Gangnam Station kaisendon with ₩1,000 topping add-ons: Ilpum Gangnam

Where is Ilpum Gangnam Branch? Exit 6, basement level

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is a Japanese restaurant on the basement floor of the Seocho Town Trapalace building near Gangnam Station's Sinbundang Line Exit 6. I was craving kaisendon so badly that I went to Gangnam by myself, haha haha.

It was such a hot day, so thank goodness it's close to the station. It's located in the basement of the Seocho Town Trapalace building.

Looks like this is a spot that Lee Young-ja recommended as a good restaurant. Wow, that eel rice bowl visual is insane.

There were all kinds of restaurants on this floor. If you work near Gangnam Station and can't decide what to eat, you could just come to this building and walk around to pick a menu. Ilpum Gangnam Branch has a menu board displayed outside, so you can check it before going in, haha.

Mostly bar seats, three tables

Ilpum Gangnam Branch is mostly bar seating, with three tables. If you want a table, it seems best to make a Naver reservation first.

The premium kaisendon and basic side dishes

I ordered the premium kaisendon, one of the signature menu items at Ilpum Gangnam Branch. Rice bowls are the main thing here, but there's sushi too, haha. I want to try the mackerel pressed sushi next time 😣

Oh, they had a seasonal pop-up item: herring isobe-maki. I once bought herring at a fish market and grilled it, and it was delicious, so this menu item caught my interest too. If it's still available next time I come, I'll try it!

The premium kaisendon arrived. Wow 👏🏻

The visuals are insane! The sashimi came sliced thick, looking so appetizing.

The basic side dishes were miso soup, steamed egg, and baek-kimchi (white kimchi).

This steamed egg had incredible bounce, hahaha. It was so jiggly and delicious — kind of like a pudding.

One piece each of tuna, uni, and scallop

They picked up the tuna I wanted most and put it on a big scoop of rice for me. So, so, so delicious 🥹 The soft tuna melted in my mouth, and it was so sweet.

This time they topped white fish with uni. Salmon roe dotted all over it too, haha. Wow! I thought I didn't like uni, but no — turns out I actually really like uni... The rich, creamy texture melted in my mouth. Apparently uni is treated as a high-end ingredient in Japan.

A bite of scallop, which I love, haha. The scallop had a smooth, soft-melting texture.

Marinated tuna hiding under a perilla leaf

While eating, I happened to lift a perilla leaf to get to the abalone and — oh! There was marinated tuna hidden underneath. Curious what it tasted like, so

I quickly piled it on top of the rice and tried it. Wow, this is total rice-thief material! It's a slightly salty tuna, but the umami is on a completely different level from just mixing canned tuna with mayo at home — obviously, lol.

It's white fish, but the thick cut fills your mouth wonderfully. Chew it slowly and you can taste the sweetness.

Not sure what fish this was, but it was also soft and delicious, haha. So thick, yet so soft.

I think I've fallen in love with uni. It's delicious even just on rice by itself. The wasabi boosts the umami even more.

The seared salmon (aburi) is great as always. I already love salmon itself, but seared salmon has its own charm. Sometimes I order just seared sushi on its own.

Complimentary cold udon and karaage

While I was eating, they brought out cold udon. They topped it with freshly fried karaage too, and I took a bite of just the karaage — so good! You should order the karaage as a standalone dish too — highly recommend!

Since it's cold udon, the noodles are really chewy. Not just chewy, but with a bit of firmness to them.

Fatty tuna, ₩10,000 a piece — today's the day to flex

Today, I'm flexing. This is the fatty tuna, ₩10,000 per piece.

Oof, it looked like it would melt right on sight... It's such a precious thing that you can't eat it often. Sure enough, it disappeared the moment it hit my mouth. Otherworldly softness 😋🎵

Kaisendon topping add-on prices? Sweet shrimp and egg ₩1,000, tuna ₩3,000

You can add extra toppings to the kaisendon at Ilpum Gangnam Branch. Sweet shrimp and egg are ₩1,000 each, and tuna is ₩3,000. They said that even if you order extras from the start, they'll bring them in a separate bowl, so I just added the parts I liked best as I ate. The add-on prices were so reasonable that I kept ordering more and more.

Sweet shrimp and egg are ₩1,000 — such a steal. Tuna is only ₩3,000 even though it's cut so thick... The bowl only comes with one piece of tuna, so that was a bit of a letdown. But being able to add more at such a good price made me so happy.

Refill complete ^^ It basically felt like ordering a whole extra bowl.

Wrapping marinated tuna and uni in seaweed was pure bliss.

You think I put on too much wasabi? I always eat wasabi-bomb style, haha. A self-inflicted punishment 😇 If your nose isn't burning, you didn't put in enough wasabi. Anyway, the spicy sensation from wasabi fades fast, so it's fine.

I ate the abalone — wow, why is this so soft. I think it's the softest real abalone I've ever had. So delicious ㅠㅠ I ate it when I was already full, which was a bit of a shame. If I'd eaten it earlier, it probably would have tasted even better.

I originally love sweet shrimp, so I added it. I guess I really like that rich, creamy texture. I love the innards too ><

Mango pudding for dessert

I was so full I was catching my breath, and then mango pudding arrived for dessert.

Wow, this is so good — it tastes like something you'd pay for outside. The soft pudding pairs so well with the mango puree! The mango puree didn't taste artificial at all, which I loved. You know how women have a separate 'dessert stomach'? Even full, it disappeared instantly.

I came back from Ilpum Gangnam Branch completely stuffed — highly recommend. Office workers in Gangnam, come here for lunch sometime and you'll feel amazing. Try suggesting it for a team lunch outing!