I will eat just about anything, so when I first came to Korea and learned that live baby octopus is considered a healthy delicacy, I knew I had to try it. Not surprisingly, there weren’t too many people eager to join me on this culinary adventure, and I kept pushing it off. That was until Tara’s friend, Heidi, started planning a trip to Korea. Months before even meeting we made a pact. We would eat live octopus when she came to Korea in August.
Sannakji, as the dish is called in Korean, is a baby octopus that is cut into small pieces while still alive then doused in sesame oil and served up, tentacles still moving. Sannakji is quite popular in Korea, and easy to find at most restaurants that serve raw fish, but we decided to get it straight from the source at Noryangjin Fish Market. Noryangjin is a wholesale fish market, and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Seoul. Visitors can purchase fresh sea creatures and fish to be taken home, or can opt to have it cut into sashimi slices right at the market.
We took Line 1 to Noryangjin Market Station. As soon as we got off the air smelled strongly of fish and we followed the signs to the bridge that connects the station to the market. Soon we’d descended down into the madness that is Noryangjin. Narrow passageways were lined with screaming merchants, tanks full of swimming fish, and bins of ice piled high with shellfish.
Most of the stands sell similar items, so we walked up to one of the first and pointed to a bowl of baby octopuses. The lady running the stand informed us that the medium sized ones are the most delicious, and soon two of them (for 10,000 won) were in a plastic bag ready to be chopped up.
We sat down on the floor of a restaurant on the second floor of the market and waited while the owner prepared the sannakji. I was fairly nervous at this point. Eating live octopus could be dangerous. Thoughts of the Korean women who had been impregnated by a raw squid earlier in the summer, or choking to death as a tentacle stuck to my throat filled my head. But before I had time to run away in fear, a plate of writhing octopus was placed down on the table in front of me.
I grabbed a piece with my chopsticks and placed it in my mouth. Before I even had time to start chewing, the tentacles had started to suction to the inside of cheek and I let out a bit of shriek, much to the delight of the others in the restaurant.
I continued eating, making sure I bit down straight away and chewed thoroughly, and actually started to enjoy it. The octopus was cold and fresh, albeit a little chewy, and the sesame oil gave it a slightly salty taste. Heidi and I finished off most of the plate, leaving only the pieces with eyeballs attached behind and feeling quite accomplished.
Do you like trying new food when you travel? What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten on the road?
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I loved this post — one of my students just visited Seoul and came back with video of a live octopus on the table ready to go into boiling water…it also reminds me of a thing they have in Thailand called ‘dancing shrimp’ where you eat live little shrimp that I’ve been trying to convince just about everyone I know to eat with me…no luck yet.
Alana Morgan – Gen Y Wanderer recently posted..Thailand – The Year in Numbers
Thanks! I want to try this dancing shrimp! If you’re still there next year, it’s on!
Love the picture of you with your hand to your throat!
That was probably when I thought I was going to choke to death as it suctioned to my throat lol
Whoa! Talk about fresh! I didn’t even know you could just buy the seafood and have someone cook it for you right there. That’s badass! I would probably never try this, as I’m not a very adventurous eater, but my boyfriend would looooove this!
Sheryll recently posted..Warming Up… and the Story of the Handsome Bad Boy
Yeah, you can go to restaurants for there for sashimi or soups (I think). Costs about 5,000-10,000 per person depending on what you get. He should try it! It was a lot of fun, and surprisingly tasty.
Ugh. This brings back memories. It was a bar and I was offered (by a friend no less) an “Octoshot”. I didn’t realize what it was and downed it. Yes… you guessed it.
Lane recently posted..Old West Shoot Out: Belle Starr vs Calamity Jane
That sounds pretty horrific! I’m sorry to have brought back such bad memories
Eeeeek! I despise food with tentacles so this isn’t something I’d try, although a bunch of co-workers chowed down on it when I went to Busan a few months ago. I may check out the market for the fish though, as my little brother will be coming in a couple of weeks and it’ll be nice to show him/freak him out haha!
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted..Jangtae Mountain
The market is definitely worth a visit! Especially for someone who’s never been to Korea. Will definitely freak him out!
Love how adventurous you are! Not one for me (I think that news piece about the Korean lady just about sealed the deal for me ever trying it) but enjoyed reading about your experience!
Edna recently posted..Expat Entrepreneurs: Lindsey from Pictours Paris
When I first read the article, I vowed I wouldn’t actually do it. But then I did anyway… Luckily, no sperm sacks
Wow. I like to be adventurous but I don’t think I could eat anything that was still writhing on the plate!
Scott – Quirky Travel Guy recently posted..Trapped: Stuck inside the Mall of America for 12 hours
The key was firm and constant chewing