Cheonggyecheon Japanese restaurant: kaisendon & futomaki date, Ilpum

Today I'm going to tell you all about Ilpum Gwanghwamun, a kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) restaurant that I visited with my husband on a Cheonggyecheon–Gwanghwamun date, and which completely won me over!

I really love clean, neat Japanese food, so I always look up well-known places and go try them. Ilpum Gwanghwamun was much more satisfying than the Japanese restaurants I'd been to before, so I just had to introduce it to you.

It's perfectly placed for a visit after a walk along beautiful Cheonggyecheon stream, so if you're looking for a perfect weekend date course, today's post should be really useful.

And if you're looking for a place for a blind date meal in Gwanghwamun, or a spot for a team dinner with your colleagues, pay attention!

Where is Ilpum Gwanghwamun near Cheonggyecheon?

Ilpum Gwanghwamun is on the second basement floor of the Le Meilleur building, near Cheonggyecheon and Gwanghwamun Station. You just take the escalator down, so it's very easy to get to! Have you heard of Pimatgol? The Le Meilleur building is packed with Gwanghwamun restaurants, and Ilpum Gwanghwamun sits on basement level 2 of that building.

Is Ilpum Gwanghwamun a good date spot?

The restaurant feels like a stylish café, quiet and calm, which suits a date or hosting guests. Isn't it so chic? It catches your eye from the clean, upscale exterior. Inside, a cozy yet refined interior greets you, and the quiet, calm mood was the first thing that made me think it would be perfect for a cozy Cheonggyecheon–Gwanghwamun date with a partner, or for bringing an important guest.

The staff greeted us very kindly from the entrance, so the first impression already put me in a good mood. The tables are spaced fairly generously, so it was an ideal setting to focus on the meal without worrying about people around us.

How do the kaisendon and palm-sized futomaki at Ilpum Gwanghwamun taste?

What my husband and I ordered at Ilpum Gwanghwamun were the kaisendon and the futomaki. These were the two dishes I was looking forward to most this time: the kaisendon piled high with fresh seafood, and the futomaki with its huge size.

The moment the kaisendon arrived at the table, I couldn't help exclaiming at the glowing colors of the fresh sashimi. There was no fishy taste at all, and it was so fresh it melted in my mouth. The futomaki we ordered with it was seriously enormous in person. I was surprised once by the big, palm-sized roll, and surprised again by how harmoniously the generous fillings tasted together.

Fitting for a place we stopped at during a Cheonggyecheon–Gwanghwamun date, the varied textures filling every bite were so good that "insane" is the only word for it.

What comes with the kaisendon: chawanmushi, cold udon and pudding

At Ilpum Gwanghwamun, chawanmushi, cold udon and pudding come out in order before and after the main rice bowl. What makes this kaisendon spot special on a Cheonggyecheon–Gwanghwamun date isn't just the main dish, but the perfectly composed course from start to finish.

Once you sit down and order, chawanmushi, a silky Japanese steamed egg custard, comes out as an appetizer and soothes an empty stomach with its warm, soft texture.

After you've enjoyed the hearty main rice bowl, cold udon with cool, chewy noodles follows and neatly resets your palate, and then a sweet pudding that melts in your mouth arrives as the final dessert, which raises the whole meal a lot!

The staff member carefully checked our pace so the food never stopped coming, and that professional service really made us feel looked after.

Is Ilpum Gwanghwamun good for a work dinner in Gwanghwamun?

With its taste, atmosphere and service all covered, Ilpum Gwanghwamun is great not only for dates but also for Gwanghwamun office team dinners. It couldn't be better as a romantic Cheonggyecheon–Gwanghwamun date course with someone special, but since Gwanghwamun is packed with companies, it's also a really good place for work dinners.

Especially if you bring your team leader or bosses to Ilpum Gwanghwamun for a team dinner, you'll naturally be seen as a thoughtful colleague and get plenty of praise. It's a no-fail choice.

Thanks to the neat, tidy individual trays, you can have a comfortable, dignified time without the chaos of a typical group dinner. If you want both good food and a lovely atmosphere, I sincerely recommend visiting Ilpum Gwanghwamun this weekend or on an upcoming weekday evening, along with a stroll on Cheonggyecheon.