Sushi omakase lunch near Gongdeok Station with grilled milt: Jeulgeoun

Is the ₩100,000 lunch omakase at Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro near Gongdeok Station worth it?

Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro (즐거운 마음으로) is a new sushi omakase restaurant near Gongdeok Station. I had the lunch course there with my mom, and if you're looking for a good sushi omakase in Seoul, it's worth saving haha. Omakase prices have gone up so much lately. There used to be plenty of lunches in the ₩50,000-60,000 range, but now anything decent often goes well past ₩100,000.

So these days I check the lineup carefully before booking. I recently visited Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro, a new sushi spot in Gongdeok, with my mom, and I was so happy with it that I want to introduce it here.

Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro hours, parking and corkage

• Address: 1st floor, 21 Baekbeom-ro 24-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Hours: daily 11:30-22:00 (break time 15:00-17:00)
• Toddlers welcome
• Pets welcome ★★★
• Parking available: use a nearby lot, 3-minute walk (3 hours free)
• Corkage free (1 bottle) ★★★
• Reservations available, private room available, Catchtable booking available

First impressions of the new sushi restaurant near Gongdeok Station

Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro is a newly opened sushi restaurant near Gongdeok Station. When I visited it had been open only about a month, so it was brand new and still warm from the oven.

If you search for Seoul sushi omakase or Gongdeok lunch these days, there are a lot of similar places, but Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro gave off an atmosphere that built anticipation from the first impression. I came for a lunch date with my mom after a long time, and it was satisfying from the start.

A modern exterior that contrasts with an upscale interior

The exterior was more modern and simple than I expected. But the mood changes completely once you open the door.

Refined wood interiors and soft lighting create the calm atmosphere omakase is known for. Not too heavy, not too casual, just a nice balance. It felt right for a blind date, an anniversary or a meal with your parents.

A cozy, warm yet trendy interior

Personally, what I liked most about Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro was the warmth of the space. Some of the sushi places I visited recently were overly formal, but this one was much more relaxed. It feels cozy and warm without losing a stylish touch. Thanks to that, I could enjoy the meal comfortably from start to finish.

Let's start the lunch omakase review at Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro!

Lunch tsumami: from pea noodle soup to grilled milt with rice

A cool summer starter: chilled pea noodle soup

The first dish of the lunch course was pea kongguksu (chilled soy milk noodle soup). I honestly never expected to meet kongguksu at an omakase.

One bite and it was a dish that really captured the feel of summer. Nutty yet clean and not heavy, it was a great way to start. I thought it showed real flair from the very beginning.

Flounder sashimi with ankimo (monkfish liver) sauce

Next came two pieces of flounder sashimi with ankimo (monkfish liver) sauce. The rich flavor of the ankimo went really well with the flounder.

Even though it's a lunch course, there's a good share of tsumami (small dishes), which made me very happy. Lunch is usually sushi-focused and quick, but at Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro I got to enjoy a variety of dishes.

Braised octopus

I thought braised octopus was a tsumami mostly served at dinner, but here it is at lunch too!

The braised octopus was really tender haha. Not tough, seasoned just right, and with a little wasabi on top it was so good.

Chawanmushi (steamed egg custard)

The chawanmushi (savory steamed egg custard) that followed was excellent too. The soft, warm egg custard soothed the mouth.

Grilled milt with rice

The dish that slightly surprised me at lunch was the grilled milt (fish soft roe) with rice.

I didn't expect this kind of dish at an omakase. It's not kaiseki, so having it show up mid-course was a fun change. The creamy texture of the milt was lovely, and eating it with rice was very satisfying.

The soup had a deep savory flavor from clams, and it was a clean way to reset the palate midway.

The temaki that followed signaled the real start of the sushi. At this point, my mom and I said the same thing.

"This is a ₩100,000 lunch?"

It was far more carefully put together than I expected haha. The sashimi for the sushi coming up today was already waiting too haha

What's in the Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro lunch sushi course?

Sea bream sushi

The first piece, sea bream sushi, was light with a subtle sweetness. Maybe thanks to the aging, the texture was soft, and the balance with the shari (sushi rice) was good. A perfect piece to open the omakase.

Swordtip squid sushi

The chewy texture of the hanchi (small squid) sushi was really impressive. A subtle sweetness came up as I chewed, and the dense scoring meant it wasn't tough. If you like squid, you'll be happy with this one.

I happened to sit right in front of the chef, which made watching even more fun haha

Striped jack sushi

The striped jack sushi had just the right amount of fat and great savory depth. The richness filled my mouth without being greasy at all haha

Personally, it ranked near the top of the fish I ate that day.

Young yellowback sea bream sushi topped with yuzu

With the yuzu-topped young sea bream sushi, the yuzu aroma comes first, followed by the light flavor of the sea bream. The fresh scent left my mouth feeling clean. I thought it suited a summer omakase really well.

They told us it's a precious fish that yields only about two pieces per fish haha. I wanted it again for the encore, but encores were first come, first served and only one piece was left, so it ran out early and I missed it...

Sweet shrimp sushi topped with caviar

The sweetness of the sweet shrimp spread the moment it hit my mouth. The caviar balanced it nicely.

The caviar on top added a salty savoriness and finished it with a luxurious flavor. It was a piece that made me forget for a moment that this was a lunch course.

Akami (lean tuna) sushi

With the akami (lean tuna) sushi, I could really taste the tuna's own rich flavor. It didn't feel over-aged, and the clean, light taste was impressive. Eaten with the shari, the balance was great.

Taking a little break with the soup,

Horse mackerel sushi

The horse mackerel sushi had that appealing deep savoriness typical of the fish. The fat was just right, so it was nutty yet finished cleanly. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the natural taste of fish.

The savoriness on this piece was the best!

Herring sushi

The herring sushi was one of the most memorable pieces of the day for me. The oily flavor typical of herring fills your mouth, yet it's not overwhelming at all.

The nuttiness rises the more you chew, a taste I kept thinking about.

Grilled nodoguro wrapped in crispy baribari seaweed

You wrap the grilled sablefish (kinmedai-style fish) in sweet, crisp baribari gim (seaweed), and the flavor was just incredible. The rich taste spreading through my mouth and the nuttiness of the seaweed were fantastic. My mom also said this grilled sablefish was the most memorable.

I still think about this taste!

Encore sushi: sea bream

For the encore I picked sea bream again. I loved the cleanness and balance of the first piece so much that I wanted one more. The choice wasn't wrong, and I finished the meal satisfied to the very end.

Anago (sea eel) sushi

The anago (sea eel) served as the finale was really soft. The sweet sauce and moist texture came together and it melted in my mouth. A piece worthy of closing the omakase :)

Datemaki (sweet rolled omelet)

The sushi finale is datemaki (sweet rolled omelet), of course. Big and moderately sweet, and even though I was full, I couldn't help finishing it all!

Dessert: fruit plate

Tart raspberries and grapes too. At this price, I felt it was a lineup without a single gap from start to finish haha

Is the Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro lunch good value for the price?

The ₩100,000 lunch at Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro was a rare lineup by today's Seoul omakase standards. If you often eat omakase in Seoul these days, you'll know. From tsumami to sushi, grilled dishes and dessert, nothing felt thrown together, and the quality was high.

If you're looking for a sushi omakase lunch in Gongdeok, Seoul, I recommend visiting Jeulgeoun Maeumeuro at least once. As a new place, the clean space, attentive service and excellent food were all satisfying. The meal was extra special because I shared it with my mom, but objectively too, it was one of the most satisfying omakase I've visited recently.

I'm planning to go back soon for dinner too haha