Mapo sushi omakase with jazz and birthday candles: Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro

A jazz omakase spot near Daheung Station

A Seoul sushi omakase recommendation: Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro (즐거운 마음으로), just a five-minute walk from Daheung Station Exit 3.

Before I got married, my brother, sister, mom, and I visited Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro to celebrate Mom's birthday! This omakase restaurant opened in May, and because the owner is a father of two, children and pets are welcome. Even the story behind it is so charming,, ✨

Walking into a sushi omakase place with jazz playing,, it was just so, so charming! There are 10 counter seats and three private rooms. The rooms serve a sashimi course and can seat up to 15 people, so it is also a great space for a group!

Each setting had chilled green tea, plus wasabi and burdock simmered in bonito-soy sauce on the plate. Mom really loved that!

The course begins with zucchini soy milk noodles

At the tail end of summer, we got kongguksu (cold soy milk noodles). The noodles were zucchini, topped with Korean melon and pine nuts. I do not usually love kongguksu, but this had a nutty, peanut-like flavor that was so rich and delicious, and the sweet melon made it even better 😋

Flounder and monkfish liver. With wasabi... the springy, rich texture was just too goodㅠ

Spanish mackerel smoked over rice straw. It had been aged in soy sauce, so we were told to try the first bite without extra soy sauce, then dip it however we liked. It came topped with mild mustard! That smoky scent wafted right up〰️

Braised blood octopus. Yuzu peel was sprinkled over the soy-braised octopus, and I had never had octopus this tender,, seriously, otherworldly tenderness ㅜ And the yuzu aroma was the kick point!!!

Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) and clam soup. The chawanmushi was topped with dried mullet roe, giving it a gentle scent of the sea! And the clam soup... the broth was seriously intense. So clean and delicious 👍🏻 Then they gave us wet towels so we could start eating the sushi with our hands..! It was my first time eating sushi by hand!!

Hand-held sushi and striped jack

Tilefish—red sea bream—spear squid with calamansi juice—striped jack—soy-marinated tuna—tuna belly. I was so focused on eating that I forgot to photograph the shrimp sushi.. dummyㅡㅡ The shrimp had been alive until that morning, then cooked medium-rare and topped with a powder made from sautéed shrimp. It was incredibly tender. Our pick was the striped jack!! Perfectly fatty, moist, and so delicious 🥹👍🏻 Every piece was good, and Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro's sushi rice had a lightly tangy feel!

Sweet shrimp with uni—horse mackerel—seared benizari sea bream with grated garlic inside—grilled nodoguro wrapped in seaweed—conger eel—melon and rolled omelet. It was genuinely such a happy-tasting meal... The sweet shrimp was really sweet, and the uni was so rich 🥹✨ This horse mackerel was regular horse mackerel, and it was delicious too,, The nodoguro, which I tried for the first time ever, simply melted in my mouth—pure happiness!! The rolled omelet was made by whipping egg whites like meringue... I honestly thought it was bread!! Even the melon was not an ordinary melon: the owner personally chooses smooth-skinned melons, and the sweetness was absolutely wild 🔥

Why it is great for birthdays too

If you note that it is a birthday when reserving, they put in this cute bear candle and light it for you,, 🫶🏻 So sweet,, Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro is a sushi omakase restaurant that attends carefully to every single detail! Even at lunch, the meal was plentiful, and it is truly a great place for an anniversary or to bring your parents. Sushi while listening to jazz was the best 😋👍🏻