Cheonan sushi restaurant with thick cuts and croquettes: Ganghan Sushi

I’m the kind of blogger who absolutely cannot resist sushi... so I’m always seeking out sushi restaurants in Cheonan. This time, I visited Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch (강한초밥 천안불당점).

Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch

Why I returned with my younger brother after eating alone

Actually, this was not my first visit. I had eaten here by myself before and enjoyed it more than I expected, so this time I came back with my younger brother, whose favorite food is sushi.

I like taking family or friends to places I have tried first and liked, so I wanted my brother to try this place too. From the outside, Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch caught my eye with its neat, warm wood-toned look.

There was a banner at the entrance emphasizing the thick sushi, and once I received the food, I could see why they used that phrase: the neta, or fish topping, was indeed quite thick.

A tidy restaurant that is comfortable for solo dining too

The interior was tidy and well organized overall. I had not felt awkward visiting alone, and this time my younger brother and I could eat comfortably together.

Each table had a tablet for ordering, with pickled ginger, rakkyo (pickled scallion bulbs), soy sauce, and more set out neatly. Cutlery, tissues, and cups were organized in a drawer, which also kept the tabletop from feeling cluttered.

They said the restaurant operates year-round without a break time, making it easy to time a meal. Solo dining, takeout, and delivery are available too.

The 12-piece Ganghan Special Sushi set

This time, we ordered the ₩17,000 Ganghan Special Sushi. It came with 12 pieces of sushi, plus mini udon, miso soup, salad, a seafood croquette, and rinsed aged kimchi.

The sushi included flounder, flounder fin, salmon, tuna, spear squid, gamtae shrimp, soy-marinated shrimp, ankimo, clam, egg sushi, and more. With so many varieties on one plate, it was fun choosing them one by one.

Thick toppings and a varied selection piece by piece

The thick neta was the first thing that stood out when the sushi arrived. The flounder and salmon were springy yet tender, while the flounder fin had a pleasantly crisp bite and savory richness. The tuna was richly savory too.

The gamtae shrimp paired the distinctive aroma of gamtae (seaweed) nicely with shrimp, while the soy-marinated shrimp was salty and full of umami, making it good with the rice.

The ankimo was also delicious, with a rich, soft flavor that came through nicely.

With so many different kinds of sushi, there was a natural little thrill in eating one piece and deciding on the next. More than anything, seeing my sushi-loving younger brother enjoy it so much made me oddly proud.

Since I had enjoyed it on my solo visit, I thought my brother would like it too, and after eating together, it seemed to suit his taste well. And there was one item at Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch that I personally loved: the seafood croquette...!!!

The seafood croquette I kept reaching for between sushi pieces

It came as part of the standard set, and its crisp exterior and soft interior made it great to eat alongside the sushi.

It was honestly so good that I kept reaching for it more than I expected. Having a croquette in between sushi pieces also kept the meal from ever feeling one-note.

The rinsed aged kimchi served alongside it also went well with the sushi. Its tangy, clean flavor felt refreshing after fish sushi. The warm mini udon and miso soup made the meal feel a little more substantial than sushi alone.

A return visit that was even more fun with my brother

I usually do not bother revisiting places that disappoint me after one meal, but this Buldang-dong sushi restaurant had good sushi and a set I liked, so I wanted my brother to try it too! He normally loves sushi, and I wanted to take him somewhere tasty; thankfully, he enjoyed our meal that day as well.

As we each picked the sushi we liked and said, “This one is good,” and, “Try this one too,” even 12 pieces disappeared in no time. Sushi really does seem more fun when you eat it with someone who loves it too.

Ganghan Sushi Cheonan Buldang Branch was a place I revisited because I had first eaten there alone and enjoyed it, and we were both able to enjoy the texture of the thick neta and the varied sushi selection. I also liked that one Ganghan Special Sushi set came with mini udon, miso soup, a seafood croquette, and rinsed aged kimchi, so there were several things to enjoy alongside it. The seafood croquette especially stayed with me. I went out for sushi and came home feeling like I had enjoyed a croquette too.

If you are craving sushi in Buldang-dong or looking for a good sushi restaurant in Cheonan, it is a place worth visiting more than once. Especially if you want a sushi restaurant that, like it did for me, feels good enough after one visit to come back to, this may be useful to keep in mind.