Bucheon Japanese restaurant: cod roe ochazuke, tempura at Haehwagaban

A Japanese restaurant near Sinjungdong Station, Haehwagaban on a weekday lunch

I decided to meet a friend for a weekday lunch before my belly got any bigger, haha. While thinking about what to eat, I stopped by Lotte Department Store Jungdong Branch and ended up at Haehwagaban on the basement floor. I'd been searching for "is there a different kind of Japanese restaurant among Bucheon's good restaurants?" and this Japanese restaurant caught my eye right inside the department store.

Ochazuke is a traditional Japanese dish made by pouring tea or broth over rice — the word combines "ocha" (tea) and "tsuke" (to steep or soak), literally referring to the act of pouring tea over rice. I'd only ever seen it on TV or in videos but never actually tried it, so this was my first taste. If you're setting up a lunch date in Sinjungdong or looking for a different kind of Japanese menu, this place near Sinjungdong Station is worth checking out.

Where is Haehwagaban in Lotte Department Store Jungdong, and what is it like inside?

Haehwagaban is on the basement floor of Lotte Department Store Jungdong Branch. Since the department store connects directly to Sinjungdong Station, it's easy to get to even on bad-weather days, and it's convenient to combine with shopping or a café afterward.

This Japanese restaurant near Sinjungdong has an open kitchen, so you can see at a glance how clean things are.

Since it was weekday lunchtime, the store was pretty crowded. Still, being in a department store, the dining space was clean, and my friend and I could chat comfortably over the meal.

Haehwagaban menu and prices

At the time of our visit, prices were ₩12,000 for cod roe rice bowl ochazuke, ₩17,000 for salmon rice bowl ochazuke, and ₩19,500 for eel rice bowl ochazuke. There was a good variety of noodle dishes too. Refreshing seasonal options like lemon cold soba, sweet shrimp cold soba, and uni cold soba were available, along with warm dishes like abalone perilla oil buckwheat noodles and abalone porridge. They also sell lunch boxes, which seemed like a good option for anyone wanting a simple or takeout meal.

What we ordered at Haehwagaban

Here's what we ordered that day.

Cod roe rice bowl ochazuke ₩12,000 Salmon rice bowl ochazuke ₩17,000 Mixed tempura ₩9,000 Zero-sugar cola ₩2,000

I ordered the cod roe rice bowl ochazuke, and my friend ordered the salmon rice bowl ochazuke.

How to eat ochazuke in three steps

Since it was my first time eating ochazuke, I was a little curious how exactly to eat it, but the instructions were printed right on the spoon, so it was easy to follow.

• First, eat about a third of the rice bowl as is.
• Next, sprinkle on the prepared toppings and taste it that way.
• Finally, pour in the green tea broth and enjoy it as ochazuke.

Eating it step by step let me taste the ingredients and the ochazuke flavor separately.

Cod roe rice bowl ochazuke, 12,000 won

With the cod roe rice bowl, the salty flavor of the cod roe paired really well with the rice.

Wrapped in seaweed, and eaten alongside the miso soup with seaweed and tofu, it took on a whole different flavor.

Once I poured in the green tea broth, the whole thing turned soft and warm-tasting.

Salmon rice bowl ochazuke, 17,000 won

My friend shared some salmon with me, and I got to try that too — the salmon was moist, not dry at all.

The steak-like tender texture was impressive, and there was almost none of that fishy taste salmon can sometimes have. If you're looking for the best salmon rice bowl ochazuke in Bucheon, I think this would satisfy just about anyone.

Crispy mixed tempura and side dishes, 9,000 won

We also ordered the mixed tempura (₩9,000) to go with the rice bowls. It comes with one piece each of shiitake mushroom, pepper, and shrimp. The tempura stayed crispy and didn't go soggy even after some time. The batter wasn't overly thick, so you could really taste and feel the texture of the ingredients.

The shiitake mushroom had a nice chewy texture,

and the pepper's mild aroma went well with the crispy batter. The shrimp kept a springy texture without the batter tasting too thick. The softness of the ochazuke and the crunch of the tempura together made the meal feel a lot more filling. It's a good side to add when two people find just rice bowls a bit lacking.

Why Haehwagaban works for a lunch date near Sinjungdong Station

Haehwagaban is inside Lotte Department Store Jungdong Branch, so it's easy to get to, and with such a varied menu, I'd want to come back here with my husband too.

Next time I want to try the best-selling grilled eel rice bowl ochazuke set or the cold soba buckwheat noodles. If you're looking for a lunch date spot in Sinjungdong or a Japanese restaurant inside Lotte Department Store Jungdong, Haehwagaban is worth considering. It's also a good fit if you want to try ochazuke for the first time without much pressure, or if you're simply after a clean Japanese restaurant in Bucheon.