# Ilpum hitsumabushi with soju pairing at Kikukawa, Magok, Seoul - By Haeyul (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-counter-seat/) - Written Sep 7, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Gangseo, Seoul - Sponsored: This is a review written after receiving a complimentary meal from the restaurant. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-counter-seat/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-counter-seat/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/index.md) ## In short Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch is a Nagoya-style hitsumabushi restaurant in Magok, Gangseo, Seoul, right outside Magok Station Exit 2 on the first floor of One Grove Building A. The ₩50,000 Ilpum Hitsumabushi comes topped with a whole grilled eel, paired here with a bottle of Hallasan soju and an otoshi (small starter dish) of braised lotus root and pickled eggplant, finishing with ochazuke (rice steeped in tea or broth). Recommended if you want crisp-outside, juicy-inside eel paired with a clean soju. ## Good to know - **Menu**: Yondaime Kikukawa Ilpum Hitsumabushi ₩50,000 - **Drinks**: 1 bottle Hallasan soju (otoshi served with alcohol order) - **Location**: 1F, One Grove Building A, in front of Magok Station Exit 2 - **Seating**: Hall tables, bar seats facing the open kitchen, private rooms *as written by the visitor on Sep 7, 2026* ![A full spread of Ilpum Hitsumabushi topped with a whole eel](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-01-1pj93-1200.webp) When you're worn out from daily life and want to focus entirely on your own meal to recharge, a neat bowl of eel rice is hard to beat. Hitsumabushi, grilled the traditional Nagoya way over charcoal so the outside turns crisp and the inside stays moist, offers a uniquely varied way of eating that goes far beyond just a meal. I visited Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch, which opened on the first floor of One Grove Building A in Magok, carrying the legacy of a 90-year-old Japanese eel brand dating back to 1932 that was once listed in the 2019 Michelin Guide. I ordered the signature Yondaime Kikukawa Ilpum Hitsumabushi (₩50,000), topped with an entire top-grade eel grilled whole, paired with a cold bottle of Hallasan soju and a neat otoshi, and took my time enjoying the meal. ![View of Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-02-z9qki-966.webp) ## A modern space on the first floor of One Grove Building A near Magok Station The comfort of One Grove blended with private interior touches: the restaurant, right outside Magok Station Exit 2 on the first floor of One Grove Building A, gave off a tidy, sophisticated impression from the exterior. With high ceilings and generously spaced seating, the atmosphere let you eat calmly without any clutter. ![Hall seating arrangement with high ceilings](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-03-1rhkq-966.webp) ![Interior of the restaurant with a calm atmosphere](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-04-qw207-966.webp) ### The menu ![Menu board at Kikukawa One Grove Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-05-1duff-966.webp) ![Menu page listing hitsumabushi options](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-06-1oron-966.webp) ![Menu page featuring eel dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-07-mnk5u-966.webp) ![Menu page listing single dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-08-1m5q8-966.webp) ![Menu page listing alcoholic drinks](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-09-o8vb9-966.webp) ![A detailed page of the menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-10-8kq2f-966.webp) ![The final page of the menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-11-mrf93-966.webp) ![Menu placed on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-12-1fbuh-966.webp) There were also neatly furnished private rooms, perfectly suited for a tidy business meeting or a family gathering. ![Private room seating](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-13-1e18g-966.webp) ![Interior of a room suitable for gatherings](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-14-1wnwe-966.webp) As soon as I ordered, I could see through the transparent open kitchen a skilled chef skewering whole eels and grilling and smoking them over charcoal. ![Open kitchen grilling eel over charcoal](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-15-1q9ko-966.webp) ![Bar table facing the open kitchen](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-16-s4xrl-966.webp) Sitting at the bar table looks like it would be fun too! ## Ordering the Ilpum Hitsumabushi and Hallasan soju ![A cold bottle of Hallasan soju](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-17-6fssi-966.webp) ![Otoshi of braised lotus root and pickled eggplant in small dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-18-5ts2z-966.webp) Ordering Hallasan soju and a neat otoshi spread: since I ordered a cold bottle of Hallasan soju to sip alongside the meal, a neat otoshi was served first in small pretty dishes. It included crisp braised lotus root and pickled eggplant soaked in soft juices, arranged tidily. Not overpowering, just salty and refreshing enough to whet the appetite — a great pairing for cleanly finishing off a cold glass of soju before the eel rice arrives! Isn't the color combination so pretty? ![Ilpum Hitsumabushi in its dedicated box with the lid open](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-19-k5siw-966.webp) The Ilpum Hitsumabushi set with a whole eel laid out: when I opened the lid of the elongated dedicated ceramic box, a whole eel, grilled golden brown from head to tail, was covering a bed of fluffy rice. On the side came a clear suimono (soup), a fresh cabbage salad, chives, fresh wasabi, seaweed flakes, crisp pickled gungchae (a leafy vegetable), tangy yuzu pickled radish, and warm dashi broth, all neatly laid out. ## Tasting notes — enjoying hitsumabushi three ways The harmony of crisp skin, moist flesh, and a not-too-strong traditional tare sauce: scooping up a large piece of eel with the wooden paddle, the skin, quickly grilled over charcoal, was crisp, while the thick flesh melted with juicy tenderness. ![A piece of eel and rice scooped with a paddle](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-20-1amg6-966.webp) ![Cross-section of crisply grilled eel skin](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-21-1geui-966.webp) The secret tare sauce wasn't overly sweet or salty, leaving behind a subtle smoky note and deep savoriness. ![Eel rice bowl paired with a glass of soju](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-22-18fx2-966.webp) Taking a sip of the slightly bitter, clean Hallasan soju swept away the eel's richness perfectly — the pairing was really great! For the second way, I piled on sharp wasabi, fragrant chives, and plenty of seaweed flakes to boost the flavor, then sprinkled a little sansho pepper from the table for a sharp, refreshing kick. And for the last way, I poured warm dashi broth over the remaining rice and eel to make ochazuke. The savory, deep broth soaked into the rice grains, warming and settling my stomach — a finish so satisfying it drew a sigh of admiration with the very last bite! ![Ochazuke made by pouring dashi broth over eel rice](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-23-1qfzd-966.webp) ![A finished hitsumabushi spread after the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake-24-c0dh8-966.webp) ## Overall review Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch, which I visited today, is a dignified Magok restaurant that carries the 90-year legacy of Nagoya-style grilled eel without compromise, showing a textbook example of crisp-outside, juicy-inside eel. Beyond the pairing of the visually stunning Ilpum Hitsumabushi, showcasing a whole eel, with clean Hallasan soju, even the little details — like the carefully prepared lotus root and eggplant otoshi served with my drink order — made me feel thoughtfully cared for. If you're looking for a proper energy boost through top-tier eel dishes, or want to enjoy a deeper Japanese dining experience, I highly recommend visiting Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch. ## Where it is - Unagi Yondaime Kikukawa One Grove Branch (우나기 욘다이메 키쿠카와 원그로브점) - 165 Gonghang-daero, A-dong 1F E101, E102, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 강서구 공항대로 165 A동 1층 E101호, E102호 - 37.5616928, 126.825871 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EC%9A%B0%EB%82%98%EA%B8%B0%20%EC%9A%98%EB%8B%A4%EC%9D%B4%EB%A9%94%20%ED%82%A4%EC%BF%A0%EC%B9%B4%EC%99%80%20%EC%9B%90%EA%B7%B8%EB%A1%9C%EB%B8%8C%EC%A0%90/@37.5616928,126.825871,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-counter-seat/magok-onegrove-unagi-kikukawa-hitsumabushi-sake/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt