Private room hitsumabushi date spot in Gijang, Busan: Yangsando

A hitsumabushi (freshwater eel rice bowl) spot in Gijang's Yeonhwa-ri, Yangsando Gijang Yeonhwa Branch is great for anything from a blind date to a meal with your parents.

Location and hours of Yangsando Gijang Yeonhwa Branch

• 210 Yeonhwa-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
• Open daily 11:30–20:30 (weekday break 15:00–16:30)
• Closed every Monday
• Private parking lot on site (very spacious)
• Signature menu: hitsumabushi (freshwater eel rice bowl)
• Upscale, private room seating suits blind dates, meals with elders, important meetings, and dates alike
• Naver Reservation available

Today I visited Yangsando Gijang Yeonhwa Branch, a hitsumabushi and freshwater eel rice bowl spot in Gijang, Busan. The interior was so upscale and calm that it would work perfectly for a blind date, a meal with your parents, an important quiet conversation, or even a regular date! On top of that, getting to have some nourishing eel rice bowl made the visit even more satisfying.

Is parking convenient?

The parking lot at Yangsando Gijang Yeonhwa Branch is genuinely huge, so it was super convenient. You really don't need to worry about finding a spot.

Stone walls and a bamboo garden — an exterior that feels like a trip to Japan

Walking from the parking lot toward the restaurant, you'll see an exterior decorated with stone walls and bamboo blinds — it felt exotic enough that I briefly forgot I wasn't in Japan. There's also a small pond, stepping stones, and a bamboo garden in front of the building, which would make a great photo spot on a sunny day~!

Partitioned rooms with a pond garden view

Inside, every table is partitioned off like its own little room, which made for a really private dining experience — loved it. Once you sit down, a big window looks out onto that same pond garden, so the atmosphere was fantastic!

I told my friend this would be the perfect spot for a blind date, haha — that's how good the mood was. Between the atmosphere and the menu, it works just as well for a meal with parents, an important meeting, or a date as it does for a blind date.

Menu and prices at Yangsando Gijang Yeonhwa Branch

• Hitsumabushi ₩27,000 (Nagoya-style whole-eel rice bowl)
• Deluxe hitsumabushi ₩37,000 (1.5 eels)
• Mentaiko hitsumabushi ₩34,000 (mentaiko & whole eel)
• Deluxe mentaiko hitsumabushi ₩44,000 (mentaiko & 1.5 eels)
• Teishoku (freshwater eel set meal) ₩27,000
• Butadon (pork rice bowl) ₩17,000
• Sakedon (raw salmon rice bowl) ₩17,000
• Kabayaki (grilled seasoned eel) ₩21,000
• Salmon sashimi (12pc) ₩12,000
• Sushi set (4pc, aged kimchi eel + salmon) ₩9,000
• Stir-fried eggplant ₩5,000
• Jangsaego mandu (6pc, eel, shrimp & pork dumplings) ₩7,000
• Eel inari sushi (2pc) ₩9,000
• Salmon inari sushi (2pc) ₩7,000

How to enjoy hitsumabushi

First, scoop about a quarter of the eel rice bowl into a bowl and taste the pure flavor of the eel and rice on their own. Second, mix in roasted seaweed flakes and scallions, then add a bit of wasabi for a clean taste. Third, top with seaweed flakes, scallions, and wasabi, then pour over the broth for a savory, mellow flavor. Finally, finish with one more bowl using whichever of the three methods you liked best 🍚

We ordered the hitsumabushi, and each of us got our own individually plated tray — so neat and tidy, haha.

What comes in the solo set

I was surprised all over again by how packed the table was with side dishes. Inside the wooden ohitsu box was a generous pile of plump eel, grilled to a golden brown! Along with the eel rice bowl, there was miso soup, steamed egg, buckwheat soba, a fresh salad, crunchy kimchi, scallions and seaweed flakes, and even ocha broth — a solo set, but genuinely hearty.

Step 1 — the pure flavor of eel and rice

Following method one, I first scooped a bit of the eel rice bowl into a bowl to taste the eel and rice on their own. The eel itself was so chewy, really well prepped, with zero fishy smell, and the seasoning was just right — not salty, with a savory boost that made the balance really impressive and delicious!!

Step 2 — seaweed flakes, scallions, wasabi

Next, following method two, I piled on plenty of seaweed flakes and scallions, added a spoonful of wasabi, and mixed it all together. The nuttiness of the seaweed flakes and the sharpness of the scallions cut cleanly through the richness of the eel, while the wasabi added a subtle kick that kept me going back for more! Thanks to that tingling wasabi bite, I could eat through it without ever feeling greasy.

Step 3 — pouring on the ocha broth

The last method is to pour hot ocha broth over the eel rice bowl already topped with seaweed flakes, scallions, and wasabi!! This final method was totally my style. The umami of the broth was incredible — salty yet deep in flavor, seeping into every grain of rice and every bite of eel!

The side dishes that came with it were just as satisfying as the eel rice bowl itself. Enjoying it course by course, in order, made for a filling and satisfying meal right down to the last spoonful 🍜

Who is this place for?

After trying all three eating methods, I understood why this place has been loved for over 60 years. Above all, thanks to the private room atmosphere, it works as a blind date spot, a place to take your parents or elders, a venue for an important meeting that needs a quiet conversation, and a date with someone special. If you're looking for eel rice bowl or hitsumabushi in Gijang's Yeonhwa-ri, or a restaurant with private rooms for a meal with your parents in Gijang, I highly recommend it!!