Yellow-chair izakaya in Sindang: grilled mentaiko on seaweed, Nuridam

Where is Nuridam and what is the atmosphere like?

Nuridam (누리담) is a great-looking izakaya just inside Exit 1 of Sindang Station. It's close to the station, so it's very easy to get to by public transport.

Looks good even from the outside, right? Nuridam sits on the main street of "Hipdang-dong" (the nickname for the trendy Sindang area), so lots of people come here for dates. Weekends mean a wait, so I recommend booking ahead.

Is Nuridam's interior OK for group gatherings?

The interior is one long, straight space, with plenty of room for company dinners, banquets and all kinds of group gatherings. There's no bar counter, but it still has a lovely dacchi (Japanese-style counter bar) vibe, which I loved. It would work for a blind date too, don't you think?

Soft lighting sets the mood, and the big windows opening to the outside give a refreshing, airy feel. Even on an early weekday evening, it filled up with customers quickly.

Yellow-chair old-school seats connected to the outside

The yellow-chair tables have an old-school (nopo) feel and connect to the outdoors. Now that the weather is so nice, I'd guess these are the most popular seats at Nuridam. Sadly they were taken so I couldn't sit there, but I definitely want to claim them next time!

How do you order at Nuridam, and what should you get?

Ordering is easy with a kiosk. Every menu item has a picture description, so it wasn't hard at all. The signature is the aged mixed sashimi platter. It looks high quality at a glance, and the size is just right, so I recommend it.

Naver receipt review event

Nuridam runs a Naver receipt review event where you can choose grilled mentaiko (spicy pollock roe), one hangover-relief stick per person, or a Chocoemong (chocolate milk). Instead of a drink or alcohol freebie, you get three choices, so I recommend doing the review and claiming one!

Delmonte-bottle water and fried bread as the free starter

After you order, water and a starter snack arrive, and the old-style Delmonte bottle is so cute. I'd love to keep one for myself, ㅠㅠ The starter is fried bread, which can't possibly be bad...

Two kinds of sauce and seaweed come out to eat with the main dish. Wait with a cold beer, and the delicious main snack shows up!

What is Nuridam's aged mixed sashimi platter?

Nuridam's aged mixed sashimi platter is, as I understand it, a mixed sashimi plate made by aging fresh fish brought from Noryangjin's dawn market together with 1++ hanwoo (Korean beef) sashimi sourced from Majang-dong, so you can enjoy them side by side.

It's a quality plate of aged sashimi made from five main ingredients. You can tell just by looking, right? Every piece was delicious, with no fishy or off smell at all. Maybe because it's aged, it was tasty even on its own, and the generous amount of ginger made pairing easy.

Thick-cut salmon and hanwoo beef sashimi

The platter comes with a sauce like ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), and the savory depth was so good. I started with a piece of salmon! It's cut thick, so the texture is great, and one sip of a drink per piece is just perfect. I couldn't find fault with it anywhere.

The hanwoo sashimi served with the fish was also excellent quality. Again, no gamey smell at all, and it's sliced into easy bite-size pieces. Having both fish and beef on one plate was the charm.

What kind of gatherings suit Nuridam?

Nuridam is a great-looking izakaya on Hipdang-dong's main street, so it's a top pick for dates or blind dates. The wide, long space also works for group gatherings and get-togethers with friends. The atmosphere was especially good for conversation. With quality snacks and a wide range of drinks, no wonder it's popular with everyone!

How does the grilled mentaiko from the receipt review taste?

Grilled mentaiko is sold as a side dish at Nuridam, and I got it free through the Naver receipt review. Doesn't it look delicious? You top the seaweed with cucumber and mentaiko and eat it piece by piece, and it went well with both sake and beer.

The empty-plate verdict: would I return to Nuridam?

If you like aged mixed sashimi, I recommend Nuridam! They also sell pasta, so it's good to start your night here as a first round, and the mood is easy for a second or third round too. It's the signature izakaya of Hipdang-dong, and I'd love to visit again.