Bogil — a Customizable Kaisendon You Won't Want to Miss
A cozy Songridan-gil eatery where you build your own kaisendon — visually impressive bowls loaded with fresh sashimi and a tidy, inviting interior.
Key Highlights
- •Create-your-own kaisendon with generous, fresh seafood toppings and eye-catching presentation
- •Tucked on Songridan-gil (Songpa), so it can get busy — plan for a short wait at peak times
- •Clean, snug dining room suited to solo diners or small groups; bowls are very photogenic
Overview
A hands-on report from Songridan-gil about Bogil, a small spot serving highly customizable kaisendon (seafood rice bowls) with very fresh sashimi and well-seasoned rice. The writer highlights cozy film-night vibes, a standout eel stone-pot rice with tamagoyaki, and a much-recommended crab cream korokke.
Bogil — a customizable kaisendon you shouldn't miss
Store info ▶
You can find this kaisendon spot on Songridan-gil, one of Songpa’s trendier streets. The bowls arrive piled with remarkably fresh seafood, and the shop has a clean, cozy feel. When I went in the evening they even had a projector showing art-house films, which made the place feel quietly comfortable. I went on a Friday at 7pm and there was no wait.
I ordered the kaisendon (salmon / tuna belly / tuna back / scallop), half an eel donburi, and a crab meat cream korokke.
What stood out was how customizable the kaisendon is — there are lots of choices so you can pick more salmon, more scallop, or different tuna cuts depending on what you prefer. I’ve eaten kaisendon countless times in Japan, and honestly this one was better: the sashimi was very fresh and the rice texture plus the seasoned vinegar were balanced in a golden ratio. The rice was so good that my friend kept teasing me — “why are you eating only rice and not the fish?” — because I kept spooning it up on its own.
The eel stone-pot rice came with tamagoyaki (rolled egg) and it looked—and tasted—exactly like the soft, springy Japanese-style egg roll you imagine. The eel seasoning was spot on; you can tell the owner is careful with sauce ratios. The rice is served in a dolsot (stone pot), and after a short wait the bottom crisps into nurungji. With the slightly sweet soy sauce, that scorched rice was irresistible. I meant to finish with ochazuke-style tea over the rice, but I ate everything before I got the chance.
If you come to Bogil and don’t try the crab cream korokke, you might as well not have come at all — okay, that’s the blogger in me, but seriously: for 10,000 won you get a rich, creamy crab filling that’s nutty and not greasy. I’d read other visitors’ recommendations to order the crab korokke, so I did — and the reviews were right.
This is the place to go if: 1) you want something light and clean on Songridan-gil rather than barbecue, 2) you prefer a relaxed, not-too-noisy spot for a date, or 3) you want a personalized Japanese-style seafood bowl. Give Bogil a try.
▲ Location: Bogil, 1F, 10-8 Ogeum-ro 16-gil, Songpa District, Seoul
▲ Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00; closed Mondays
▲ Prices: Tuna back + tuna belly 33,000 won; tuna belly + tuna back + fresh salmon 32,000 won; tuna back 29,000 won
Summary
- •Build-your-own kaisendon with multiple tuna, salmon, and scallop options — rice and seasoned vinegar are especially well balanced
- •Cozy, clean atmosphere on Songridan-gil with projector films; go early evening (I had no wait at 7pm on a Friday)
- •Standout sides: eel dolsot (stone-pot) rice with tamagoyaki and crispy nurungji, plus a rich crab cream korokke (about 10,000 won)
Glossary
- Kaisen-don (카이센동)
- A Japanese-style seafood rice bowl topped with assorted sashimi and other seafood
- Kaisendon (카이센동)
- A Japanese-style seafood rice bowl topped with various sashimi and other seafood; in Korea you’ll often find customizable versions letting you choose toppings and portions.
- Nurungji (누룽지)
- The crunchy, slightly toasted layer of rice that forms at the bottom of a hot pot; prized for its texture and flavor
- Ochazuke (오챠즈케)
- A simple dish of pouring green tea or broth over rice; often used to finish a meal
- Songridan-gil (송리단길)
- A trendy dining-and-cafe street in Songpa District, Seoul, known for small restaurants and eateries
- Tamagoyaki / gyeranmari (계란말이)
- A soft, rolled Japanese-style omelette commonly served in Korean-Japanese eateries