Mapo sushi omakase dinner course: Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel

My husband and I had a sushi omakase dinner at Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel (서울가든호텔 단야). I have visited several sushi omakase restaurants, but what stayed with me here was the quiet atmosphere of talking over a meal.

Where is it, and is it good for a quiet anniversary meal?

Danya at Seoul Garden Hotel is on B1 of the hotel at 58 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It was in a convenient location near Mapo Station or Gongdeok Station.

The hotel felt calm from the moment I entered, and the restaurant was a compact space with counter seating and tables. It was not noisy around us, so it was good for dining and talking with my husband.

How much is the dinner course, and how does it begin?

The dinner course we had was ₩85,000 per person. I paired mine with Chardonnay white wine, while my husband had draft beer.

The course began with three appetizers. An egg dish, a refreshing appetizer, and something that reminded me of fig yogurt each opened the appetite a little. I could not tell whether the refreshing appetizer was tomato or maesil (Korean green plum).

The steamed abalone that followed came with snow crab tomalley sauce and fried scallions. Its savory flavor and texture made it enjoyable to eat.

Next came five kinds of seasonal sashimi, including flounder and horse mackerel. Each fish had a different texture, making me want to savor each piece slowly.

What stood out among the 10 sushi pieces?

After the sashimi, the sushi arrived in two rounds of five pieces. I was able to try various fish, including flounder, sea bass, striped mullet, red sea bream, striped jack, and tuna.

What I especially remember was the shari (seasoned sushi rice). It had a subtle yellow tint, though I do not know what ingredient caused it. I liked that it was not heavily seasoned, so it did not mask the fish.

I also had tuna minced with scallions and wrapped in gamtae (seaweed), uni sushi, and futomaki. They had a creamy, rich taste of the sea and left me feeling full.

How were the wasabi and drinks?

The wasabi was unexpectedly memorable for a long time. To me, it had a slightly cheese-like, soft and creamy texture, while retaining its distinctive pungent aroma. I asked the chef what had been mixed into it, but it was a secret. I think it was the first time I had picked up and eaten wasabi on its own.

The Chardonnay I drank was dry and clean, pairing well with the seafood. The Kirin draft beer my husband ordered had a soft head, and he said it was as good as the draft beer he had in Japan.

How did the meal and dessert follow the sushi?

After the sushi, grilled salmon and balsamic mushrooms were served.

The final meal was a sea bream rice bowl and bukkake cold udon. I was already quite full, but they went down easily because they were not strongly seasoned.

Dessert was peach and cream cheese. It was sweet and refreshing, ending the long course pleasantly.

After the meal, I was left feeling that care had gone into every piece of raw fish, sushi, and each course dish. Since it was so nice for the two of us to talk in a quiet setting, I would like to return for a birthday or wedding anniversary.