Suseongmot tendon restaurant for one: six-tempura eel bowl, Ongijeong

I stopped by Suseongmot after a long while and went looking for somewhere I could easily have a meal on my own, which is how I ended up at Ongijeong Suseong Lake Branch (온기정 수성못점). It's already well known as a Suseongmot restaurant, and especially as a tendon (tempura rice bowl) place. I'd been meaning to go for ages, and I finally made it!

Where is Ongijeong Suseong Lake Branch, and is there parking?

Ongijeong Suseong Lake Branch is near the Suseongmot café street, so it's easy to get to, and it has its own parking lot, so driving there is no trouble either. It's a handy spot to combine with a stroll around Suseongmot or a date. True to its slogan, a rice restaurant where warm feelings come and go, it's a Japanese restaurant where you can have a hearty meal.

Is Ongijeong Suseong Lake Branch good for eating alone?

Quite a few people dine solo here, so it doesn't feel awkward to come alone. The restaurant is clean and cozy: wood-tone interior and soft lighting give it a warm feel, with that special charm of a Japanese home-cooking restaurant. I could relax and enjoy my meal.

The tables are spaced generously, so it never felt cramped, and it works well for family meals, dates and get-togethers too.

Ongijeong's menu and what I ordered

Ongijeong sells not only tendon but also a range of Japanese dishes: bento set meals, nabe (hot pot) set meals, udon, rice bowls and more. Everything in the menu photos looked delicious and I had a hard time choosing, but this day I ordered the eel tempura tendon set, one of Ongijeong's signature dishes.

There was also a Naver receipt review event going on. If you write a receipt review, you get either a drink or a shrimp tempura, which is an easy thing to join in on while you enjoy your meal.

Eel tempura tendon set: mini udon and karaage included

The eel tempura tendon set I'd been waiting for arrived! When it first came out, it looked so appetizing that a "wow..." just slipped out.

When you order the eel tempura tendon as a set, you also get a mini udon and karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken), so it's an even fuller meal. I came planning to keep it simple since I was eating alone, but the lineup was more generous than I expected, and I was really happy with it as a meal.

The mini udon that came with the set had a clean broth with deep savory flavor that went well with the tendon.

The udon noodles were springy with a great texture, and the clean broth went nicely with the crispy tempura, which I liked a lot.

The karaage was also nicely fried, crispy outside and juicy inside. As you'd expect from a fried-food specialist, the overall frying quality was good.

Which tempura come on the eel tempura tendon?

Ongijeong's eel tempura tendon has big pieces of eel tempura filling the top of the bowl, and underneath them a generous assortment of tempura: shrimp, kabocha squash, lotus root, mushroom and seaweed.

How does the eel tempura taste?

I tried the eel tempura first. It was crispy outside and moist and tender inside. When I think of eel I usually only picture it grilled, but eating it crisp as tempura turned out to be a treat too. The eel's rich, nutty flavor was still there, and the crunchy coating added a different kind of taste.

Kabocha, lotus root, shrimp, seaweed and mushroom tempura

The kabocha squash tempura was nicely sweet, and the lotus root tempura kept its crunchy texture, which made it fun to eat.

The shrimp tempura had a great balance of plump bite and crispy batter, and the seaweed tempura had a deep, nutty flavor that went especially well with the rice. The mushroom tempura was moist with a subtle aroma. Each ingredient's own flavor came through, so it was all really enjoyable.

How to eat tendon, and what to pair it with

With tendon, you can first move the tempura onto a plate and eat from there. When I took everything out, the bowl was packed with tempura, so it was a truly generous portion. The tempura had a clean color, so I had no worries about an oily smell, and it looked carefully fried at a glance.

Adding a little of the ginger and wasabi served alongside cut the richness and brought out the flavor even more.

Verdict: the eel tempura tendon set at Ongijeong Suseong Lake Branch

I was very happy with Ongijeong Suseong Lake Branch's clean atmosphere, comfortable seating and crispy tempura. The eel tempura tendon set in particular, with its generous lineup, made a satisfying, filling meal. If you're looking for a tasty lunch or dinner at Suseongmot, or a Japanese place where you can eat alone without any pressure, I recommend Ongijeong Suseong Lake Branch! Next time I plan to come back with my family to try the other tendon sets and the bento set meal.