Songdo sushi restaurant with thick eel sushi and rakkyo: Sushi Doku

Why we chose Sushi Doku The Songdo for lunch in Songdo

Sushi Doku The Songdo is a sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor of Onesta Mall in Songdo. I'd heard it was famous under the tag #SongdoSushi and had been curious about it, and a friend said she'd wanted to visit for a while too, so we went together.

How long is the walk-in wait at the 11am weekday opening?

Sushi Doku opens at 11am on weekdays, and we arrived about five minutes before that. Even at that early hour, there were already people waiting. If it's this busy on a weekday morning, I could tell this place really lives up to its reputation.

You can also reserve through Catchtable, so if you're planning to visit, booking ahead might be a good idea.

We waited on a walk-in basis, and by around 11:30 the line outside had grown quite a bit. Even on a weekday, seeing this many people really made me feel how popular this place is.

What the dining room at Sushi Doku The Songdo looks like

The restaurant was bigger than I expected and kept clean and well maintained overall.

It had that clean, upscale sushi-restaurant feel that made it a nice place to eat. What we ordered was the Myeongpum Sushi Teukjeongsik (premium sushi set).

What comes with the Myeongpum Sushi Teukjeongsik set

Sushi Doku The Songdo's Myeongpum Sushi Teukjeongsik comes with a salad, chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg custard), 10 pieces of sushi, tempura, and udon — a much more filling set than I expected.

The salad had fresh vegetables that were great for whetting the appetite, and the chawanmushi was delicious too. It had ginkgo nuts and shrimp inside, so along with the soft egg custard there was a nice bite here and there. I personally loved the subtle aroma of ginkgo.

The udon in the set is more generous than expected

One thing I was really satisfied with was the udon. Udon that comes with a sushi set can sometimes have overcooked noodles or a disappointing broth, but here the portion was pretty generous and the broth was tasty too. It was packed with ingredients, so for a side dish in a set menu, it felt properly made.

10 pieces of sushi, thick eel sushi and the soy sauce brush

And of course, the main event: sushi! Since I love sushi, I wondered if 10 pieces might not be quite enough, but the slices of fish on top were thick and generous overall, so I ended up completely full. The fish was clearly fresh, and the seasoning and amount of rice were just right. I don't usually eat eel sushi much, but I really enjoyed it here.

Another thing that was quietly convenient while eating sushi was being able to brush on the soy sauce instead of dipping.

Sometimes the rice falls apart when you dip it in soy sauce, but brushing it on spread the seasoning evenly and was much easier to eat. The tempura was tasty too..! The shrimp and chicken were substantial, and the batter was crispy and delicious. The tartar sauce was so good I finished it in no time haha.

How good is the rakkyo (pickled scallions)?

Honestly, when I go to a sushi restaurant, I check the rakkyo (pickled shallots) first. Here, every piece was plump and fresh, which I loved. Not a single one was mushy or in poor shape — they were all cleanly prepared, and I really liked that haha.

Mouthwash, floss and parking after the meal

After finishing the meal, I noticed mouthwash and floss set up near the counter. After eating raw fish your mouth can feel a bit heavy, so having these ready to use right after the meal felt like a thoughtful touch.

Building parking is convenient too. I go to a pediatric clinic in the same building and have never once failed to find a spot. This time we parked at Songhyeona. Since the Sushi Doku building and Songhyeona are connected inside, parking at Songhyeona and doing some shopping together would work out nicely.

Going out through the door right in front of the restaurant connects directly to the 2nd floor of Songhyeona, which made getting around easy. You can also use the restroom facilities on the Songhyeona side.

Final verdict on Sushi Doku The Songdo

After eating here myself, I could see why it's known as one of the famous sushi restaurants in Songdo. It's a great place to find clean, properly made sushi in Songdo, and I think it's worth a visit at least once, especially if you love sushi like I do. I enjoyed this meal enough that I'd like to come back again to this Songdo sushi restaurant.