Daejeon Japanese restaurant with solo seats and katsu sando: Choi Dining

I loooove eating alone... like, ridiculously much..! Haha. I’m such an extreme, extreme introvert that I usually eat alone even in the company cafeteria, thinking, do I really have to talk to someone while I eat.....

People from work occasionally suggest going out for a meal to pull this hikikomori-like me out of my shell, and Choi Dining always~ came up as an option. I’d pinned it thinking, how good must it be for everyone to talk about it? Then I got a lovely chance to visit for lunch. 🤓🤎

Choi Dining Gwanpyeong location and visitor information

Choi Dining in Gwanpyeong is near Daejeon Hyundai Outlet, on the first floor at 20 Gwandul 4-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; just keep in mind that the break time is from 3 to 5 p.m.

There were spaces for three or four cars right in front of and beside the restaurant. Naver reservations are available, and you can also order takeout and delivery through Baemin or Naver Order. Haha. Baemin! notifications kept coming the entire time we ate at Choi Dining. I guess it’s famous as a Gwanpyeong delivery favorite toooo?

Seating for both solo diners and groups

Here’s the interior. It was my first visit, and just looking at the entrance, I thought it would be a small place, you know? But I was surprised by how quite, quite spacious it was inside. There are lots of two- to four-person tables, plus tables for groups; when we were leaving, a group was having a meal there.

Choi Dining would be great whether you are looking for a restaurant for eating alone in Gwanpyeong or a place for a group dinner in Gwanpyeong.

Choosing lunch from a tablet menu

You order from a tablet at your table. There is a wide range of Japanese dishes, from maki rolls and cutlets to rice dishes and noodles. There are also set menus at a more reasonable price, as well as discounted lunch set meals available only at lunchtime, so keep those in mind when ordering. Haha.

Why was the salmon futomaki my favorite?

Salmon futomaki (thick sushi roll). Apparently, it is Choi Dining’s signature menu. There are five- and ten-piece options, and since we wanted to order several things and share, we got the five-piece one. Haha. I liked this too: you can order smaller portions, which seems perfect for trying several dishes and sharing them with your companions. And it makes ordering easy when you are dining alone too! The aged salmon futomaki, five pieces, is ₩14,900.

Everything was delicious, but this salmon futomaki was my favorite. It is stuffed full of ingredients, and the salmon was super fresh..! There is tenpura (crispy tempura bits) inside too, so the texture is varied! The ingredients worked together so well that my companion and I said we would definitely, definitely order this again on a return visit. Hehe.

A spicy, well-balanced dontoro-don

Dontoro-don. ₩13,000. It is a rice bowl topped with fried pork jowl seasoned in a special soy sauce. You do not need to worry that pork jowl might be too rich, because the spicy seasoning handles that beautifully, while fresh toppings like shishito peppers and onions balance the bowl. Haha. I think the owner really knows food.

Give it a quick mix, then take a big bite with rice + pork jowl + onion + shishito pepper + wasabi. The menu explained why Choi Dining’s pork jowl is so good, and after tasting it, I understood why they confidently recommended the pork jowl dishes. The chewy texture of the dontoro-don was delicious. There are two versions: the original and karai, a gochujang-flavored spicy version, so keep that in mind when ordering.

Katsu sando wrapped in soft bread

And the final menu: katsu sando, ₩10,900. This sandwich wraps a thick, juicy pork loin cutlet in soft sandwich bread. I have had this in Japan before~ and pork cutlet + bread is delicious plus delicious, so there is no way it could not be goodgg. Dip it in sriracha or mustard sauce, whichever you prefer.

Overall, every dish arrived with a clean, polished feel, and the flavors are the kind almost everyone would enjoy. That made me think, ahh, this must be why it is famous as a Gwanpyeong lunch spot and why people from my company often come here for lunch gatherings~ Haha.