Gangnam eel bowl lunch with a kid and a Balvenie highball: Manmok

Jogjogjog ๑◕‿‿◕๑

After visiting Seonjeongneung, I went to Manmok for lunch in Daechi-dong with my kid — a great spot for recharging together. There are test-prep academies nearby too, so it's good for taking your kids or your parents. And honestly, it makes a lovely date spot near Seolleung too, the atmosphere is that nice.

Where Manmok is, opening hours and visiting with a child

• Manmok
• 📍9 Seolleung-ro 82-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 1F
• ⏰Daily 11:00 - 22:00 (break time 15:00 - 17:00)
• 🚘Nearby paid parking
• ✨A hidden gem near Seolleung serving Kanto-style eel rice bowls from a chef who trained at a 3-star Japanese restaurant
• 👼🏻Kids welcome / no high chair / stroller access

Why Manmok works for lunch after a Seonjeongneung walk

After walking Seonjeongneung with my kid, we went for lunch at Manmok, a spot in Daechi-dong where you can try Kanto-style eel dishes made by a chef who trained at a 3-star Japanese restaurant. It's also a great place to eat solo when you specifically need to recharge your energy. Manmok's location near Seolleung Station and Daechi-dong is easy to get to. With Jinseon Girls' Middle School, Jinseon Girls' High School, and Doseong Elementary nearby, plus the whole academy district around it, it's on a convenient route if you're bringing your kids in for an energy boost.

Since they use Korean freshwater eel from Gochang, the eel quality is excellent. And beyond that, from the interior alone you can tell nothing has been left to chance, down to the smallest detail. With every detail this polished, Manmok also earns praise as a go-to spot near Seolleung Station for company dinners.

Balvenie highball at the 10,000 won lunch price

If you stop by during lunch, the Balvenie highball gets a 2,000 won discount, bringing it to 10,000 won. It paired nicely and lightly with the eel rice bowl, so I ordered one.

There's a little stash of convenience items under the table — they even have hair ties for women. Which interior company did this? How did they even come up with such an idea? Haha, it's really impressive. I guess life as an architecture grad student is a constant parade of imagination.

Manmok eel rice bowl prices: 26,000 and 39,000 won

• Half eel rice bowl ₩26,000
• Full eel rice bowl ₩39,000
• Balvenie highball ₩10,000 (lunch price)

Kanto-style cooking: eel steamed, then grilled again over charcoal

Manmok's eel rice bowl is finished using the Kanto style, a creation from a chef who trained at a 3-star Japanese restaurant. The Kanto method involves steaming the eel first, then grilling it again. At Manmok, that second grilling happens over charcoal.

My spouse ordered a full portion. If you're an adult man, you can probably finish a whole eel. The texture is completely different from what you'd get at a typical charcoal-grilled eel place — Manmok's grilled eel is moist and tender, and that's really its standout quality.

Matsutake soup and shrimp chawanmushi, served like an omakase

The side dishes that come with the meal make for a formal spread — the kind of setup you'd only expect at a sushi omakase. There's matsutake mushroom soup and shrimp chawanmushi (steamed egg custard).

I was genuinely surprised by how rich the matsutake aroma was — a single piece of matsutake is precious. If you want the fullest, most polished version of the eel rice bowl experience, Manmok won't let you down as a company-dinner spot near Seolleung Station. If your palate tends to be picky, you should definitely go.

Balvenie whisky is a Scottish spirit, and the Balvenie line, crafted by dedicated master distillers, is already recognized by countless drinkers. It's served on the rocks, and even that felt like it carried a certain elegance through the meal.

Eel is a genuinely healthy ingredient, and the flavor can vary enormously depending on how it's cooked. If you visit Manmok in the evening, there's a separate grilled eel menu.

This dish is Japan's classic pudding-style steamed egg with shrimp added, with a slightly salty edge to it, which makes it great for whetting your appetite. It slides down so easily that even kids eat it up happily.

Sansho pepper and the four side dishes at Manmok

If you stop by Manmok in Daechi-dong for lunch, you can have sansho pepper either whole or ground. The ground sansho is great dipped lightly onto the eel for a subtle hit of flavor.

The side dishes served with the eel are four: pickled radish, pickled ginger, wasabi, and pickled sansho pepper. All four pair wonderfully with the grilled eel.

Corkage rules and the Daisen ice cream dessert

The table next to us was on a date, sharing a bottle of wine. With a Naver coupon, you get free corkage for one bottle for parties of four or fewer. There are also champagne and cake coupons and more, so check the Manmok page on Naver Place for details.

Manmok even serves dessert. You can choose between two kinds of ice cream — green tea or black tea. And wow, it was really delicious. Since I can't stand not knowing things, I looked it up right away: Manmok's dessert ice cream is from Daisen, a Japanese brand. Even the dessert is served properly in Japanese style, and I left feeling truly recharged at Manmok. Everyone, let's all go to Manmok to restore our energy. ♥