Takeout lunchbox with octopus rice bowl in Seogwipo: Jejju Donghong

Today I'm sharing a local favorite from my Jeju trip. A few days into traveling with my baby, sitting down to eat at a restaurant every single meal was surprisingly hard. So this time I decided to eat comfortably at the accommodation instead, and stopped by nearby Jejju Donghong Branch (제쭈 동홍점) to pick up a lunchbox to go. I went in the early evening and got it right away with no waiting, which made things so much easier.

Where is Jejju Donghong Branch, and how does parking and takeout work?

Jejju Donghong Branch is a lunchbox and sushi restaurant on Donghongjungang-ro in Seogwipo, in a first-floor glass-front space that's easy to spot from the street. Since we were getting takeout, we parked briefly behind the building and headed straight in.

I'd assumed Jejju Donghong Branch was just a plain lunchbox shop, but it turned out to have a spacious dining area too — great for eating out with family, not just takeout. We went a bit early in the evening, so we could grab our takeout order quickly with no wait.

Seeing the certified good-price business sign posted near the entrance gave me a bit more confidence. There was clearly a reason the portions felt so generous for the price.

The Jejju Donghong Branch menu: sushi, rice bowls and lunchboxes

Looking at the menu at Jejju Donghong Branch, there was quite a variety — sushi, rice bowls, and lunchboxes. The wall also had prices posted separately for a 3-piece sushi set, which seemed like a good option for anyone wanting something lighter.

I picked the Jejju Lunchbox without a second thought. It's the best-selling menu item after all, so my expectations were high.

How much do you get in the Jejju Lunchbox?

The Jejju Lunchbox packed salmon sushi, shrimp sushi, crispy fried fish cutlet and fried shrimp, plus a sweet-seasoned main dish, all filling up one box with no gaps to spare. The moment I opened the takeout bag, the whole spread caught my eye. The compartments made it fun to eat too — picking off one thing at a time was satisfying.

Best-selling menu: Jejju Lunchbox — it's so good. You can tell right from the first bite why it's the best seller~ Looking at these photos again makes me want to eat it all over again...

The basic side dishes included seasoned greens, radish pickle, and pickled cucumber, and the soup was a clear burdock-and-fried-tofu broth that was mild and easy to eat. For a single lunchbox, having this much packed in felt really generous.

The smoky octopus rice bowl in the Jejju Lunchbox

The Jejju Lunchbox also included an octopus rice bowl besides the sushi, which made it feel really substantial and thoughtfully put together. I'd never had such a thoughtfully made lunchbox even in Seoul, so it felt great to have one like this here in Jeju. The octopus rice bowl had a smoky char flavor and was so generously portioned that my husband loved it. If you're after smoky octopus, I really recommend this one.

Salmon sushi and shrimp sushi

The salmon sushi looked fresh even from its color, and biting into it, it was soft and clean with no fishy taste. The shrimp sushi also had a firm, springy texture that kept my chopsticks coming back for more.

Are the fish cutlet and fried shrimp still crispy once cooled?

The fish cutlet and fried shrimp had a thin, crispy coating. Even after cooling down, they didn't get soggy, and the texture held up well for the whole trip back to the accommodation. There was a light glaze of sauce with a salty-sweet flavor that was quietly addictive.

Traveling Jeju with a baby? Take the lunchbox back to your stay

We laid out the Jejju Donghong Branch lunchbox comfortably once we got back to the accommodation, and it was exactly the kind of meal you can quietly enjoy after putting the baby to sleep. The portion was generous enough to be a full meal, and the balance between the side dishes and main dish meant we enjoyed it all the way through without getting tired of it. I'm giving this 5 stars without hesitation, and I think I'll be picking up another one the next time I'm in Seogwipo.