Seoul Foodie Find: Sushi Jin
Words and shots by Peter Kim
Sushi Jin is in many ways notable for what it is not. Most Sushi restaurants in Korea fall short of delivering tasty sushi at a reasonable price. How many people have been underwhelmed by bandaid-thin cuts of fish served over cold rice, or fish so smothered in mayo, sprinkles, and other travesties that the chef’s sushi knife should be hidden away?
Sushi Jin bucks that trend and elevates itself above the others with excellent service, spacious and clean decor, and generous pieces of sushi. Each visit starts with the standard miso soup but also a green salad with a citrus-wasabi dressing. Thick, rich cuts of fish hug the sushi rice for their nigiri sushi and each table has Japanese soy sauce of the non-Kikkoman variety. The staff is also super friendly and are generous with extras, especially with repeat visits.
If you have an enormous appetite, spring for the “Sashimi Jungsik”, an assortment of sashimi, nigiri sushi, fish stew, sashimi salad, tempura done three ways, and your choice of udon or soba noodles. The set is topped off with a piece of pineapple. The staff will bring out just one or two dishes at a time; as you are finishing a dish, they will bring out the next course. As a result, you’re not overwhelmed with the amount of food coming your way. For W15,000 (lunch) or W20,000 (dinner), the price can’t be beat. Be sure to come with a partner, as the set has a two-order minimum.
The neighborhood knows what a treasure Sushi Jin is, so it’s usually packed. The best times to go are right when it opens and the late afternoons.
Sushi Jin operates two locations, both around Sungshin Women’s University Station (Line 4, light blue line).
3-9 Dongseondong 1(il)-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul
Hours: 11:30 am – 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm-12:00 am
02-921-3730