Sushi restaurant near NC Department Store in Busan: Moshi Moshi lunch

This weekend I went to PNU (Pusan National University) area to watch the movie Odyssey. Before the film, I stopped by Moshi Moshi, a sushi restaurant near PNU, for lunch. Moshi Moshi is run based on over 20 years of Japanese culinary experience and more than 15 years of sushi restaurant management know-how. It previously operated directly-run branches at Lotte Department Store's Gwangbok and Dongnae locations, and can now be found near PNU. They make sushi with authentic techniques learned directly in Japan, and use fresh seasonal ingredients sourced straight from the origin. So I was already looking forward to the taste before I even walked in.

Moshi Moshi PNU Branch: location, parking, and hours

• Location: 401-5 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan
• Parking: Free 1-hour parking available next to the restaurant
• Hours (Mon–Fri): 11:00–21:30, break time 15:00–16:30, last order 21:00
• Hours (Sat–Sun): 11:00–21:30, last order 21:00
• See the restaurant's website for pricing

NC Department Store and Moshi Moshi PNU Branch are about a one-minute walk apart, so it's a great spot to grab lunch and then walk it off while shopping. When I arrived, a notice by the entrance caught my eye: "Moshi Moshi does not use seafood from Japan." Since the release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, more people have become concerned about the origin of seafood, so I imagine that's why they've made sure to display this so clearly.

The atmosphere after booking through Naver Reservations

I booked in advance through Naver, which made things easy — no worrying about waiting once I got there. Walking into Moshi Moshi, you can see the sushi chefs at work right away. I checked the ingredient origins too, and was glad to see most were domestic.

The tables are spaced generously apart, and each one has a tablet for easy ordering. It was busy when I went in, so it wasn't easy to get shots of the restaurant — I ended up snapping photos here and there whenever other customers cleared out. As I ate, I noticed all kinds of guests: couples, groups of friends, various gatherings, and solo diners too. It looked like a comfortable place to eat alone as well.

What's in the hoehansang set?

Hoehansang (sashimi-and-sushi course)

8 sushi + 8 sashimi + 3 tempura + udon + vegetable salad + tofu salad

Sushi + sashimi + udon

The sushi and sashimi both had great color and looked delicious. Each piece of sushi came out looking appetizing, but the sashimi was what really caught my eye — its color and sheen made the freshness obvious just by looking at it. It was smooth and nutty with no fishy taste at all, genuinely tasty.

Tofu salad

Soft, silky tofu is drizzled generously with sauce, and the combination works really well. I've had tofu pudding before, but personally, Moshi Moshi's tofu salad was by far more to my taste. The soft tofu blends with the sauce for a nutty, savory flavor that keeps you reaching for more. And since the tofu salad can be refilled, if you like it, go ahead and ask for seconds.

Vegetable salad + tempura

The dressing on the salad was tasty too. My boyfriend is a bit of a picky eater, so if he likes a salad, that place is basically a "salad restaurant" in my book. The tempura that came with it was pumpkin, shrimp, and sweet potato — freshly fried and warm, with a crispy coating and moist inside. Really good.

How was it for lunch near PNU?

From fresh sushi and sashimi to salad, tempura, and udon, Moshi Moshi PNU Branch offered a hearty, well-rounded meal. With its warm, cozy atmosphere and a spacious, comfortable interior, it seemed like a great choice for a date, a family meal, or a get-together with friends near PNU.

If you're looking for a good sushi restaurant near PNU, I recommend Moshi Moshi PNU Branch :)