Hwajeong sushi restaurant: flounder fin, sea eel set, Min Cook Dasima

Why I went to Min Cook Dasima near Hwajeong Station

Min Cook Dasima (민쿡다시마) is a Japanese restaurant near Hwajeong Station that I visited for the special sushi set (₩30,000). I had to go from Eunpyeong to Goyang that day, and since there was a good lunch spot nearby in Hwajeong, I stopped in. Honestly, I'd looked at the menu beforehand and the "special sushi set" looked so good that it was the reason I came.

How does parking work at Min Cook Dasima?

Min Cook Dasima is right next to the E-Mart near Hwajeong Station, and if you park at E-Mart you get 1 hour of parking support. In a Hwajeong Station area where parking is a pain, it's a real parking-friendly find.

Atmosphere and seating at Min Cook Dasima

Min Cook Dasima serves sushi, tonkatsu (pork cutlet) and soba, and since it's on the 2nd floor the inside is spacious and works for group meals. Go up to the 2nd floor and you'll see the sign for the Japanese restaurant Min Cook Dasima, and a big space opens up inside. Around 1:30, during my late lunch, there were quite a few groups of 2 and 4 chatting away.

Min Cook Dasima is even certified as a Hundred-Year Store by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. It's Goyang's first sushi restaurant, and you can feel the experience behind it. Really tasty sushi.

The space is big, so it's good for gatherings of 4 or 6. And the 1 hour of free parking when you park at Hwajeong E-Mart is still a huge plus.

You can eat in a wide, clean space, so it's a good option if you want a tasty lunch or sushi around Hwajeong Station.

There are also seats where you sit facing the window, and eating alone at this window spot was quite nice too.

What's in the special sushi set (₩30,000) at Min Cook Dasima

They asked us to order by QR code, so I did, and the day's order was the special sushi set. I had no idea yet what crazy spread was waiting for me...

First came the appetizer porridge that old sushi restaurants always serve. The fact that I like getting this kind of thing now means I'm officially in my 30s, no way around it.

After ordering I briefly wondered if it might not be enough, but the moment the whole special sushi set arrived I was shocked... Sashimi, 9 pieces of assorted sushi, salad, simmered fish, chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), tempura, miso soup. I'd pictured that lineup, but the sheer amount and quality surprised me.

Salad and sashimi

The salad came with basil-marinated tomatoes, and the fresh, sweet sauce went so well with the cabbage that it really got my appetite going. The sashimi was thick-cut and nicely aged, but I'll say more about that later.

Chawanmushi and tempura

Chawanmushi and tempura, two things I love. The tempura was shishito peppers, shrimp and kabocha squash, all so crispy that even though I'd driven, I wanted a quick beer. I can't drink, so I had a zero cola (₩2,000).

Miso soup

The Japanese-style miso soup had a richer broth than the miso soup I usually have, and the scallions and fried tofu blended into it nicely.

The assorted sushi at Min Cook Dasima: what came out

The sushi in the special set that day was salmon, flounder, flounder fin, tuna, egg sushi, shime saba (vinegar-cured mackerel) and futomaki (thick sushi roll), among others. It was the most carefully made sushi I'd had lately, which surprised me. Egg sushi in particular is often store-bought at many places, but Min Cook Dasima goes all in on handmade egg sushi, to the point of limiting the daily quantity.

Shime saba

The shime saba was the type where the sesame seeds neutralize the mackerel's distinctive aroma and the sourness from curing in vinegar. It all came together nicely in the mouth, a fresh start with the first bite.

Aged flounder

Next I wanted sashimi, so I went for the flounder. It was well aged, chewy, with a clear fish aroma, and tasted high-end.

Aged salmon and tuna

Aged salmon, need I say more? Super tasty. I also liked how the tuna's akami (lean red meat) tang came through in the mouth. More than anything, I loved getting this variety in one set.

Onion, sauce and salmon. There's no way that combination isn't delicious.

That day's akami sushi had such deep flavor it felt like eating beef. It was really tasty, and I loved the bite with its distinctive grain.

This one was good too, but I forgot to ask what fish it was... It was properly fatty, and the scallions on top and the brushed-on soy sauce went well together. I added a bit more wasabi, and it was so fatty that the wasabi didn't even feel spicy. Delicious.

Flounder fin

Hehe, honestly this flounder fin is what I came for. If there are people who say flounder fin isn't tasty, keep them close. They're very kind people who'll give theirs up to me. But if they don't give it up? They're liars, all talk. Stay away from them.

Handmade egg sushi

One reason the egg sushi was good that day was the thickness and texture of the rolled omelet, and it was savory rather than too sweet, so I could enjoy it a lot.

Futomaki

What was the best part of the day? The futomaki that fills your whole mouth, as the last bite.

Tempura and simmered sea eel at Min Cook Dasima

The tempura was good too. If I were to eat it again, I'd want it with beer, not zero cola.

Go ahead and roast my aesthetic sense for dipping the fried shrimp like a total amateur, but the fried shrimp is delicious, so please give it credit.

The simmered sea eel was good too that day. It was a salty style rather than a sweet one. Take a bite together with the sweet radish and the combination is absolutely incredible.

Lunch special sushi set (₩25,000) vs. special sushi set (₩30,000): what's the difference?

I'm told the lunch special sushi set (₩25,000) and the regular special sushi set (₩30,000) at Min Cook Dasima are put together differently. Anyway, after I'd wolfed everything down and taken a photo, I asked on my way out: the sushi lineup is different to start with, and the lunch special has no simmered fish. So what's the conclusion? Eat the tasty special sushi set, hehe.

After a really delicious meal at Min Cook Dasima, I'm looking back at the photos and, ugh, I want to eat it again. Seriously, I really want to eat it again.