halal food but may serve alcoholic beverages) *most common*
- Pork Free (eatery does not have Pork but may serve non-Halal meat and/or alcoholic beverages)
It may seem complicated with 4 categories but as always, we can simplify it. Do your due diligence and do not be afraid to #AskTheQuestion especially since you’re travelling. Halal is an individual responsibility so get the info and make an informed decision. Look for these labels at the door. If there is any doubt at all, best to give it a miss 
You can get useful information by clicking HERE and HERE!
Thank you Jeju Tourism Organization for taking the initiative to spread more information about Halal / Muslim-travel in South Korea!
Chunshimine 춘심이네 본점
16 Changcheonjungang-ro 24 beon-gil
Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju-do, South Korea
Tel: +82-64-794-4010
www.choonsim.co.kr
Facebook: CLICK HERE!
Operating Hours:
10.00am til 9.00pm DAILY
This meal was part of a trip organized by the Jeju Tourism Organization. We visited all kinds of cool places and plenty of Halal makan places including this one! All information (including prices, availability of item on menu and Halal status of establishment) are accurate at the time of posting. All photos used in this site are property of The Halal Food Blog unless stated otherwise.
