Dongseo Sikdang 동서식당

In seodae hoe-muchim, thin strips of seodae, a small flatfish, are tossed with vegetables in a red sweet-and-sour dressing. The flesh has a light spring before it falls apart. Eat a few pieces plain, then mix the rest into a big bowl of rice with seaweed flakes and sesame oil. Cockle muchim brings small, bouncy shellfish that contrast with the soft fish, and two diners can order both side by side. Side dishes and a doenjang or siraegi soup accompany the meal, sometimes with soy-marinated crab. The room is a plain, well-worn home-style eatery rather than a polished restaurant.