철철복집
A puffer fish specialist tucked into an alley in Jung-gu, Seoul, with roots stretching back to 1980. The name 'Cheolcheol Bokjip' carries a dual meaning — 'cheolcheol' references both year-round availability (the four seasons) and the image of blood flowing freely from your wallet. The prices are steep, but the consensus is that no other restaurant in Seoul offers a comparable blowfish experience. The signature salt-grilled fugu features generous chunks seasoned with sesame oil and salt, then seared over charcoal — the texture lands somewhere between meat and mackerel, with a clean, subtly salty flavor unlike any other grilled fish. The fugu milt (goni-gui) is extraordinarily silky and rich; a light sprinkle of salt unlocks its full savory potential. Note that milt can only be added when ordering at least two portions of salt-grilled fugu. The bokjiri (clear fugu soup) delivers a restorative broth with homey depth reminiscent of Korean radish soup, and the closing course of fried rice — built on a base of minari (water parsley) and kimchi with perilla oil — ties the entire meal together. Staff handle all the grilling, so guests simply eat. Reservations are essential. The restaurant can be tricky to find: look for the small alley beside Duldul Chicken, across from Nampo Myeonok.