₩22,000 12-piece sushi lunch set in Mulgeum, Yangsan: Shirokuma

Today I'm back with a review of a Yangsan restaurant I truly cherish — Shirokuma, sushi. Haha! This is genuinely one of my favorite sushi spots, and weirdly, whenever I go to other sushi places, I keep thinking about the sushi here. Lol. So this time again I went with the lunch special and had the premium sushi 12 pieces!! Since it's about my favorite sushi place, I might ramble a bit... lol. If you've been looking for a good sushi restaurant in Yangsan, please read to the end~

Shirokuma location, hours and parking in Mulgeum, Yangsan

• Location: 11-5 Hwahap 4-gil, Mulgeum-eup, Yangsan-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, 1st floor
• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:30–21:00 / break time 14:30–17:30 (last order 20:00)
• Closed: every Sunday
• Parking: 2 spots in front, 2 spots beside the building, Hwangsan Village public lot (free 6pm–9am)
• Lunch special (11:30–14:30) free udon or soba / reservations, takeout and delivery available / high chair available

It's located inside the Beomeo residential area of Mulgeum, Yangsan. It's fairly close to Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital 🏥 too, so it's not hard to find. Hours are Mon–Sat 11:30–21:00, with break time 14:30–17:30. Sundays are closed regularly, so make sure to check before you visit!

The lunch special only runs 11:30–14:30, so if you want the udon or soba too, it's best to time your visit around lunch. Parking is available for 2 cars in front and 2 more beside the building. If there's no spot, you can use the Hwangsan Village public parking lot. It's free from 6pm to 9am the next day, which is handy if you're going in the evening.

Inside Shirokuma: seating and the waiting area

When you walk in, a cute bear greets you first haha. Shirokuma means 'white bear,' so you can spot bears all over the place.

The interior is clean overall and the tables are spaced generously, so it was comfortable for a relaxed meal. There are also partitioned seats, so if you want a quiet meal, it might be a good idea to book ahead!

This time there was an indoor waiting area. It's hard to wait outside when it's hot or cold, so it felt like a thoughtful touch.

When I go during lunch, I usually reserve ahead. Every time I go it's packed, so reserving means I can eat right away without waiting haha.

I really love these little details this place has. Hangers are placed all around for coats, and there's even mouthwash in the restroom — the owner's thoughtfulness moved me all over again as I left haha.

Since I had reserved, they set me up at a partitioned seat haha.

Ordering the 22,000-won premium 12-piece sushi lunch set

That day I ordered the premium sushi 12 pieces as the lunch special haha. (You can even choose to skip the wasabi as an ordering option!) If you visit during lunch hours, 11:30–14:30, you can pick either udon or soba. It's great being able to have noodles alongside the sushi.

I chose the mini soba without a second thought!! Udon is delicious too, but when eating alongside sushi, cool soba pulls me in more haha.

Once you order, a salad and warm miso soup come out first. The salad topped with black sesame dressing was nutty and just right for waking up the appetite before the sushi arrived.

What comes in the premium 12-piece set: thick sashimi and Koshihikari rice

Finally, the sushi arrives!! The plate is packed generously with the premium sushi 12 pieces... it already passes the visual test!! Lol. The biggest charm of Shirokuma's sushi is that the sashimi is really thick and generously cut. You get the proper texture of raw fish in one bite, which makes eating it fun.

And the rice!! Shirokuma uses Koshihikari rice, and apparently the sushi vinegar dressing is their own developed recipe too. That's probably why the rice color looks browner than at typical sushi places. It looks a bit unusual at first glance, but once you taste it, it's moist and soft and pairs really well with the raw fish.

The sauce drizzled on top of the sushi is subtly sweet too, so the umami really pops even without dipping in soy sauce.

The premium sushi lineup ranges from aged sashimi to salmon, beef, eggplant sushi, and futomaki, so there was plenty of fun in picking through them one by one haha. Being able to taste so many kinds meant I never got tired of it to the end.

The favorite piece: Shirokuma's eggplant sushi

My favorite is the eggplant sushi! It's the one thing I make sure to eat every time I come to Shirokuma!! It's slightly crisp on the outside and moist and soft inside, melting in your mouth~ Add the sweet sauce on top and the combination is really great. Even if you don't usually like eggplant, I think it's worth trying once if you visit Shirokuma!

Can't skip the salmon sushi either. The thick-cut salmon on top was soft and nutty without any fishiness, and tasted clean. Pick through the pieces one by one and before you know it, the plate is magically empty lol. This is probably why I keep thinking of Shirokuma's sushi even when I go elsewhere haha.

Is the free mini soba with the lunch special any good?

Can't skip the mini soba that came with the lunch special either. Being a mini size, the portion wasn't overwhelming, so it was just right alongside the 12-piece sushi. The noodles were chewy and the cool tsuyu broth was salty yet clean. Mixing in a little wasabi and slurping it down refreshes your palate. Having the premium sushi plus the mini soba made for a satisfying lunch haha.

Bear candy and Shirokuma's receipt draw event

And when you leave, grab a bear candy at the entrance haha, and don't forget the receipt-draw event! I tried my hand at the draw too, and the result was... drumroll... 4th prize, 2 pieces of salmon sushi!! Not 1st prize, but it was a small win with a salmon sushi voucher, and it made me happy lol. Next time I go, I'll make sure to enjoy the salmon sushi from the voucher first!

Is Shirokuma's lunch special worth it?

• A Yangsan sushi restaurant I love
• The combination of thick sashimi and moist rice
• Definitely try the eggplant sushi
• Lunch special comes with udon or soba
• The premium sushi 12 pieces makes for a filling meal
• Small touches like mouthwash and candy
• Reserving ahead makes lunchtime easier

There's a reason I keep thinking of Shirokuma even when I visit other sushi places haha. If you're craving sushi for lunch in Yangsan or looking for a sushi restaurant in Yangsan, I recommend Shirokuma, where you can enjoy the premium sushi and the lunch special together!!!!

Next time I'm going to try the grilled sushi set 12 pieces!!