Tempura rice bowl spot in Dongtan: ika and anago tendon, Onsen

I really love Japanese food, especially tendon (tempura rice bowl) piled high with crispy tempura, and I think I've finally found my all-time favorite tendon spot. Today's lunch was at Onsen Dongtan, already a buzzing lunch hotspot near Dongtan Central Park. It's the place for textbook tempura, crispy outside and moist inside, and the vibe is perfect for a solo meal in Bansong-dong or a date.

Onsen Dongtan hours and parking

Onsen Dongtan is open daily from 11:30 to 21:00, with a break from 14:40 to 17:00. Last order is 14:40 for lunch and 20:00 for dinner.

• Address: 33-14 Dongtangongwon-ro 2-gil, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, South Korea (1st floor) (Bansong-dong 49-11)
• Hours: daily 11:30-21:00
• Break time: 14:40-17:00
• Last order: lunch 14:40 / dinner 20:00
• Amenities: Wi-Fi, parking, takeout, delivery

Onsen Dongtan is just a 2-minute walk from Central Park, so it's easy to stop by before or after a stroll. There's parking in front of the restaurant, and if it's full, the nearby Central Park parking lot gives you 1 hour 30 minutes free, so driving is no worry at all.

Atmosphere at Onsen Dongtan

Onsen Dongtan is a clean, tidy Japanese restaurant decorated in white and wood tones. The moment I stepped inside, that neat atmosphere hit me, and the white and wood pair nicely for a cozy yet stylish mood.

It has an open kitchen, so I could catch a glimpse inside. Even though it specializes in fried food, there wasn't a speck of grease, and it was kept super hygienic and clean, which raised my trust right away.

The tables are spaced out and comfortable, so it works for family meals or couples looking for a Japanese restaurant in Dongtan. It's also a great spot for eating alone in Bansong-dong without feeling self-conscious!

Onsen Dongtan menu and prices

The menu has a great lineup, from the classic Onsen tendon (₩10,900) to mushroom tendon, ebi (shrimp) tendon and karaage (fried chicken) tendon. There are also sides like udon or soba sets, coleslaw and chicken-and-pollock-roe dumplings, so you can mix and match to taste.

After some agonizing, I picked the two signature dishes with the most generous, unusual looks: the ika tendon (squid), which lets you enjoy different parts of the squid at once, and the anago tendon, topped with a giant whole conger eel!

• Ika tendon: ₩15,900
• Anago tendon: ₩16,900

You can get extra rice at the self bar, and the wasabi is there too!!

How were the ika tendon and anago tendon?

After ordering, the toasty smell of oil drifted over and the glistening tendon finally arrived. Huge bowls packed with tempura without a gap, such an overwhelming sight,,!

Ika tendon: squid tempura that isn't chewy

If you like squid, you'll definitely love Onsen Dongtan's ika tendon. Cuttlefish, squid body and squid legs all come fried, and the texture is art. Not chewy at all, crisp outside and soft and springy inside. Shrimp, onsen tamago (soft-cooked egg), seaweed, kabocha squash and shishito pepper tempura join in for a variety of flavors.

Anago tendon: a whole conger eel bursting out of the bowl

For the anago tendon, one huge anago (conger eel) is fried whole and bursts out of the bowl,, The batter is crispy like a snack, while the eel inside is moist and tender. The rich, nutty flavor of eel fills your mouth and it feels like a proper health boost.

How to eat tendon for the best flavor

The vegetable tempura like lotus root, eggplant and mushroom were full of their own juices too, textbook crispy outside and moist inside. Following the tendon tips, I first moved lots of tempura onto a side plate and tasted the crispy seaweed tempura first.

Then I popped the onsen tamago (soft-cooked egg) on the rice and mixed it with the special soy sauce, and eating the tempura like side dishes with it was pure heaven.

The sauce isn't salty, just faintly sweet and savory, so even the rice alone was tasty, and a bite of shishito pepper tempura now and then cuts the richness nicely. And definitely have it with the wasabi!

Onsen Dongtan: final verdict

Onsen Dongtan is a Japanese restaurant in Dongtan worth visiting for the tempura quality alone. Clean oil made the batter thin and clean, and I was satisfied that my stomach didn't feel heavy after finishing!

If you want a filling, special lunch near Dongtan Central Park, or a neat Japanese meal alone in Bansong-dong after work, I recommend Onsen! I'll definitely come back the next time tendon crosses my mind!