Sunday lunch eel bowl with free parking at Manmok, Seonleung Station

Today's post is an honest review of lunch near Seonleung Station. It's a place called Manmok that serves Japanese Kanto-style eel rice bowls! There are so many great restaurants around Seonleung Station these days that it's hard to decide where to go, but I wanted something a bit special and filling instead of my usual lunch, so I went out for an eel rice bowl. I hope this helps anyone searching for a Seonleung Station lunch spot or a good eel rice bowl in Gangnam.

Where Manmok is near Seonleung Station, and its opening hours

Manmok is located at 9 Seolleung-ro 82-gil, 1F, Gangnam-gu (897-11 Daechi-dong), Seoul, and it's open daily from 11:00 to 22:00 with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00. Naver Reservation is available, and while there are no private rooms, venue rental is possible and corkage is free.

Manmok is about a 4-minute walk from Seonleung Station. Being so close to the station, it seemed like a convenient spot for office workers to visit during lunch hour.

Sunday 1pm visit: two free parking spots in front of Manmok

I visited Manmok around 1pm on a Sunday. Before heading over, I called ahead to ask about parking, and they removed the no-parking cone for me. There are two free parking spots in front of the restaurant, and when I arrived, exactly one spot was still open, so I could park easily and go straight in.

Manmok seating, from solo counter seats to group tables

Manmok's seating roughly breaks down into three types, and its standout feature is having solo seats! So for office workers who need to eat lunch alone, I'd highly recommend it as a solo dining spot near Seonleung Station.

Of course, it's not only for solo diners. There are also tables for 2 to 4 people, and a separate area for larger groups. The group seating has a cozy spot for about 5 people and a row-style seating area for around 8. So it also seemed like a fine choice for lunch with coworkers near Seonleung Station.

The interior overall felt clean and well organized. Best of all, there was a good variety of seating types — solo seats, 4-person tables, and group seating all available.

Ordering the Kanto-style whole eel rice bowl at Manmok

I ordered a whole eel rice bowl at Manmok. This eel rice bowl was the main reason for today's visit!! I'd been looking for a good eel rice bowl lately, and it happened that there was a place near Seonleung Station serving Japanese Kanto-style eel rice bowl, so I gave it a try. Japanese eel rice bowls are broadly divided into Kanto-style, Kansai-style, and Nagoya-style, and Manmok's is the Kanto style — where the eel is grilled once, then steamed, brushed with sauce, and grilled again over charcoal for a softer texture. So excited.

And here it all comes.

A side dish of Japanese-style steamed egg, chawanmushi, comes with the meal — it's silky and pudding-like, one of my favorite things to eat.

How the eel tastes: crisp outside, tender inside

Finally, my whole Kanto-style eel rice bowl. The eel had that crispy-outside, tender-inside texture. No bones at all, soft on the inside, with a slightly crisp finish from being charcoal-grilled on the outside? It went really well with the secret sauce.

Why sancho pepper beats wasabi with Manmok's eel bowl

Manmok also has sancho pepper (Japanese pepper) powder on hand, so I dipped some eel in it. It was my first time trying this combination, and surprisingly — I'm a wasabi lover, but the sancho pepper actually paired better than wasabi, so I ended up dipping generously and loving it.

The savory depth of the sauce really comes through when eaten with the fluffy rice… Personally, I think eel rice bowl tastes best when the rice and eel are eaten together.

I want to eat it again already…

Dessert ice cream at Manmok: green tea or black tea?

Manmok finishes the meal with a choice of ice cream — matcha or black tea flavor. We ordered both and shared: the matcha was chewy and dense, while the black tea had a slightly crisp texture. Both were delicious, so I'd recommend picking based on whether you prefer matcha or black tea!

And to finish, a Halls candy too. Perfect!

Is Manmok a good spot for solo dining near Seonleung Station?

For office worker lunches, Manmok is close enough to Seonleung Station to visit easily during lunch hour. With solo seats available, I'd recommend it to office workers looking for a solo dining spot near Seonleung Station. The eel rice bowl was delicious, but what I personally liked most was being able to eat in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. It's a comfortable place whether you come alone or with company, so it should suit anyone looking for a lunch spot near Seonleung Station. Plus, since corkage is free, it also seemed like a good option for something a bit more special in the evening.

• Anyone looking for a lunch restaurant close to Seonleung Station
• Anyone wanting a hearty eel rice bowl in Gangnam
• Anyone looking for a comfortable solo dining spot near Seonleung Station