Sharing basic and premium kaisendon at Ilpum Gwanghwamun, Jongno

I went out for a rare no-kids date in Gwanghwamun with a friend from the neighborhood :) It's been forever since I had a meal out without the kids haha. We were both excited even before meeting up and promised each other we'd go eat something really good. Let's go!

Our pick was Ilpum Gwanghwamun, apparently a hot spot for kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) right now in Gwanghwamun :) It's been a while since I had such fresh, delicious kaisendon.

Still crowded even past the lunch rush — counter seats and table seats

Once inside, there were both counter (dachi) seats and table seats. We deliberately went right as lunch hour was ending, but people kept coming in anyway. Seems like a lot of nearby office workers come here too! We considered the counter but ended up choosing a table so we could chat more easily while ordering.

Ilpum Gwanghwamun menu and prices

Here's the menu and pricing at Ilpum Gwanghwamun, a Japanese restaurant in Gwanghwamun. I really liked that there were so many kinds of kaisendon and that you can add extra toppings :3 They have sushi too, so keep that in mind.

Can't decide? Order one Kaisendon and one Premium Kaisendon

Looking at the menu, the rice bowl options were more substantial than I expected. My friend and I went back and forth for a while before deciding, "Since we're here, let's just order both the basic and the premium and split them!" So we each ordered one haha.

Even the basic is this generous? Kaisendon

This is the basic kaisendon my friend mostly worked on. "Basic" in name only — I was surprised by how much sashimi was piled up on the bowl. Salmon, tuna, scallop, sweet shrimp, and even flying fish roe! Seafood was packed in tightly.

We took turns taking bites, and the sashimi was so chewy and sweet!! I'm sensitive to fishy smells, but there was absolutely none of that — just savory goodness. Wrapping the rice and sashimi in the gamtae (seasoned seaweed) with a touch of wasabi was the best combination!!

The perfect pairing of uni and abalone — Premium Kaisendon

And this is the premium kaisendon I chose! The moment it arrived, the colors alone were stunning ♡ On top of the basic components, it had fluffy premium uni (sea urchin roe), popping salmon roe, tender abalone steamed in sake, and aburi (torched) sashimi with a hint of char.

My friend saw the uni and got so jealous that we ended up sharing it nicely :3 The combination of the oily, char-scented sashimi and the soft uni just melted in my mouth — it was so good. I instantly understood why everyone recommends this as a top kaisendon spot in Gwanghwamun!!!

The rice was seasoned, so it was delicious even on its own,

and we ate it wrapped in seaweed, enjoyed the sashimi on its own, and mixed it with the rice too — trying it so many different ways made it even more delicious :)

From chawanmushi and miso soup to cold udon and mango dessert

Warm chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and miso soup,

and cold udon plus a mango pannacotta dessert!! It was the ultimate healing meal that won over these moms' taste buds. (I bet office workers would love it just as much!!)

It was so nice to enjoy a good meal with a friend after so long, and it completely blew away my parenting stress haha. If you're looking to enjoy refined, proper Japanese food around Gwanghwamun, definitely check out Ilpum Gwanghwamun, a top kaisendon spot in the area. Both my friend and I were completely satisfied ♡ It was a really good meal.

Ilpum Gwanghwamun / B2, 223, 19 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul