Jonggak sushi: flounder sashimi and torched egg nigiri, Choe Uyeong

What is Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch near Jonggak Station like?

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch (최우영스시야 종로점) is a sushi restaurant near Jonggak Station serving sashimi, sushi, rice bowls, udon and more. The menu is wide, so office workers fill it on weekday lunches.

We'd gone to see the CHZZK Roll Park event, and suddenly I was craving sushi, so I searched for a good-value sushi place nearby and found this one. We visited on a weekend lunch and ate one of each type of dish.

What are the restaurant and seating like?

The restaurant was clean overall. There were lots of solo seats for people dining alone, and quite a few tables too, so it seems like a good pick for a busy lunch hour.

Tables turn over fast, too, so I could see why so many office workers come at lunchtime.

There's a takeout-only kiosk at the entrance, so if you're taking food away, you can order quickly without hunting for a staff member.

Menu and basic table setup

The menu was more varied than I expected, from sashimi to rice bowls, sushi, udon and tempura. It works for a quick meal, and it also looks good for sashimi and a drink after work.

The table had soy sauce, pickled scallions (rakkyo) and pickled ginger, and the soy sauce was labeled house-made, which got me excited for no real reason! It feels like a place that takes its sushi seriously...

They brought out the clear broth and wasabi right away, so we sipped the broth while waiting for the food.

What we ordered and the prices

• Flounder sashimi 100g ₩11,000
• Special sushi set, 15 pieces ₩19,000
• Premium deluxe sushi set, 17 pieces ₩33,000
• Shrimp tempura udon ₩6,000
• Fried scallop ₩1,500
• Fried king shrimp ₩1,500
• Fried glutinous rice mochi ₩1,500

How is the ₩11,000 flounder sashimi (100g)?

The flounder sashimi is sold in 100g portions for ₩11,000, and I really liked being able to try flounder without a big commitment. The chewy texture was fantastic.

There was no fishy taste at all, and it stayed nicely chewy. The flounder fin was rich and delicious. It seems like a great takeout for drinking at home on the way back from work.

What's the difference between the 15-piece special set and the 17-piece premium set?

The 15-piece special set (₩19,000) and the 17-piece premium deluxe set (₩33,000) look similar side by side, but the lineups differ. The pieces in the photos below were only in the premium set.

We ordered both sets. I liked the premium set with its engawa (flounder fin) nigiri, but for value, the special set plus an extra engawa nigiri order might be a good option too.

The sushi here has no wasabi inside

What sets the sushi here apart is that there's no wasabi inside! You add it yourself to taste, then nom nom. Overall the fish was fresh, and you could feel the care in every ingredient. The sweet house-made soy sauce went well with the sushi too!

A surprise standout: torched egg nigiri

Of all the sushi, the one with more impact than expected was the egg nigiri. Maybe because it's torched over open flame, a subtle smoky aroma comes through, and it was sneakily irresistible.

How is the ₩6,000 shrimp tempura udon?

We ordered the shrimp tempura udon because ₩6,000 is so cheap. The noodles were plump and the broth was rich and tasty.

It was packed with bits like shredded crab stick, fried tofu (yuba) and scallions, so the varied textures were a plus.

The tempura was soaked in the broth, so it wasn't a crispy shrimp tempura. I love crispy tempura, but I found the moist shrimp soaked in udon broth charming too.

Which of the three ₩1,500 tempura items is the best?

We ordered the glutinous rice mochi tempura, fried scallop and fried king shrimp at ₩1,500 each.

The mochi tempura has a chewy, rice-cake texture, so it felt like a dessert. If you like rice cakes, it's worth ordering just that one~ My top pick of the three was the mochi tempura! My boyfriend's was the fried scallop!

Is it a good-value sushi restaurant near Jonggak Station?

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch has a wide menu, from sushi to sashimi, udon and tempura, so it was fun to pick a bit of everything. The flounder sashimi and egg nigiri stayed with me, and the prices weren't painful, so I was happy. If you're looking for good-value sushi near Jonggak Station, I recommend it!