Mokpo: the City of Taste
A Culinary Journey to Mokpo, the “City of Taste”
Recently, food tourism has gained immense popularity, with cities across Korea promoting their local cuisine to attract visitors. Mokpo, a port city rich in modern historical and cultural heritage, took the lead by declaring itself the “City of Taste” earlier this year, drawing significant attention. The city even won the Grand Prize in the Content category at the recent Korea Tourism Innovation Awards.
By expanding its identity as a modern historical city, Mokpo boldly shifted its image from the familiar “Mokpo is a port” to “Mokpo is taste,” highlighting the flavors of traditional Mokpo cuisine. With excitement, I set off on a food journey to explore the city’s culinary treasures.
Arriving at Mokpo Station, I immediately noticed a difference from other cities: there are numerous eateries right around the station. From the station all the way to the Mokpo Five-way Intersection, a variety of restaurants line the streets. I felt my spirits lift the moment I stepped out of the station.
I headed straight to the Five-way Intersection to visit Ogeori Restaurant, famous for its grilled fish set menu – a must-try dish representing Mokpo.
At Ogeori Restaurant, I was amazed by the 15 side dishes served on the table: onion kimchi, braised chili peppers, sautéed zucchini, braised fish cakes, seasoned clams, chamnamul (Korean wild greens), bangpung greens, shredded squid, clam jeotgal (fermented clams), young radish kimchi, pickled chili, napa cabbage kimchi, small-sized crab marinated in soy sauce (still moving!), and larger soy-sauce marinated crabs.
The grilled fish included dal-dom, shindae, and kkojiga, rotated from 17 seasonal fish varieties by the restaurant owner, Mr. Kang. Just look at the grilled fish – doesn’t it look irresistible?
Thanks to Mr. Kang’s generosity, I also had the chance to taste hongeo-ae (fermented skate) and oran (salted fish roe), paired with makgeolli (Korean rice beer), experiencing the true essence of Mokpo’s local cuisine.
Although I couldn’t return the next day to try the braised cutlassfish due to my schedule, the grilled fish set menu I enjoyed at Ogeori Restaurant will remain a memorable highlight of my Mokpo trip.
If you think of Mokpo, think of the Five-way Intersection. Be sure to meet Mr. Kang Seong-bok at Ogeori Restaurant – a fun and lively host who brings warmth and excitement to your meal.
Ms. Veronica Kang
