Hwamyeong-dong eel restaurant: half hitsumabushi with Dad, Shunsaikubo

What is Shunsaikubo Hwamyeong?

Shunsaikubo Hwamyeong (슌사이쿠보 화명) is a specialist in hitsumabushi, the traditional Nagoya-style eel rice bowl, in Hwamyeong-dong, Buk-gu, Busan. The chef trained in Japan, and the restaurant has been picked for the Michelin Guide Busan three years in a row and won the Blue Ribbon Survey seven years running, so it's said to be the real deal for eel rice bowls in Busan. I went with big expectations, haha.

Where to park for Shunsaikubo Hwamyeong

The restaurant has no private parking lot, so use the Hwamyeong Public Parking Lot! Spend ₩50,000 or more and you get 1 hour covered, so keep that in mind. The exterior has a strong Japanese feel, and my excitement was already climbing before we even went in, haha.

Michelin Bib Gourmand and the 45-minute wait perk

The moment you step in, a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand banner catches your eye. It was selected three years straight, in 2024, 2025 and 2026, so it's the real thing, haha. On top of that, it was featured on SBS's Master of Living (생활의 달인) this April and became a hot topic nationwide.

I also heard that if you wait 45 minutes or more, they give you half a grilled eel as a free extra. A Michelin-listed place that even takes care of people waiting in line, so thoughtful!

Shunsaikubo Hwamyeong interior and private rooms

The inside is full of bamboo plants, so it feels like a restaurant in Japan. It isn't big, but the atmosphere was cozy and quiet. There are also rooms hidden behind partition screens, which made it really nice to eat in comfort.

Shunsaikubo Hwamyeong menu and prices

The signature hitsumabushi is ₩39,000 for a whole eel and ₩27,500 for half. Here's the menu.

• Hitsumabushi (whole eel) ₩39,000
• Hitsumabushi (half eel) ₩27,500
• Tori hitsumabushi (chicken) ₩25,000
• Eel and beef rice bowl ₩30,000
• Raw salmon rice bowl ₩17,500
• Kids' eel rice bowl ₩11,000
• Minced cutlet set ₩11,000

Starters: tempura, salad and soup

After Dad and I ordered two half hitsumabushi, freshly fried, piping hot tempura came out quickly along with a salad and a clear soup. The batter was thin and the inside fluffy, so good.

While eating the starters, I studied the guide to eating hitsumabushi properly! (I'm the obedient type, haha.)

How big is the half-eel hitsumabushi, and what comes with it?

Even the half hitsumabushi at Shunsaikubo Hwamyeong comes with eel filling the whole bowl. The hitsumabushi we'd been waiting for finally arrived~! 🎉 My heart was pounding before I even lifted the lid, and the moment I opened it... wow 😮

The sauce-glazed grilled eel was glistening, a sight that makes your mouth water, lol. A piece of rolled omelet sat on top, and the yakumi (condiments) like chopped scallion, wasabi, shredded seaweed and ginger were neatly set on the side. Every part of the set was flawless!

Four ways to eat hitsumabushi

First way: eel and rice as they are

First, you divide the eel into four sections with the paddle, then take a spoonful of eel and rice just as it is. I did exactly what I'd learned from the guide, haha. The eel, grilled with the sauce soaked in, was rich, savory and salty, and it matched the rice perfectly. From the very first bite I thought, "Ah, so this is why it's Michelin," lol.

Second way: unatama with rolled omelet

Second is unatama: eel eaten together with dashimaki tamago, the rolled omelet! The sweet, soft omelet tempers the saltiness of the rich eel sauce, so the balance was just right.

Third way: mixed with yakumi condiments

Third, I mixed in the yakumi (scallion, perilla leaf, shredded seaweed and wasabi) and ate it all together, and it tasted completely different from the first two. The wasabi tickles your nose a little and cuts the richness of the eel nicely!

Fourth way: ochazuke with dashi poured over

On top of the third way, I poured in ochazuke dashi (tea-style broth) and ate it as a soup rice, and this was honestly the best, lol. With the yakumi in, you pour warm dashi over it with a splash, and the eel's flavor seeps into the broth so the savory depth just explodes. It feels hearty yet finishes clean, so this was my favorite!

Dad said his favorite was eating it with the rolled omelet.

Matcha pudding dessert and final verdict

When you finish the meal at Shunsaikubo Hwamyeong, a matcha pudding comes out for dessert. One bite and the matcha aroma comes on really strong and leaves your mouth feeling fresh! After greasy eel, finishing this cleanly made it a perfect meal 😊

I can't believe there's a Michelin-listed place like this in Hwamyeong-dong, lol. Being able to enjoy hitsumabushi four ways was fresh, and there wasn't a single moment I got tired of it. Three years of Michelin Bib Gourmand and seven years of Blue Ribbon, the titles clearly aren't there for nothing! If you're looking for a Michelin-listed meal in Busan, or want to try an eel rice bowl or hitsumabushi in Busan for the first time, this is a Hwamyeong-dong restaurant I recommend with confidence 😋