Eel bowl restaurant by Yeoksam Station: Saturday solo ochazuke, Chisot

A Saturday-shift lunch near Yeoksam Station: Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch

Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch (치솟 역삼본점) is a hitsumabushi (grilled eel rice bowl) place near Yeoksam Station, and I walked in for a late lunch after finishing work on a Saturday. Yes, I worked on a Saturday T_T. Chisot was where I went to eat lunch near Yeoksam Station after work. I'd worked hard on a weekend, so I was determined to eat something really good, haha.

Is there a wait at Chisot Yeoksam on weekends?

I'd heard there's a bit of a wait on weekdays because of all the office workers, but on Saturday, a little after lunchtime, it was quieter than I expected and I ate comfortably. I work around here, you know. Chisot is famous as a go-to spot for Yeoksam office workers, right? I'd been wondering why, and after eating there, I totally get it!

It's an eel bowl place, so it's got a very Japanese feel, doesn't it?

Which hitsumabushi size did I pick at Chisot?

I had the hitsumabushi eel bowl, and I went with the Sang (medium) size. The Mini is reasonably priced too, so it seems great for an occasional lunch.

Is Chisot Yeoksam good for eating alone?

There are bar seats (dachi-seok) and plenty of tables, so the vibe works well for solo dining. Most people there, me included, were eating alone.

An Okinawa draft beer on a hot day

It was so hot that day that I ordered an Okinawa draft beer too. After finishing work it was so refreshing, and I felt weirdly happy, like I was on a solo trip, haha. Anyway, the draft beer is smooth and really, really good. I'll definitely order this combo again.

What comes with the Hitsumabushi Sang set

The Hitsumabushi Sang at Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch comes as a neatly arranged tray. The eel bowl I'd been waiting for finally arrived, and I was happy the moment I saw it.

They even give you a guide called "How to enjoy Chisot hitsumabushi." Isn't it cute and pretty? I read it slowly and followed along.

Whoa, the look of it is crazy, right? Haha. I ordered the medium size and the eel is really big and there's a lot of it.

I started with the soft chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and the clear soup as an appetizer.

Is the Hitsumabushi Sang big enough?

The Sang size at Chisot has plenty of eel, enough for both women and men. And if you run short of rice, you can get a refill, haha.

Isn't the rice paddle just too cute? Haha. I wanted to take it home. A super adorable wooden fish-shaped paddle.

How to eat Chisot hitsumabushi, step by step

Honestly, I just wanted to dig in the second I saw it.. but I decided to follow the recommended way to eat it.

Step one: just the eel and rice

First I tried just the eel and rice. The eel is tender and the sauce is really good! The rice seems to be seasoned too, because it wasn't bland at all. When an eel bowl is bland and the rice has almost no seasoning, I get sick of it fast and can't finish it T_T. At Chisot, the rice and the sauce go together really well.

Step two: mix in seaweed, wasabi and scallion

Second is mixing in seaweed, wasabi and scallion. Personally, I liked it much more than just rice and eel, haha. Seaweed, wasabi and scallion are all things I love.

Seriously so delicious T_T..

Step three: pour on the ochazuke

Third is pouring ochazuke (tea broth) over the rice. Honestly, I'm not really into this kind of thing..? I'm a bit put off by soaking rice in anything that isn't a regular soup, but it was seriously so, so good, haha. The ochazuke is really different from other places. The savory depth is amazing. Honestly, I think even plain rice in that ochazuke would be delicious..

Sprinkle furikake (rice seasoning) over the rice with ochazuke poured on it. Insanely delicious.

The savory flavor is crazy...

Step four: whichever way you liked best

The fourth way is to enjoy it however you liked best of the three, and me, the one who said I don't like ochazuke... from here on I just kept eating it soaked. It's that good, so please try it this way T_T

Insanely delicious. Sprinkle on the furikake and the seaweed, all of it..

Chisot Yeoksam eel bowl: the verdict

The hitsumabushi at Chisot Yeoksam Main Branch was easy to eat because the eel was grilled tender, not dry, and the sauce was neither too sweet nor too salty, but not bland either, so the seasoning was just right. I really understand now why it's called an office-worker favorite in Yeoksam. I'd truly recommend it to eel bowl lovers and anyone looking for a Yeoksam office-worker spot. I plan to go often too, at lunchtime and after work.