Gangseo Japanese restaurant premium kaisendon: Ilpum Magok

I was craving the kaisendon I had in Sapporo, so I visited Ilpum Magok, a Japanese restaurant famous around Magok and Balsan. The atmosphere and service were lovely, and everything tasted so fresh—I’m 200% up for a return visit!! I highly recommend Ilpum Magok to anyone after a real dining experience.

Ilpum Magok location and parking

Ilpum Magok is a convenient four-minute walk from Balsan Station and an eight-minute walk from Magok Station. I arrived around 1 p.m. on a weekend, and people were packed in front of the restaurant waiting..! I could see why it is known as a great sushi spot around Magok and Balsan.

There was a standing sign outside, so it was easy to find straight away. Ilpum Magok is on the first floor of Leader's Tower Magok; if you drive, use the building’s underground parking lot. You can park free for up to two hours there! It is a Magok sushi restaurant you can visit comfortably without parking worries. 😁👍

Inside the Magok Japanese restaurant and its seating

Inside, the warm wood-toned décor gives this Magok Japanese restaurant an upscale feel. Everything from the lighting to the table setting was neat and pleasing. The staff were kind too, so just being there put me in a good mood. ☺️

With table seating and bar seating, it is a great Magok Japanese spot for solo meals, dates, or groups. I visited around 1 p.m. on a weekend and it was full. Reservations are available, so reserve ahead if waiting is difficult for you. The tables are nicely spaced for a comfortable meal. Since it is such an elegant Magok sushi place, I saw everyone from older guests to younger diners and families.

As there were two of us, we were shown to the bar. When it is busy, table seating is available for parties of three or more. First came soup, chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard), and napa cabbage kimchi. The staff placed each item on the shelf while explaining it, and it almost felt like being in Japan. It is a lovely Magok Japanese restaurant when you want to enjoy Japanese food somewhere with a great atmosphere.

Both the Japanese steamed egg custard and soup were warm and perfect for settling my stomach before the meal. They were simple pre-meal appetizers, so I was not expecting much, but the chawanmushi quality was excellent. It even had shrimp and gamtae (sweet seaweed) in it, which made it even tastier!! 😭

Ordering and menu selection

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The signature dishes are kaisendon, unagidon, and sushi omakase platter sushi. There is a wide menu, as you would expect from a renowned Magok Japanese restaurant: salmon sake-don, chicken karaage-don, uni toro-don, sushi of the day, futomaki, salmon sushi, and maguro tekamaki.

They also serve sashimi and tempura, plus sake, highballs, beer, and soju.

How was the premium kaisendon?

I ordered the signature premium kaisendon. It came as a neat full set, making this a great Magok Japanese restaurant for an important appointment.

Premium kaisendon is a Japanese seafood rice bowl made with high-end seafood. It was packed without a gap with uni, tuna, salmon, abalone, sweet shrimp, salmon roe, and seasonal raw fish. There was plenty of kelp-aged sashimi too..! A kaisendon that made both my eyes and mouth happy 😭

Every piece of seafood retained its own natural sweetness and nutty richness, and it was so delicious. I am not exaggerating when I say it was better than the kaisendon I had in Sapporo..

Just look at those thick slices of sashimi. 😭 They melt softly in your mouth with one bite..

Everything was so fresh that there was no fishiness at all. Even with a little wasabi, the umami was incredible! I heard it was a restaurant approved by Lee Young-ja on Baedalwa Suda; as expected, you can trust the pick of someone with such a discerning palate.

There were also two pieces of pricey, premium uni. The uni disappeared the moment it hit my mouth.. Its soft, rich flavor was the best 😭😭

Place a slice of raw fish and a touch of wasabi on the seasoned vinegared rice, then wrap it in gim (roasted seaweed) for a clean, abundant flavor.

When you order a main dish, a noodle dish comes with it. Since it was hot, they prepared chilled udon for us. Such a thoughtful owner.. 🩷

Even though it was a side, the quality was excellent! The noodles were chewy, and karaage was added on top, so it was satisfyingly filling.

The size of a full roll of Ilpum futomaki

Futomaki packed generously with fresh raw fish, crisp vegetables, rolled egg, and crunchy fried items! The futomaki also comes with a noodle dish.

The forearm-sized appearance surprised me once, then the flavor surprised me a second time.. It was the biggest futomaki I have ever had. You can also order a half roll (5 pieces).

The soft fish, crisp fried filling, and fresh vegetables worked together beautifully, making every bite fun. One huge bite fills your mouth with such appealing flavor! The futomaki was so substantial that I eventually packed up what was left. 😭 Most adults would be full after a half roll of futomaki.. I took the packed futomaki home and happily had it for dinner, haha.

For dessert, they prepared mango panna cotta. The tangy mango purée on a soft milk base made it perfect after the meal. From before the meal to after it, everything was served like a course, so I think it would be great for a formal meal or a date course too.

I had premium kaisendon at Ilpum Magok, a restaurant known as a great Magok Japanese spot. Each ingredient was such excellent quality that one visit could easily turn you into a regular; it is a Balsan favorite for a reason. I highly recommend Ilpum Magok to anyone looking for a neat, refined Japanese restaurant around Magok and Balsan.