Inaniwa cold udon lunch at Gapposo, a Gasan Japanese restaurant

Gapposo is right in front of my office, so it's a go-to Gasan Digital Complex Japanese restaurant I hit up for company dinners and also often for lunch. Since I go so often, this time I actually made a reservation with my work buddy and went for a proper meal.

Gapposo

Gapposo by Gasan Digital Complex Station: book ahead and skip the wait

Since I'd made a reservation, they had already set up our table with a reserved placard, so we could sit down and eat right away with no waiting. That kind of thing is surprisingly handy during a busy lunch or a company dinner.

The menu is so varied it works for lunch, business meetings, and company dinners alike

What is on the menu at Gapposo?

The reason I call Gapposo a Gasan Digital Complex favorite is exactly this: the sheer range of the menu. Everything from a light lunch to a full-on course meal is covered.

• Lunch omakase, lunch business course, bento set
• Dinner set courses (33 Gat course to 95 omakase course)
• Hot pot dishes like clam soup, Nagasaki nabe, sukiyaki
• One-bowl dishes like kaisendon, unagidon, salmon donburi

There are a lot of donburi-style dishes you can finish as a single bowl, so it works whether you're eating lunch solo or having a course with a group. With omakase and business courses on offer too, it holds its own as a spot for client meals or business dining in Gasan.

That day we ordered the Gapposo aged assorted sashimi at 28,000 won per person and the Akita-style inaniwa cold udon at 15,000 won.

Gapposo aged assorted sashimi, 28,000 won per person

Aged, yet fresh and varied — the Gapposo aged sashimi platter

Gapposo's signature is that the chef ages the sashimi himself using salt, kelp, soy sauce, doenjang (fermented soybean paste), vinegar, rice koji, and the like — and despite being aged, it wasn't heavy or off in the slightest, it was fresh.

Best of all, even though it's a per-person sashimi order, it comes out with a real variety. Tuna, tuna belly, yellowtail, horse mackerel, flounder, sea bream, and even salmon all showed up together on one plate, so even eating alone you get to enjoy several different flavors. Thanks to the aging, the umami was deep, so every single piece felt substantial.

Akita inaniwa cold udon at 15,000 won: the noodles and the tempura

From the noodles to the tempura, the Akita inaniwa cold udon nails the details

The Akita-style inaniwa cold udon we ordered alongside is the real inaniwa udon, considered one of Japan's three great udon styles.

The noodles were great to start. Not the thick, plump udon strands you usually picture — these were thinner and firmer, with a real bite to them.

And the detail was well thought out: alongside grated radish and wasabi, they also gave us tenkasu (crispy tempura bits), and dropping those into the soy dipping broth (tsuyu) made it way more savory to enjoy.

The two shrimp tempura pieces on top deserve their own shoutout. Instead of the usual thick, flour-heavy batter, this was fried in a thin, unevenly coated style, which let the shrimp's own flavor come through much more clearly.

The two pieces of maki (futomaki) served alongside at the end, with plump shrimp tempura and tangy-seasoned fillings, made for a satisfying way to finish the meal.

Is Gapposo worth it for a Gasan Japanese lunch?

One of the few restaurants in Gasan that's genuinely good for business meals. Hope they stay in business for a long, long time ♡