Taedonggang Seafood Restaurant

평양 대동강수산물식당

Since around the start of 2018 an enigmatic looking building had been under production on the banks of the Taedong River in Pyongyang.

This boat-shaped elongated structure finally opened on July 27th 2018. The Taedonggang Seafood Restaurant instantly becoming the most talked-about eatery among the Pyongyang chattering classes.   

 

Cuisine
Location
Price
Interior
Menu
Visiting Tips
Rating

Cuisine

Seafood, Korean Food, Buffet

Location

The Taedonggang Seafood restaurant is located on the Taedonggang River in central Pyongyang. The view from the buffet restaurant is excellent. You can see up and down the Taedong River, the May Day Stadium in one direction and central Pyongyang in another. Fishermen on the banks of the river outside and dredgers doing their work at various points too.

Price

Average: Approx. $20 pp. Buffet costs $10 pp.

Not cheap by local standards but well within the reach of many of the consumer class of Pyongyang these days, for a treat at least. 

Interior

On the ground floor, the main entrance is dominated by a large pool filled with sturgeon, some of them getting on for 2m long.

This seems to be a popular place for locals to stand and point at the fish.

The banner over the pool reads 내 나라 제일로 좋아! which means ‘My country is the best!’ (this refers to the DPRK of course, it is a common slogan found across the country).

Multiple pools of varying kinds of fish and seafood are spread across this floor: salmon, rainbow trout, crabs and so on. People can come in and net one to be taken away and cooked at home, or select their victim for lunch or dinner on the spot. There are some café areas and a nice bar on this level too – the pools have a rather low ledge so the risk of falling in is ever-present and no doubt would give everyone a good giggle. 

On the second floor, a wide range of restaurants is present. This building is more of a restaurant complex than a single restaurant itself. Korean Restaurant, European Restaurant, Sushi Restaurant and more. They all specialize in fish and seafood.

On the third floor, there is a coffee shop/bar and a buffet restaurant.

One big attraction and highlight is the huge roof area. This large space is easily reached and is great for taking in the views.

Menu

On offer was a range of sushi and sashimi (the most popular section), rainbow trout in white sauce, beef cutlet and spicy chicken. There is also a range of breads on offer, from steamed buns to brioche. You can also find veggies, fish soup, and so on. Not a giant spread but enough to make it very worthwhile.

Visiting Tips

Head over at sunset for a great view over the Taedonggang river. 

Rating 

The opening of this restaurant has been widely reported in the DPRK media, in characteristically hyperbolic terms of course – our view on it is that it is very worth a visit, the food is good and well-priced for what it is, the experience of touring the ground floor is a little like being in an aquarium, its busy enough to be a good opportunity for mingling with local people, and the view is superb. It is a good choice for lunch or dinner and we look forward to many more visits and hope that as many people from Pyongyang and elsewhere can have the chance of a meal here too. 

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