Hwajeong Station Japanese lunch with E-Mart parking: Min Cook Misoyaki

I was looking for something a little different from my everyday lunch near Hwajeong Station, and that's how I ended up at Min Cook Misoyaki. It's a Japanese restaurant that covers everything from grilled fish to rice bowls to tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) under one roof — worth remembering when you want a filling but well-put-together Hwajeong Station lunch.

Min Cook Misoyaki / 37 Hwasin-ro260beon-gil, 1st floor, Deogyang-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do / Daily 11:00 - 21:00

How far is Min Cook Misoyaki from Hwajeong Station, and where do you park?

Min Cook Misoyaki is about a 3-minute walk from Hwajeong Station, so it's easy to get to for a workday lunch or a meal with friends. The catch is there's no parking on-site. Here's the parking tip: just park at the E-Mart right across the street. (Free for 2 hours with a purchase of ₩10,000 or more, or free for 2 hours if you use a restaurant or café there.)

First floor of Min Cook Dashima: 25 years of sushi know-how

Min Cook Misoyaki sits on the first floor of Min Cook Dashima, a sushi restaurant that's been running in Hwajeong for 25 years. Knowing it was built on that long-standing know-how already had me excited before I even walked in.

Inside Min Cook Misoyaki: seating, and is solo dining comfortable?

Walking in, the place felt clean and calm overall. It's mostly bar-style seating, with 2-3 tables as well, so eating alone doesn't feel awkward at all, and it also seemed comfortable for two people or a small group to enjoy a relaxed meal. It looked like the kind of place nearby office workers could drop into without hesitation for a Hwajeong Station lunch.

Seeing a plaque naming a Master Chef of Korean Japanese cuisine on the wall raised my expectations for the food even more. Isn't it a real advantage of Min Cook Misoyaki that you get to taste the hand of a master who's been making Japanese food for years, at a fairly reasonable price?

Min Cook Misoyaki menu and prices

Ordering is simple via QR code. The menu is mainly grilled fish and sashimi rice bowls, but there's also tonkatsu for anyone who can't eat fish. That's a particular plus if you're visiting as a family or with people whose tastes differ for a Hwajeong Station lunch.

• Flounder sashimi bowl ₩17,000
• Tuna sashimi bowl ₩11,000
• Salt-grilled black cod ₩18,000
• Sake-don (salmon bowl) ₩15,000
• Salt-grilled salmon collar ₩14,000
• Miso-grilled black cod ₩19,000
• XL mackerel half, miso-grilled ₩12,000
• XL mackerel whole, miso-grilled ₩15,900
• Assorted salt-grilled set ₩18,000
• Salt-grilled black cod ₩18,000
• Salt-grilled salmon ₩16,000

What stands out about Min Cook Misoyaki's grilled fish is that it's cooked Japanese-style, using either salt or miso. They even have grilled salmon, which you don't often see elsewhere, making for an uncommon Hwajeong Station lunch lineup.

From the welcome porridge to the flounder sashimi bowl and grilled fish set

Before the food arrives, they serve a simple porridge, and its savory, salty flavor really got my appetite going.

I ordered the flounder sashimi bowl, and my companion ordered the assorted grilled fish set. Everything was plated neatly overall, which made a great first impression. The main dishes come with rice, salad and other sides included, so you don't need to order a bunch of extras to make a full meal.

It works well for a quick lunch when you need to eat and run, but it's just as suited to slowly savoring each dish.

How does the assorted grilled fish set taste?

The assorted grilled fish set had a golden, appetizing exterior while the flesh inside stayed moist, making it great with rice. The typical fishy smell wasn't strong at all, and instead there was a salty, subtle savoriness.

Fresh grilled fish is supposed to be juicy, and Min Cook Misoyaki's grilled fish didn't disappoint on that front either. The black cod, salmon and mackerel were all firm and fresh.

Grilling fish at home means worrying about the smell and cleanup afterward, but eating a proper spread like this outside is a lot more comfortable.

Flounder sashimi bowl, 17,000 won

The flounder sashimi bowl was impressive too. It looked generously portioned right away, and it was piled high with fresh vegetables that went really well with the fish and rice.

Drizzling on as much chogochujang (sweet-spicy vinegar chili sauce) as you like and mixing it into the warm rice is pure bliss. Rather than leaning heavily salty or sweet, it let the fresh fish's own flavor shine, so I just kept eating without stopping, and the rice itself was so flavorful that I cleaned my bowl completely for the first time in a while.

Is Min Cook Misoyaki worth it for a Hwajeong Station lunch?

Min Cook Misoyaki is the Hwajeong Station lunch spot that comes to mind when you want a properly made Japanese meal instead of the usual options. There are plenty of restaurants around Hwajeong Station, but finding a place where you can eat alone comfortably and be satisfied with both the menu and the atmosphere isn't as easy as it sounds. The prices run a bit high for grilled fish or sashimi bowls, but the portion size and quality back it up, so it felt reasonable in the end.

It's a good place to visit on a day you're craving clean Japanese-style grilled fish, or a filling rice bowl, or crispy tonkatsu. Being so close to Hwajeong Station also makes it an easy meeting spot. If you want to step away from the same old routine and enjoy a properly made Japanese spread, why not make Min Cook Misoyaki your Hwajeong Station lunch today?