Magok Station kaisendon lunch, extra salmon and shrimp sushi: Ilpum

I had a lunch date with a friend visiting from far away after a long while. I was thinking about where to go, and figured I might as well take them somewhere I'd actually enjoyed. That's how I ended up back at Ilpum Magok — it's my go-to kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) spot near work, and I stop by for lunch pretty often.

Why booking ahead makes Ilpum Magok easier at lunch

Ilpum Magok is often packed at lunchtime, so I usually make a reservation if I can. This time it was a last-minute lunch plan, so I showed up without booking — luckily we went a bit past the peak hour and there were open seats.

The restaurant has a long row of counter seats around an open kitchen, plus regular tables. The counter seats are a little close together, but there's a coat rack in the back and you can hang your bag on the back of your chair, so it wasn't too uncomfortable to eat there.

The basic kaisendon at Ilpum Magok costs 26,000 won

Ilpum Magok has more than kaisendon on the menu — there's also sushi, unagi (eel) rice bowl, and omakase. Since this was another repeat visit, I briefly thought about trying something new, but in the end I went back to the basic kaisendon, old reliable that it is. This time, though, I added on salmon and shrimp sushi as single pieces, something I'd been curious about.

The basic kaisendon is ₩26,000. Compared to a typical lunch, that's on the pricier side. Still, with chawanmushi to start, a full spread of kaisendon and cold udon, and dessert at the end, it ends up feeling like a pretty satisfying meal — which is probably why I keep coming back.

The meal starts with soft chawanmushi

First came a small chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard). It was so smooth it practically slid off the spoon. It was soft enough that you could almost just drink it — though maybe that's exactly why they tucked a whole shrimp inside, so you wouldn't.

The portion wasn't big, but it was a nice warm bite or two to ease into the meal before the main course.

What comes with the kaisendon: cold udon and miso soup

After the chawanmushi, the kaisendon arrives together with cold udon, miso soup, and side dishes all on one tray.

It's not just the kaisendon — a small cold udon comes alongside it, so the whole spread feels quite generous. The udon noodles were springy and had great texture. The seasoning was a touch salty for my taste, but the portion was small, and eating it together with the crispy tempura bits and fried chicken on top added a meaty richness, like getting a mini version of a whole separate dish.

The miso soup that came with it was also nice to sip on whenever I wanted something warm partway through the meal.

Different ways to eat one bowl of kaisendon

One reason I love the kaisendon at Ilpum Magok is that you can eat one bowl in several different ways.

It's topped with a variety of raw fish — tuna, salmon, white fish, shrimp — plus tempura bits and rolled omelet. Underneath the fish is seasoned rice, so at first I scooped a spoonful of rice and topped it with whichever fish I felt like eating at that moment.

You can pick and choose between salmon, tuna, and white fish, enjoying several kinds of sashimi in one bowl. Along the way I also added a bit of gamtae (dried seaweed flakes) or wrapped the fish in the seaweed sheets served alongside.

After eating through most of the fish, I mixed the rich, savory topping sauce into the remaining rice and wrapped it in seaweed. Starting with fish and rice and ending with a mixed-rice bite — it felt like getting several dishes out of one bowl.

Adding salmon and shrimp sushi by the piece

This time I also added salmon and shrimp sushi as single pieces, something I'd been curious about for a while.

Both were delicious, but the salmon sushi in particular was incredibly soft and tasty. I'd wondered whether it was even worth adding sushi on top of a bowl already piled with fish, but it turned out to taste quite different. Unlike the kaisendon, which is served over seasoned rice, the single sushi pieces sit on plain white rice, giving them a noticeably different flavor from the bowl.

Filling up on single sushi pieces alone would add up in price pretty quickly, but adding a few tasty pieces on top of a kaisendon was a good call.

Mango milk pudding for dessert

Once the meal is done, a small dessert comes out.

The soft milk pudding topped with mango was sweet and refreshing — a nice way to cleanse the palate. It's not a big portion, but it was the perfect light way to wrap things up. Starting with chawanmushi and moving through kaisendon, cold udon, and finally the milk pudding, it felt like I'd tried a whole spread of dishes even though I only ordered one kaisendon.

What a first-time kaisendon eater thought

My friend was trying kaisendon for the first time. They said they loved being able to eat several kinds of sashimi in one sitting, and that every single dish was delicious. By the end, they said they'd happily bring their own guests here next time.

Review event and Naver reservation perks

When I visited, there was a Naver receipt review event running. After writing a review and showing it to staff, you could get two free croquettes.

Naver Reservation also had perks like a free choice of two sushi pieces for pregnant guests, a free corkage coupon for one bottle, and a birthday coupon for two nigiri sushi pieces for customers who opted into notifications. If any of these apply to you, it's worth checking the coupons before you book.

Ilpum Magok hours, parking and address

• Hours: 11:00–21:30 (break 15:00–17:30)
• Parking: 3 hours available
• Reservations: Available via Naver Reservation; recommended for lunch since seats fill up fast
• Address: 228 Gonghang-daero, Unit 112, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, South Korea