Solo seating for salt-grilled black cod near Hwajeong Station: Min

These days I've really been into grilled fish. It's hard to grill fish often at home, and honestly it's healthier than meat anyway. I went to [Min Cook Misoyaki], a lunch spot near Hwajeong Station, and had Japanese-style grilled fish that's delicious even cold!! The taste and value were both really satisfying. Let's get into the review.

A 1-minute walk from Hwajeong Station Exit 1: location and basic info

Min Cook Misoyaki, a lunch spot near Hwajeong Station, is about a 1-minute walk from Exit 1 of Hwajeong Station. It's right across from the entrance to the E-mart parking lot. Since it's right on the street, it was easy to find.

• 37 Hwasin-ro 260beon-gil, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (1F)
• Open daily 11:00–21:00
• Has a break time

A Master of Japanese Cuisine, Korea

11 solo seats — a place that feels like a haven for solo diners

It's a clean, tidy Japanese restaurant with plenty of solo seats. The vibe is great for office workers grabbing lunch — a real haven for solo diners. There were 11 solo seats and 2 tables for two. Since I often eat out alone, this kind of atmosphere is comfortable and I really appreciate it!!

The air conditioning was blasting and it was super cool inside. The ventilation system seemed really well set up too. There was no smell of grilling fish at all — a pleasant, comfortable atmosphere.

Min Cook Misoyaki menu and prices

• Black cod grill (메로구이) ₩18,000 / ₩19,000
• Mackerel grill (고등어구이) ₩11,000 / ₩12,000
• Raw salmon grill (생연어구이) ₩16,000 / ₩17,000
• Large Spanish mackerel grill (대삼치구이) ₩16,000 / ₩17,000
• Sakedon ₩15,000
• Flounder sashimi rice bowl ₩17,000
• Tuna sashimi rice bowl ₩11,000

The signature dish: salt-grilled black cod

I had the signature dish, salt-grilled black cod. The basic spread came with egg porridge, cabbage kimchi, danmuji, stir-fried yeolmu kimchi, cabbage salad, and miso soup.

Black cod is an expensive fish, so I don't get to eat it often. I've had it a few times at izakayas, and even smaller portions there cost way more. But the value here is genuinely great!!!

It was bigger than it looks in photos, and there was so much meat on it!! The chewy texture was really delicious!!! The salt seasoning was just the right amount — simply delicious!!! The fish itself had zero fishy smell. The texture reminded me of chewy cuttlefish.

Looking at these photos brings back the emotion of that moment T.T Since it was all mine, I took a huge, unapologetic bite. I dipped it into soy sauce with wasabi mixed in smoothly, no clumps, put it on fluffy white rice, and — one big bite!! Ah, seriously so good, absolutely delicious, insanely tasty!!! It's really so good!!

How was the salt-grilled Atka mackerel?

Atka mackerel grill is something I usually like and order often. The pieces were big and there was so much meat!! Being a salt grill, it was clean-tasting and delicious as expected.

It was appropriately oily and had plenty of moisture, so it was juicy and never dry — such a great excuse to eat more rice!!! The black cod was so overwhelmingly good that my reaction to this might seem a bit tame, but it's delicious, haha. At ₩11,000, the value is really great too.

Wrapping up

It's a clean, tidy Japanese restaurant that's great for solo dining. Beyond grilled fish, they also have sakedon, sashimi rice bowls, tonkatsu, and more — a perfect variety for an office worker's lunch. If you're looking for a great lunch spot near Hwajeong Station, I strongly recommend [Min Cook Misoyaki]!!