Sake-don and salmon bowls three-dish lunch near Hwajeong Station: Min

I visited Min Cook Misoyaki, a Japanese-style grilled fish and rice bowl restaurant in Hwajeong-dong, Goyang. This place carries forward the know-how of Min Cook Dashima (민쿡다시마), a century-old shop that has been beloved near Hwajeong Station for 25 years, offering grilled fish and rice bowls made by a certified Korean master of Japanese cuisine at a reasonable price. Both the interior and the food felt tidy, and it was a great spot for a simple lunch or eating alone. It's about a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Hwajeong Station on Line 3.

Inside and outside Min Cook Misoyaki, and the seating

This is the exterior of Min Cook Misoyaki.

There are bar seats for eating comfortably alone as well as tables for two. The place was really well kept and clean.

And impressively, they had a sashimi knife on display that's been in use since 2001 — you could really feel the history of Min Cook Dashima there, haha.

I could also watch the fish being grilled right there in the kitchen, haha. It's surprising that thanks to the huge ventilation hood installed above, there was no smell at all in the dining area.

What's on the menu?

The menu is fairly simple — grilled fish and rice bowls, with the grilled fish available either miso-glazed or salt-grilled. Guests who order one menu item per person can also add mackerel or Atka mackerel, and fried shrimp, inari sushi (fried tofu pocket rice), and salad can be ordered separately.

The three dishes I ordered

What I ordered: extra-large miso-grilled mackerel, whole (₩15,900), fresh salmon bowl (₩11,000), sake-don (₩15,000).

These are the side dishes served with the grilled fish.

Egg porridge comes as a default with every order, and it was really nutty and delicious.

Extra-large miso-grilled mackerel, whole (₩15,900)

The thick flesh and generous portion were very satisfying, haha. The golden, glossy exterior looked absolutely delicious.

Such a nice touch that lemon and a squeezer are served together — you just squeeze it and drizzle it evenly.

Full of oil and juices, it was really nutty and savory. No fishy smell at all, just clean and salty, perfectly seasoned to eat with rice.

Fresh salmon bowl (₩11,000)

A hoedeopbap (raw fish rice bowl) loaded with fresh vegetables!

You drizzle spicy-sour chojang (vinegared gochujang sauce) to taste over the crunchy vegetables and fresh salmon. I was really craving this, haha.

There were so many vegetables packed in, so fresh and crunchy. Both refreshing and savory at the same time, haha — after eating it, you feel clean and satisfied.

Sake-don (₩15,000)

An authentic Japanese rice bowl with fresh salmon on top of rice lightly seasoned with a savory, subtle soy sauce.

On rice tossed in a savory soy sauce, with soft, tender salmon, and a bit of wasabi, radish sprouts, pickled ginger, or garlic on top — this is where you get to taste the clean, umami-rich flavor of a proper Japanese salmon bowl. It had been a while since I had sake-don, so it tasted even better, haha.

Fried shrimp, 3 pieces (₩3,900)

This was a service item I received for leaving a Naver receipt review.

Maybe because it was freshly fried, it was really, really delicious. A recommended side dish, haha.

How was it as a lunch spot near Hwajeong Station?

Min Cook Misoyaki felt like the know-how of a 25-year-old century-old shop combined with the touch of a Japanese cuisine master, if you will. From the thick, extra-large mackerel that let the fresh ingredients shine, to the salmon dishes that you can enjoy in different ways depending on your taste, it was a satisfying meal in both variety and flavor. If you're looking for proper Japanese-style grilled fish or a neat, well-composed meal near Hwajeong Station, definitely pay this place a visit!

Hours and practical information

• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:00 / Last order 14:00, 20:30
• Closed every Sunday
• Takeout, delivery, reservations, Wi-Fi
• Separate men's/women's restrooms, group seating available, waiting area on site
• Walk-ins accepted, wheelchair-accessible restroom
• No pets, no corkage, no parking