Weekday lunch maze soba with free rice refill in Yuseong, Daejeon

The weather's been so nice lately and I keep craving good food, so on a recent weekday lunch my wife and I headed to Choi Dining Daejeon Gwanpyeong for some Japanese fusion cooking.

It's been buzzing on social media and everyone raves about the futomaki here, so I'd been wanting to come for a while! After actually visiting, I totally got why it's so popular — so today I'm writing a detailed, honest review.

Location and parking at Choi Dining Daejeon Gwanpyeong

• Address: Gwanpyeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Choi Dining Daejeon Gwanpyeong)
• Hours: 11:00–21:00 (lunch hours 11:00–15:00 / last order 14:30)
• Parking: dedicated parking space right in front of the restaurant, marked with a 'Choi Dining reserved parking' sign!

The building's stylish red brick tile exterior made it super easy to find. Out front, big banners announce the signature menu items and deals.

What caught my eye especially was the banner for '₩2,000 off the weekday lunch Choi Han-sang set' and the season menu, salmon cold soba (₩14,900)! If you visit on a weekday lunch, you can enjoy a well-rounded set or special menu at great value — I'd highly recommend this as a lunch spot for office workers or couples on a date near Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon.

What's the atmosphere and amenities like?

The moment I stepped inside, clean, warm wood-toned interiors greeted me. The soft glow of the globe pendant lights made the whole place feel calm and cozy.

The tables were spaced well apart, with seating ranging from tables for two up to four, so it felt totally comfortable for a date, a group gathering, or eating solo.

Looking around one side of the restaurant, I spotted cute little props, adorable character figures, and a music box display case — fun to browse. And for families with young kids, there was a baby chair and a coat hanger set up neatly. You could really feel the owner's thoughtful touch here.

Tablet ordering and the Naver receipt review event

The tableware was set out really neatly too! Every table has an Easy Check tablet ordering device, so you can browse menu photos and descriptions and order conveniently.

We ordered the Couple Set A, a well-rounded combo that lets you taste a variety of popular menu items in one go!

• Couple Set A (₩38,900): salmon futomaki 5 pieces + maze soba + tontoro-don (pork jowl rice bowl)
• Drink: Sprite, 1 can (₩2,500)

After ordering, I noticed a sign for a 'Naver receipt review event' running! If you write a MyPlace receipt review, you get a free can of cola or cider — so if you visit, make sure to claim it! We poured cold cider into a nicely designed cup packed with ice and waited excitedly for our food.

Honest taste review of Couple Set A

Finally, the salmon futomaki, maze soba, and tontoro-don all arrived at once... and wow, the colorful plating drew gasps the moment it hit the table! You simply can't not take a photo.

The ultimate in thickness: 5 pieces of salmon futomaki

The salmon futomaki I was most excited about! Each piece is seriously huge. Fresh, soft, thick raw salmon packed alongside sweet, moist rolled egg, crispy tempura bits, and crunchy cucumber and pickled radish.

With a big bite, a rich mix of textures burst in my mouth with an explosion of savory flavor. Dip it in the special mayo sauce and add a dab of wasabi, and the flavor gets even smoother and richer. It's 5 pieces, but each one is so packed that even sharing with my wife, we had plenty.

An umami explosion: maze soba (don't skip the free rice!)

Next up is the Japanese-style mixed ramen, maze soba, topped beautifully with an egg yolk!

Breaking the yolk and mixing it into the rich meat sauce, chopped chives, and noodles was so satisfying. The chewy noodles soaked up the salty, savory, umami-packed sauce, and I couldn't put my spoon down — totally addictive. Thanks to the fragrant chives, it never felt heavy, even to the last bite.

Here's Choi Dining's best tip: once you've finished all the maze soba noodles, you can ask the owner for a free bowl of rice!

They bring the rice in a small, cute bowl, and mixing it into the leftover maze soba sauce is truly a delicacy — the real deal. The noodles were delicious, but the sauce-mixed rice was so good that my wife and I were amazed and scraped the bowl completely clean.

Savory and chewy: tontoro-don (pork jowl rice bowl)

Last up is the rice bowl piled high with pork jowl, tontoro-don.

There was a description of pork jowl (called 'thousand layers pork') posted on the wall, which I read closely — it said the fat between the meat layers creates a distinctive chewiness and savory richness. The nicely charred pork jowl paired well with crunchy cabbage, shishito peppers, and egg yolk.

Top the rice with a piece of meat, cabbage, and fresh wasabi, and take a big bite — crispy outside, juicy and tender inside, with the juices bursting through. Anyone who loves meat is guaranteed to love this dish!

Final thoughts and would we go back?

My wife and I had a truly satisfying weekday lunch. In a neat, atmospheric space, we got to fully enjoy the salmon futomaki, maze soba, and tontoro-don, each nailing both looks and taste — it made us really happy.

From the maze soba to the free rice mixed into the leftover sauce, everything was perfect at this Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon favorite, Choi Dining! If you're looking for a date spot in Daejeon, or craving something special in Japanese fusion cooking, I highly recommend a visit. My wife and I are, of course, 200% coming back!