Hwajeong sushi restaurant: solo set during a grooming wait, Min Cook

Why I came to Min Cook Dasima alone near Hwajeong Station

I dropped Odeng off for grooming and had about 1 hour to kill, so I went to eat alone at Min Cook Dasima (민쿡다시마), a restaurant near Hwajeong Station. It has really good solo seating, so it's popular with people who dine alone. Above all, when I want sushi, this is the place nearby where I can get the most upscale flavor, so I stop by fairly often.

Min Cook Dasima location, parking and hours

Min Cook Dasima is on the 2nd floor of the building right in front of the rear-gate parking lot of the Hwajeong E-Mart. You get 1 hour of free parking through E-Mart, but the restaurant's own building doesn't offer parking support.

• Hours: daily 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:30
• Last order: 14:30 and 20:30

Seating at Min Cook Dasima: is it comfortable alone?

There are window seats for solo diners, so it's comfortable to go alone. When there's a wait, you put your name on the waiting list and can sit in a spot nearby for a bit.

When you walk in, on the right there's a space that fits tables of 4 up to bigger groups. It feels quiet yet warm. On the left are 2-person seats and seats for solo diners. Since it's by the window, you eat looking outside, and somehow eating alone doesn't feel lonely, haha~~

Min Cook Dasima's rice rules

Min Cook Dasima's iron rule: they cook only 100 servings of sushi rice a day, and the base of every flavor is dasima (kelp). Their three rice principles are Samdasu water, rice milled within the last 5 days, and a refrigerator used only for rice. With all that, how could it not taste great!

How to order at Min Cook Dasima and the menu

You can order by QR code at Min Cook Dasima.

The menu is divided broadly into à la carte items, set meals and lunch specials, with sushi, rice bowls, ramen and main dishes all available. Each comes with a photo and a basic description, which helps when choosing.

Takeout is hot too!

What's in the ₩25,000 sushi set at Min Cook Dasima

Today at Min Cook Dasima near Hwajeong Station, I ordered the sushi set for ₩25,000.

The sushi set arrived neatly laid out on one tray. From 9 pieces of fresh sushi to 3 kinds of crispy tempura, braised eel, clear soup, salad, pickled radish and white kimchi, the sides were generous and looked filling for a full meal. I liked how clean and plentiful it looked.

Starter porridge and cabbage salad

Before the meal, a warm porridge came out to settle the stomach. It was soft and mild, topped lightly with sesame and nuts, and went down easily. It opened the set gently.

The fresh cabbage salad came with a sweet sauce and half a grilled tomato on top. After the porridge, this appetizer got my appetite going too.

Chawanmushi and braised eel

Pudding-like chawanmushi (steamed egg custard)! It has mushrooms and shrimp inside, and it's so soft it melts away in your mouth.

The braised eel was soaked through with a soy-based sauce that was salty yet sweet. Tender fish meat topped with shredded ginger and chili gave a subtle aroma and savory depth.

The 9 pieces of sushi at Min Cook Dasima: what do you get?

The sushi set puts salmon, tuna, white fish, shrimp, mackerel and more on one plate. Each topping differs in color and texture, so picking them one by one was fun. The thick-cut fish wraps the rice generously, which made every bite satisfying.

Soy-marinated shrimp sushi

This soy-marinated shrimp sushi (간장새우초밥) had a moist shine. It looked so fresh you could feel the plump texture, and the more I chewed, the more a mild sweet-salty savoriness filled my mouth.

Mackerel sushi, my first time

Mackerel topped generously with sesame and chopped scallion for extra flavor. I was a bit hesitant since it was a first for me, but once I ate it, the mackerel's nutty richness blended with the sesame and fragrant scallion, and the savory taste was quite good. Its look alone was different, so it stuck with me.

Tuna sushi and clear soup

Tuna sushi with a vivid red that catches the eye. It was moist and tender, melting in my mouth. With a little scallion on top, the tuna's clean flavor came through even more neatly.

And a warm sip of clear soup in between~~

Flounder sushi and flounder belly

Thick, slightly translucent white fish: flounder sushi came with the belly cut as well. Chewy yet mild, with a subtle sweetness, it was easy to enjoy the true taste of sushi. Dipped lightly in soy sauce, or topped with white kimchi, it tasted even more refreshing and clean.

Two kinds of salmon sushi and futomaki

Melt-in-your-mouth salmon sushi came in 2 varieties, so it felt plentiful.

The futomaki (thick sushi roll) was huge at first glance and really packed with fillings. Tender salmon, egg and crispy shrimp tempura came together, and even one piece was quite filling.

Finishing with 3 kinds of tempura

The last thing I tried was the 3 tempura: shrimp, pumpkin and chili pepper. The batter was crunchy, the shrimp plump, the pumpkin soft and the chili pepper a little spicy. Eaten warm, the nutty flavor came through even stronger.

Min Cook Dasima, a solo sushi spot near Hwajeong Station: verdict

If you want neat sushi and a range of Japanese dishes in one go near Hwajeong Station, Min Cook Dasima is worth a visit. The fish was thick-cut so the texture of the ingredients came through, and with shrimp tempura, braised fish and porridge, it was a set that makes for a satisfying meal. I heard it has been running since 2001 and is now introduced as a Hundred-Year Store (백년가게, a government-designated long-running shop), so I could see why it has been loved for so long.