Sunday dinner eel restaurant in Gangseo for parents: Kikukawa

Today's story is about Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch, an eel rice bowl spot I visited in Magok, Gangseo.

My dad is a well-known home-cooking lover who really doesn't like eating out, but the moment I mentioned eel rice bowl, he showed interest? I figured I couldn't miss that window, so I took him right away for a Sunday dinner to build up some strength!

Spoiler up front: this is going to be the first place I think of whenever I'm wondering where to take my parents for a nourishing meal-!

Where and what's the vibe like at this eel rice bowl restaurant in Magok, Gangseo?

📍 Location — 1st floor, Building A, One Grove, 165 Gonghangdae-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Units E101 & E102

🕐 Hours — Daily 10:30 ~ 22:00 (last order 20:50)

• Hitsumabushi ₩38,000
• Yondaime Kikukawa Premium Hitsumabushi ₩50,000
• Unadon ₩33,000

🚇 Nearest subway station — 347m from Magok Station Exit 2

Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch sits right on the corner of One Grove Building A's first floor, so you can spot it at a glance as you walk by. But the entrance faces outside the building rather than into the mall, so if you're only looking inside the mall you might end up circling around once!

Even before you go in, there's a full hitsumabushi spread displayed right by the window. Sample displays usually look different from the real thing, right? But what I got later matched this exactly, which I loved ><

The interior was super clean from the first impression and I loved it-! They used wood and lighting really well to create a strong Japanese vibe, but nothing felt dark or stuffy.

There were also about 5-6 separate private rooms, which looked great for bringing elders or groups. The interior overall was clean and felt upscale haha

The moment we sat down, they served nutty-tasting barley tea instead of plain water — already a pass in my book! Places with good water rarely disappoint, so my expectations went up right there.

What did we order? Hitsumabushi price and set details

The first page of the menu laid out the restaurant's history — founded in 1932, with 90 years of eel wholesale experience. There was also a Michelin The Plate plaque displayed right in the restaurant, which bumped up my trust in the place-><

The menu

I wavered for a moment looking at the premium line with a whole eel on top, but since it was our first visit, I figured we should go with the popular menu item. So we both went with the Nagoya-style hitsumabushi. This set comes with 2/3 of an eel.

Hitsumabushi ₩38,000 for two

As soon as the table was set, my dad's expression was already half won over lol. Rice bowls, tsukemono (pickled vegetables), suimono (clear soup), and even a dashi kettle all came out neatly arranged-!

The order for eating hitsumabushi

They explained the eating order and had a guide chart too — summarized, it goes like this.

• Step 1: rice and eel plain, as is
• Step 2: topped with scallions, wasabi, and seaweed
• Step 3: portion into the small bowl, add toppings, pour dashi over it like ochazuke

Since it was our first time, we had to try it in this exact order right? haha

Just look at the color of that eel...! Glistening and glossy, sitting so prettily on the rice — doesn't it just look delicious?

For step 1, just eel on rice, one bite! The eel's tiny bones were so soft I didn't notice them at all-haha. The skin was crispy while the flesh underneath was chewy, so honestly it's just going to taste amazing to anyone!

Step 2, topped with wasabi, scallions, and seaweed-! This step was my dad's favorite. The eel sauce has a gentle sweetness to it, right? My dad, who dislikes sweet things, tilted his head for a moment, but once he tried it with wasabi added, he gave an immediate thumbs up. haha He said he liked how the wasabi's aroma came through as the sweetness got balanced out.

For me, step 3 was the most delicious. The combination of dashi plus wasabi on top — the umami from the dashi was incredible, just so, so good-><

Can you get takeout?

Takeout is available too, which made it even better-! Unaju ₩35,000, Hitsumabushi ₩40,000 (includes dashi, seaweed, wasabi, and scallions). One thing to note though: it's not a pre-made lunchbox — they cook it after you order, so it takes some time! Calling ahead to reserve would probably be more convenient. haha

Final review

They said it was authentic Nagoya-style, and it really did taste exactly like the real thing haha. The eel's color alone was different from other places, and splitting it into three stages made a single bowl feel like three different dishes — genuinely fun.

That said, the sauce leans gently sweet, so if you're someone like my dad who avoids sweetness entirely, I'd recommend adding plenty of wasabi!

So I really want to push this as a spot for treating your parents to a nourishing meal. A restaurant where my dad — who claims to hate eating out — said he ate well and felt properly looked after isn't something you come across often ><