Daejeon izakaya by City Hall Station: tilefish pot rice date – Sori

Skip Seongsimdang for a Daejeon date spot: Sori

Sori (소리), an omakase izakaya in Seo-gu, Daejeon, is where I took my husband when stopping only at Seongsimdang felt like a waste. Lots of people go to Daejeon and just visit Seongsimdang, right? I originally planned to buy bread and head back up, but this time I wanted a proper date with my husband, so I searched for a restaurant with a nice atmosphere, haha. That's how I found Sori.

I was looking for somewhere memorable even for a single meal, and I'm really glad we went. I now understand why people searching for a special occasion look up omakase izakayas in Daejeon.

Where is Sori, and how about parking?

Sori sits between City Hall Station and Government Complex Station in Daejeon, and it has no private parking, so if you drive you need a nearby public lot. It's walkable from Government Complex Station Exit 1 or City Hall Station Exit 3 or 4, so public transport works well too.

We drove and used a public parking lot nearby, since there's no lot of its own. Worth checking beforehand if you're planning a visit. Hopefully useful if you're looking for a well-located, stylish omakase izakaya in Daejeon.

Bar seats facing the open kitchen

Inside, Sori has an open kitchen with mostly bar-table seating, so you can watch the course being made right in front of you. The open kitchen was the first thing I noticed the moment I walked in.

Watching the chef prep ingredients and plate dishes up close was a lot of fun. You can naturally see how the ingredients are handled too, which made me trust the hygiene. Seeing the courses come together in order gave it a real live-performance feel. An omakase izakaya in Daejeon with details like this isn't common, haha.

Sori kaiseki lunch omakase: price and reservation

Sori's kaiseki lunch omakase costs ₩59,000 per person, and since we reserved ahead, our seats were ready. As soon as we arrived we were handed a sheet listing the day's course order, which got me even more excited.

I was impressed by how well organized it was. This is definitely an omakase izakaya in Daejeon worth reserving.

Once seated, we first got a warm hand towel and a pre-meal tea. One sip of the fragrant hot tea and the tiredness from the trip melted away. I loved that the service relaxed us right from the start, haha. This kind of thoughtfulness really completes the atmosphere of the space.

What order does the lunch course come in?

Sakizuke: sweet shrimp and egg pudding

The first dish in Sori's lunch course was sakizuke (the starter), topped with sweet shrimp. The shrimp came with a savory, umami-rich sauce in a nice balance, and the springy texture made me happy from the very first bite. The soft egg pudding served with it was silky smooth and gently settled the palate.

Hassun: a small-dish platter with a memorable ankimo

Next came hassun, a platter of several small dishes at once: sesame tofu, ankimo (monkfish liver), vinegared sea cucumber, duck breast and octopus. The ankimo, rich and nutty, was the most memorable, and the octopus had a fun texture. It was a course that played up flavor contrasts within a single plate.

Wanmono: a clear, spice-scented broth

Wanmono (the soup course) was a warm broth with a faint spice aroma that gave it an exotic mood. The broth was clear yet deep, with a soft dumpling-like ingredient inside that made it a cozy finish. Having a hot dish in the middle of the course made the flow nicer too.

Mukozuke: steamed abalone with liver sauce and aged sashimi

Mukozuke (the sashimi course) was the part that caught my eye most that day. Steamed abalone with abalone-liver sauce came together with aged sashimi, and the distinct grain of the sea bream, Spanish mackerel and tuna all came through. Caviar and salmon were added too, so it looked gorgeous. The umami built up through aging spread gently, and I understood why so many people seek out omakase izakaya courses in Daejeon.

Yakimono: grilled yellow croaker

Yakimono (the grilled course) was grilled yellow croaker. The skin was golden and the flesh stayed moist, so it felt really well grilled. The seasoning wasn't heavy either, letting me taste the fish's natural flavor.

Gohanmono: pot rice cooked in nodoguro bone broth

The meal then moved on to gohanmono (the rice course), served as a soup with pot rice. They explained the rice was cooked with broth simmered from nodoguro (tilefish) bones, and sure enough, a gentle sea aroma spread with the very first spoonful. The grains were glossy with a good texture, so I liked even the final meal.

Dessert: strawberry, gyoku and oolong tea

Dessert wrapped up neatly with strawberries, gyoku (sweet egg) and oolong tea. The balance of sweet and mild was good, and with the after-meal tea the whole course ended on a steady, settled note.

How was Sori as a Daejeon anniversary date?

Sori has a neat course, reliable service and a comfortable atmosphere all in one, so it's easy to recommend as a Daejeon anniversary date spot. If you're looking for a restaurant with atmosphere in Daejeon or still deciding where to celebrate, it's worth a look.

If you want a slightly more special day after stopping by Seongsimdang, it's a really good option, haha. Next time I'm in Daejeon, I'd like to book again.