Solo Sunday lunch at a Hapjeong Japanese restaurant: Makise Hapjeong

Where is Makise Hapjeong, the Japanese restaurant near Hapjeong Station?

Makise Hapjeong is about a 6-minute walk, 421 meters, from Hapjeong Station Exit 8, tucked into a residential alley basement, unit B01. In terms of the building, it's directly below Crazy Katsu.

On a precious Sunday lunch break for a twenty-something office worker, I roamed the alleys near Hapjeong Station clutching a 30,000-won budget. To fix the nutrition balance wrecked by daily work stress, I needed real protein and unsaturated fats. As a graduate of food and nutrition science at Yonsei University, I couldn't just eat anything for a weekend meal.

Sunday lunch wait and the bar table at Makise Hapjeong

Makise Hapjeong tends to have long waits at weekend lunch, so I braced myself again — but luckily there was a seat open at the bar table, so I sat right down. The moment I opened the door, warm lighting and a friendly staff greeting welcomed me in.

More than once I've turned around at weekend lunch because the waiting line was too long. Last time I gave up and settled for a convenience store rice triangle instead — a bitter memory. This time, thankfully, there was a spot left at the bar table.

Finding a hidden gem like this tucked deep inside a residential alley always makes my heart race.

What 29,000 won orders on a 30,000-won lunch budget

Once seated, I ordered without hesitation: the signature kaisendon (20,000 won), fried shrimp 2 pieces (5,000 won), and cheese fries (4,000 won), for a total of 29,000 won.

Two kinds of white fish, tuna, salmon, two seasonal sashimi varieties, shrimp, hantich (halfbeak squid), and even ankimo (monkfish liver) — 13 pieces in total — the kaisendon finally landed in front of me.

What is in the 13-piece kaisendon (20,000 won)?

From a nutritional standpoint, this bowl is close to perfectly designed. The DHA and EPA abundant in salmon and tuna help improve blood circulation, and white fish is a low-fat, high-protein food that's easy on digestion.

The ankimo especially caught my eye. Monkfish liver is rich in fat-soluble vitamins A and E as well as protein, giving it not just a savory flavor but also a very high nutrient density. The rice, meanwhile, used the Koshihikari variety, known for its soft texture and moderate amylose content, and the balance between the vinegared rice ratio and umami was excellent.

Salmon and ankimo (monkfish liver): how they taste

The salmon in Makise Hapjeong's kaisendon is sliced thick, and with a dab of wasabi on top of the rice, the soy sauce flavor hits first. I picked up my chopsticks and took the first bite. In the first second, the salty soy sauce flavor on the surface wraps the tongue; three seconds in, the soft, melting fat of the salmon spreads through the mouth as the teeth sink in; five seconds later, each Koshihikari rice grain bursts with a plump, savory sweetness as you chew.

Next I wrapped the ankimo in a piece of seaweed. The uniquely dense texture that melts on the tongue like cream was impressive.

Fried shrimp (5,000 won) and cheese fries (4,000 won)

The side order of fried shrimp had a crispy batter with springy shrimp meat still alive inside, and the honey-drizzled cheese fries brought a perfect finish with the salty milk-protein savoriness of mozzarella cheese balanced by sweetness.

Kaisendon usually risks the rice and fish feeling disconnected, or a fishy taste creeping up if the seafood isn't fresh enough — but here, the temperature gap between the fish and the rice was calibrated perfectly.

The extra piece the staff handed over

While I was busy diligently working through the meal, a staff member quietly handed me an extra piece. The torched flavor went surprisingly well with the fish flesh…

This bowl nailed both nutritional balance and pure taste enjoyment. Thanks to the staff member's kind explanations, I felt genuinely well cared for throughout the meal. This bowl, found in a basement down a residential alley near Hapjeong Station, was more than just a meal — it was a perfect harmony of nutrition and flavor.