Jonggak sushi date night: engawa and sea bream sashimi, Choe Uyeong

My wife had been to an exhibition with friends, so we met up for an evening date at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch (최우영스시야 종로점), a well-known sushi spot near Jonggak Station.

Where is Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch, and what about parking?

The restaurant is 235 m from Exit 1 of Jonggak Station, on the B1 floor of Tower 8. If you come by car, the building's parking lot gives you 2 hours of free parking.

It is open daily 11:00-21:30, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 21:00.

Inside and outside Choe Uyeong Sushiya: the atmosphere

Tower 8 has a clean marble-and-glass facade. Take the elevator outside the building down to the basement, and you will see the restrooms; Choe Uyeong Sushiya is on the right.

A big menu banner on the left of the entrance and a kiosk stand out. Prices and photos of the sushi sets, sashimi, udon and more are shown up front, so choosing is easy.

In the middle of the restaurant there is a long bar-style counter, good for watching the chef up close, eating solo, or sitting side by side in a small group.

Green potted plants and plant decor fill the center and make it feel cozy and fresh. Around the bar counter are tables with wood-toned partitions for extra privacy.

We enjoyed our date at one of those private, comfortable tables with the cozy wood partitions.

What we ordered at Choe Uyeong Sushiya, and the prices

We ordered the 16-piece top sushi set (₩27,000), the mixed sashimi (₩40,000), shrimp tempura udon (₩6,000) and beer (₩4,000).

The menu is neatly divided into sections: sashimi, sushi package sets, kaisendon (sashimi rice bowl), tempura and udon. You can browse and order on a mobile tablet, which is handy.

Sealed containers on the table hold pickled ginger and rakkyo (pickled scallions); take as much as you like onto your own small plate to go with the sushi and sashimi. A warm miso soup with fried tofu and floating scallions came out first.

What's in the ₩40,000 mixed sashimi, and how does it taste?

The mixed sashimi (₩40,000) comes neatly plated with colorful, fresh fish filling the plate, along with crab meat, radish sprouts and lemon.

First I took a soft, thick slice of salmon and topped it with radish sprouts, crab meat from the glass bowl and a little wasabi. The rich oiliness and the freshness together made me crave a cold beer.

We tilted our cold beer glasses, with a nice head of foam, and cheered happily. To our health! ^^

The well-aged sea bream (chamdom) with a little fresh wasabi on top has a clean, nutty savoriness.

The scallop, lightly seared on the surface, has a soft chew and a gentle sweetness that I loved.

The mild, deep-red tuna is wonderfully clean and a little sharp when wrapped with ginger and radish sprouts. The enngawa (flounder fin) is chewy and nutty with rich oil, and a little wasabi makes it taste even fresher.

On one side of the plate was kkosiraegi (a crunchy seaweed that smells of the sea), and its crisp texture with the raw fish was an unusual treat. The other sashimi I haven't mentioned, such as sweet shrimp and cuttlefish, held their own too.

What comes in the 16-piece top sushi set?

The 16-piece top sushi set (₩27,000) was the best choice: chewy, savory fish with a rich variety of flavors in every bite.

The eel nigiri was the first one I grabbed. It is grilled golden with a salty-sweet teriyaki sauce, glossy and soft, with an impressive flavor.

The flounder (gwangeo), the classic chewy and clean fish, and the sea bream nigiri, with the skin side lightly cooked to bring out texture and flavor, added freshness.

The tuna nigiri stands out for its fine marbling and bright red color, with nutty oil and a soft texture. With the salmon nigiri, the rich, nutty oil of soft salmon spreads the moment it hits your mouth, and the crunchy onion slices and the fresh, creamy sauce on top go together perfectly.

The scallop nigiri has a thick, plump scallop with just the surface torched, which maximizes the smoky aroma and the scallop's natural sweetness. The tuna gunkan (seaweed-wrapped sushi) has minced tuna topped with chopped scallions, nutty, a bit sharp and clean on the finish.

The set also included sea urchin gunkan, octopus-wasabi gunkan, sweet, soft egg omelet nigiri, crab nigiri, sweet shrimp nigiri and small squid nigiri, so there was plenty of variety.

₩6,000 shrimp tempura udon

The shrimp tempura udon (₩6,000) has a hot, deep broth and was great alongside the sushi. The plump, chewy noodles and the tempura topping soak into the broth, and eaten with sushi it warms you up and fills you nicely.

Overall verdict on our evening date at Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch

My wife came straight from the exhibition, and at Choe Uyeong Sushiya near Jonggak Station we had thick, fresh mixed sashimi, a top sushi set full of varied, high-quality toppings, plus warm udon and cold beer. We talked comfortably and had a lovely evening date.

If you are looking for a date spot in Jongno with a clean, comfortable atmosphere and high-quality fresh mixed sashimi, sushi, tempura and warm udon, I recommend it.