Japanese restaurant near Daejeon Premium Outlets: Choi Dining

Lunch before shopping at Daejeon Premium Outlets: Choi Dining Gwanpyeong

I hadn't been shopping in a while, so I headed to Daejeon Premium Outlets. But the most important thing before shopping is always a solid lunch 🍽️

I went to Choi Dining Gwanpyeong, which has all kinds of menu items — futomaki, maze soba, cold soba, and more. 🚗 (5 minutes by car from Daejeon Premium Outlets)

Pretty and clean-looking even from outside 🍣

Choi Dining feels less like a formal Japanese restaurant and more like a casual Japanese fusion dining spot. The cute sign catches your eye even from a distance.

Choi Dining Gwanpyeong hours, last order and amenities

• 📍 Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (break time: 15:00–17:00)
• Last order at 14:15, 20:15
• Onnuri gift certificates accepted, baby chair available, restroom inside

Parking and the weekday lunch discount at Choi Dining Gwanpyeong

There's space for about 3 cars right next to the restaurant, and street parking is also available.

You can check weekday lunch specials and new menu info posted right outside the store. Weekdays 11:00–15:00, the Choi Hansang set gets ₩2,000 off. Good for lunch!

What the interior and seating are like

The interior overall was clean and neatly styled, which made for a nice atmosphere throughout the meal. 😉 The warm mood combined with the tasteful interior made it feel more like a proper dining space than a regular restaurant.

The tables aren't cramped together, so it's a comfortable layout — good for a date but also for a work lunch with colleagues.

It felt like they'd put just as much thought into the atmosphere as into the food, so overall satisfaction was high after visiting.

What comes in Couple Set A?

You can order easily using the tablet at each table.

They also have couple sets and family sets, which makes it easy to pick a menu when you're visiting with a group. We ordered Couple Set A: salmon futomaki 5p + maze soba + dontoro-don.

The dishes come out one at a time, and the owner explained how to eat each one, which was nice. Rather than just serving the food, telling you how to enjoy it more meant even first-timers could dig in and enjoy it fully 😝

Salmon futomaki: bigger than expected

First up, the salmon futomaki (thick seaweed rice roll). As soon as it arrived, I was surprised by how big it was. The filling is packed in tight, so even one piece fills your mouth completely. 😀

Dipping it in the truffle mayo sauce that came alongside gives it a whole different feel. The filling inside was fresh with a variety of textures, so every bite felt rich and satisfying 🥳

Savoury maze soba with kelp vinegar and a rice finish

For the maze soba, they recommended adding a little kelp vinegar. Once I added it, the umami flavor jumped up noticeably.

After finishing the noodles, you can ask for a rice refill and mix it into the leftover sauce.

My top pick: the spicy dontoro-don 😛

For me, the best dish by far was the dontoro-don, a rice bowl topped with pork jowl. I figured pork jowl could easily turn out greasy, but…

Instead, the spicy sauce made sure it wasn't greasy at all. 😛 It kept the pork jowl's signature savory, chewy texture while adding a spicy kick on top — my top pick out of every dontoro-don I've had! ☆ Recommended ☆

Choi Dining Gwanpyeong: the verdict

• ✔ About 5 minutes by car from Daejeon Premium Outlets
• ✔ Clean, pretty interior
• ✔ Couple and family set options
• ✔ A menu that's not too heavy for lunch
• ✔ Onnuri gift certificates accepted

If you want casual Japanese fusion food in a clean, relaxed setting, I'd recommend Choi Dining, a favorite spot in Gwanpyeong-dong. 😆