Family gathering at a Nowon sushi buffet: new angkurute soup, Kuu Kuu

If you like sushi, you've probably heard of "Kuu Kuu." But as our kids got older, it got harder to find time to eat out together. We finally made time for a family gathering and visited Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch.

Where is Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch, and what are the hours and parking?

Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is on the 6th floor of 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul. It's open Mon–Fri 11:00–21:30 and Sat–Sun 11:00–22:00, and groups or kids' playroom (yuahsisul) bookings need a reservation.

• Parking: 2 hours free with Seoul Oncheon underground parking
• Transit: 804m from Exit 2, Hagye Station, Line 7
• Same-day reservations are possible through Naver
• Dining time is 90 minutes when there's a wait, longer if not

Is the 300-pyeong hall good for family and group gatherings?

The interior of this Nowon sushi buffet has a comfortable white-and-wood design, and it's said to be over 300 pyeong (about 990㎡) — and it really was huge. It would suit family gatherings just as well as bigger group outings.

I think this might be the biggest Kuu Kuu location I've been to. Since everyone has different tastes, it's nice to be able to try such a wide variety of food.

How much does it cost to get into Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch?

Let me walk you through the admission prices.

• Weekday lunch before 5pm: ₩27,900
• Weekday dinner after 5pm: ₩31,900
• Weekend and holiday adult: ₩35,900
• Elementary school kids, weekday lunch: ₩16,900
• Elementary school kids, weekday dinner: ₩17,900
• Elementary school kids, weekend and holiday: ₩18,900
• Preschool children: ₩9,900

From the sushi corner to the dessert corner, everything was laid out well, so it was easy to find and grab whatever I felt like eating. Maybe because the place is so big, it wasn't crowded even with a lot of guests.

Sushi and sashimi among about 120 dishes

The sashimi, sushi, and rolls made by a chef with traditional Japanese cooking experience, using fresh fish, were outstanding. They say the fresh, quality ingredients delivered to the store every morning make up around 120 varied and healthy menu items.

There were so many options that I didn't know what to eat first. Faced with so much food, I first walked around to take a good look at everything on offer. I skipped the salads right away — that's my own little strategy for making room for lots of sushi and main dishes, haha.

There was flounder sushi, salmon sushi, yukhoe (raw beef) sushi, tuna sushi, seared tuna tataki sushi, raw salmon sushi, raw shrimp sushi, octopus sushi, squid sushi, scallop sushi, whelk sushi, eel sushi, beef sushi, smoked duck sushi, egg sushi, and more — almost too many to list. It's a sushi buffet, but it was packed with such varied food. The mala shrimp in particular was really delicious.

It wasn't just the food — the staff were so kind that it made for a pleasant meal. Even though it was a weekday, there were quite a lot of guests, but the staff moved around briskly clearing empty plates, and the tables and food areas all looked clean. You could tell partly because the kitchen was open.

At restaurants I usually end up ordering what the kids like rather than what I want, but here I got to eat a lot of my own favorites.

The new angkurute soup at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch

Visiting again after a while, I could tell the menu had gotten even more varied. There was a new item on display. The angkurute soup had soup inside topped with pastry bread, and it was delicious. My husband tried a bite of mine and went and got his own, haha. It felt like being served at a fancy restaurant.

Dessert: marble ice cream and fresh fruit

For dessert there was a variety of mango, melon, apple, grapefruit, tangerine and more, and I really had my fill of Kuu Kuu's signature dessert lately, the marble ice cream.

We had an enjoyable dinner at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch, where you can eat a wide variety of food without feeling guilty about it. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves sushi, wants to try lots of different food, or loves dessert!