Yeouido Japanese restaurant: flounder & sea bream sushi set, Ilpum

I went to Ilpum, a Yeouido sushi place famous for its kaisendon and sushi. I had kaisendon in Sapporo not long ago, and I'd read reviews saying Ilpum is even better than in Japan??? So here's my honest review :)

Where is Ilpum Yeouido Branch, and what are the hours and parking?

Ilpum Yeouido Branch is at 25 Eunhaeng-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul (Anwon Building, B1), near Exit 3 of National Assembly Station. It's open Mon–Sat 11:00–21:30 with a break from 15:00 to 17:30, and closed on Sundays. Parking is available, with 2 hours covered.

Yeouido Park is right across the street too, so a walk after your meal is a perfect plan~

Seating at Ilpum Yeouido Branch: hall seats recommended

The interior is neat and modern overall, which left a good impression. Seating is split into counter seats and table seats, and it seems they usually fill the counter first. Personally, I enjoyed watching the food being made at the counter, so if it's your first visit, I recommend sitting there!

Ilpum Yeouido Branch menu and prices

The menu is divided into signature dishes, kaisendon and sushi, and people usually order one signature dish plus one sushi item!

• Kaisendon ₩26,000
• Premium kaisendon ₩37,000
• Whole eel unagi bowl ₩40,000
• Sushi omakase platter ₩50,000
• Today's sushi ₩28,000
• White fish sushi set ₩33,000
• Salmon sushi set ₩28,000
• Futomaki (one roll) ₩28,000
• Maguro special futomaki ₩45,000
• Shime saba bar sushi ₩26,000

I ordered the kaisendon (₩26,000), the white fish sushi set (₩33,000), and a Hokkaido scallop cream croquette (₩5,000) too!

Chawanmushi and soup served before the meal

Whatever you order, Ilpum serves chawanmushi (steamed egg custard) as an appetizer. The chawanmushi and soup came out first!

It's a steamed egg dish that's slightly sweet yet mild, and I loved the combination of ginkgo nuts and shrimp inside. The portion is just filling enough to be a nice warm-up before the main meal~

And of course there's the soup. It had a Japanese clear-soup feel, with mushrooms and green onion in it.

Kaisendon ₩26,000 and white fish sushi set ₩33,000. Two gorgeous-looking dishes arrive~.~

What does Ilpum's flounder and sea bream sushi set taste like?

Ilpum's white fish sushi set (₩33,000) comes with cross-hatched cuts on the fish and pickled garnish on top like a topping. You can really feel the aging going deep into the flesh, and the flavor is alive.

Best of all, the soy sauce is already brushed on when it arrives, so it's delicious even without dipping. It also comes with a piece of soft tamago (sweet egg omelet), which I think works well as a palate cleanser when the sushi starts to feel a bit salty~

The white fish set normally comes as 4 kinds at 3 pieces each, or 3 kinds at 4 pieces each. This day it was 3 kinds at 4 pieces: flounder, sea bream and red sea bream! Maybe because they're aged premium cuts, the fish was plump and delicious. I understood right away why this is a top Yeouido sushi spot :)

This is the gamtae (seaweed) that comes with the kaisendon, and it's tasty wrapped around the white fish sushi too~

Ilpum's signature kaisendon: is it worth ₩26,000?

Ilpum's signature kaisendon at ₩26,000 sounds pricey, but after trying it I thought it was worth it. The rice is already seasoned like the sushi rice (shari), so you just scoop it up with a spoon and top it with one piece at a time.

It's good eaten plain, but I personally liked it with the wasabi or gamtae that come alongside. After a few bites, try mixing it up like that. Highly recommend!

Ilpum's kaisendon comes with fish like flounder, salmon and tuna, famously tasty seafood like scallop and sweet shrimp, plus neat salmon roe, tamago and gamtae. The ingredients were fresh, and I was happy with both texture and flavor!!

Hokkaido scallop cream croquette and mango yogurt dessert

The Hokkaido scallop cream croquette (₩5,000) I ordered as dessert was freshly fried, so the coating was really crispy. You dip it in the sauce that comes with it, and since the inside is very hot, I recommend taking small bites.

It's packed with scallop-flavored cream, and the thick, rich texture is just art ㅠ.ㅠ I thought it was a great way to finish the meal!

And the mango yogurt that Ilpum serves as dessert! Thick on the outside, moist inside, and really delicious. I'd want to make it at home if I knew the recipe~.~

Ilpum Yeouido Branch is also running an event: leave a Naver Place receipt review and get 2 free croquettes. Join in and try them too :)

Verdict: Ilpum Yeouido Branch for sushi in Yeouido

Kaisendon and a white fish sushi set that melt in your mouth! Classy interior, and every piece of sushi was fresh. If you're looking for quality kaisendon and sushi, I recommend Ilpum Yeouido Branch.