Sushi set meal and unagi don at Ilpum, a Gwanghwamun Japanese spot

When picking a lunch spot, I always look for something that feels clean and satisfying at the same time — like a proper meal. With Japanese food especially, ingredient quality makes such a difference that I get pickier. This time I chose Ilpum Gwanghwamun. I ordered the unagi don and the today's sushi set, and the consistency of quality was great, from the main dishes through the basic sides to the generous futomaki service and the mango pudding dessert at the end.

Ordering sushi and eel together made the different charms of each really clear, and it was fun tasting several kinds of Japanese food in one sitting. The glossy, well-grilled eel, the sushi made with a variety of fish, and the futomaki packed generously with fillings all caught my eye.

Where is Ilpum Gwanghwamun, and what are the hours?

Ilpum Gwanghwamun is located at 223, B2F, 19 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 249m from Exit 1 of Jonggak Station. It's open 11:00 to 21:30, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:30, last order at 20:00, and closed every Sunday.

• Address: 223, B2F, 19 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00 - 21:30 (break time 15:00 - 17:30, last order 20:00)
• Closed: Sundays
• Amenities: Takeout, delivery, separate restrooms, Wi-Fi, group seating available

A clean, simple Japanese meal in Gwanghwamun

The order this visit at Ilpum Gwanghwamun was the unagi don and the today's sushi set. One centers on sweet and savory grilled eel, the other on sushi where you get a little of several kinds of fish — a good combination to order together.

Even before the main dishes arrived, the basic spread was quite substantial. A soft chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), a soup, and light side dishes came out first.

The chawanmushi had a smooth surface and was quite soft. Digging in, I found shrimp inside too, which made it more fun to eat than a plain egg custard. It was warm and mild, gently opening up the appetite before the sushi and eel.

The soup was also easy to enjoy alongside everything. A sip of warm broth between bites of seasoned sushi or eel cleaned the palate nicely.

Today's sushi set at Ilpum: a little of everything

Ilpum Gwanghwamun's today's sushi set brought tuna, flounder, salmon, shrimp, and egg sushi all onto one plate. The moment it arrived, the mix of colors made the plate fun just to look at.

Even within one plate, the textures were far from monotonous — soft fish, fluffy rice, and shifting aromas took turns.

Personally, the advantage of a sushi set is being able to experience several flavors in sequence rather than focusing on just one type of fish. Starting from milder fish and moving on to sushi with bold flavor like salmon or tuna made for a natural flow.

Finishing with something soft and slightly sweet like egg sushi rounded off the plate comfortably.

The unagi don arrives generously sized

The other main dish this visit was the unagi don (grilled eel rice bowl).

The first thing that catches your eye when the dish arrives is the large piece of eel on top. The surface is glossy with sauce, and the grilled edges show a deep, appetizing color.

A generous amount of finely chopped green onion is piled on top of the eel. The fresh scent of green onion balances the sweet and savory eel sauce, which could otherwise feel heavy.

Under the eel sits the rice, with pickled ginger and wasabi on the side. Eating the eel with rice alone at first, then adding just a little wasabi partway through, worked well.

When the rich sauce lingers in your mouth, a bit of pickled ginger resets your palate so the next bite of eel tastes great again.

Plump eel with a nutty, savory richness

The heart of unagi don is, of course, the eel.

Cutting it into bite-sized pieces, the sauce has soaked in well on the outside while the inner flesh falls apart softly. The grilled surface carries a subtle smoky aroma, while the inside continues with the eel's signature savory richness.

The sweet soy-based sauce flowed naturally into the rice too — a small bit of rice with each piece of eel worked well. Even the sauce-coated rice on its own was full of savory flavor.

Since the eel itself is rich, adding wasabi little by little rather than piling it on suited it better. A touch of wasabi's sharpness lightened the eel's oily richness.

Thick tamagoyaki rounds out the sushi set

Another standout in the unagi don was the thick tamagoyaki (rolled omelet).

A thick slab of egg sits on the rice alongside the eel, adding a soft flavor completely different from the eel. You could eat the moist, fluffy egg first before moving to the eel, or alternate bites of eel with the tamagoyaki — both worked well.

The tamagoyaki's gentle sweetness layered with the sweet-savory eel sauce created an overall flavor that felt very true to a Japanese-style rice bowl.

Eating only eel could start to feel a bit heavy toward the end, but having other ingredients like egg, pickled ginger, wasabi, and green onion kept it enjoyable all the way through.

The giant futomaki served on the house

The dish with more presence than expected this visit was the futomaki (thick rolled gimbap) that came as a service item.

True to its name, it's genuinely huge. If you were picturing a bite-sized regular gimbap roll, the size alone sets it apart.

Looking at the cross-section, the filling stands out far more than the rice. Fish like tuna and salmon, plus egg, cucumber, and pickled radish-style vegetables, are packed in tightly.

The charm of futomaki is biting into soft fish, fluffy egg, and crunchy vegetables all at once. Each ingredient has a different texture, making a single bite feel remarkably full.

It's especially satisfying as something to nibble on while waiting for the mains or to share alongside the sushi. It's a substantial size and content for something billed as a free service item.

Why sushi and unagi don work better together

If you're visiting with someone, ordering one unagi don and one today's sushi set to share is a solid choice.

Where sushi centers on the natural cleanliness and soft texture of the fish, unagi don centers on the deep richness of grilled eel and its sauce. Since they go in completely different directions, alternating between them brings out the best in each.

After a few pieces of sushi, moving to the eel really highlights the difference in richness, and going back to the white-fleshed sushi after the eel resets the palate lightly.

Add the giant futomaki on top of that, and it becomes a far more filling meal than expected.

Mango pudding to finish the meal

Just when I thought the meal was over, mango pudding showed up as the final dish.

The deep yellow color immediately says sweet dessert. Scooping it with a spoon, it's less firm and bouncy, more soft and moist.

In the mouth, the mango's distinct sweetness blends with the pudding's soft texture. After sushi and eel, a cold, sweet dessert like this fits especially well.

It felt like it cleanly cleared away the lingering richness of the eel sauce, making it a satisfying last course. Ending with dessert versus stopping at the mains makes a real difference in overall satisfaction.

Is Ilpum worth it for a Gwanghwamun lunch?

The unagi don and today's sushi set at Ilpum Gwanghwamun both had a clear identity of their own, and worked well as a combination when ordered together.

The today's sushi set let me taste a variety of fish in one go, which made picking through it fun, while the unagi don, with its generous eel, thick tamagoyaki, green onion, and wasabi, was hearty and satisfying.

On top of that came the futomaki service packed with filling, finishing with the soft, sweet mango pudding. Working through the basic chawanmushi and soup, then the mains, the service item, and dessert in sequence made for a solidly full meal.

Worth remembering for a day you want sushi, or a day you want a hearty eel meal, in Gwanghwamun. Ordering one of each and sharing lets you enjoy both the cleanness of sushi and the rich flavor of unagi don, which makes it even better.

In short, this meal at Ilpum Gwanghwamun had a lot to enjoy from start to finish — the varied today's sushi set, a unagi don piled with glossy eel, the giant futomaki service, and a mango pudding dessert. A good combination to choose when you want sushi and eel together in Gwanghwamun.