Yeongdeungpo izakaya lamb ribs and spicy nabe: Nani

After walking around Yeouido Hangang Park, I went to Nani Yeouido Branch (나니 여의도점) for dinner. It is an izakaya I chose because I wanted to end the day with food and a drink while looking at the city.

How do you find it from Yeouido Station?

From Exit 3 of Yeouido Station, you can enter the building directly in front without crossing the street. The route also worked well for heading to dinner after spending time at Hangang Park.

That said, I got a little turned around looking for the restaurant inside the building. Nani is on the third floor of the S-TRENUE Building, and I took the escalator visible inside the building.

What were the conversation-friendly seats and window atmosphere like?

There were no separate rooms, but most tables were divided by partitions or curtains. It was not a fully private space, but the surrounding tables did not feel distracting, so it was easy to have an intimate conversation with my companion.

When I visited, it felt like a place where we could eat and talk quietly. I thought it would suit a date or a get-together with friends as well.

I arrived before it got busy and was lucky to be seated by the window. It was not a view from very high up, but I liked being able to take in the city as the sun went down.

What food and drinks were available?

There were grilled dishes including lamb ribs and sashimi. This time, I decided to have lamb shoulder rack with a soup dish.

There were also stir-fried and fried dishes, while the soup options included nabe (Japanese hot pot) and tang (Korean soup).

The drinks included several types, such as sake, highballs, and beer.

At the time of my visit, there was also a notice for an event offering yogurt ice cream to those who took part in a review event.

The basic side dishes were seasoned seaweed and fried hardtack crackers. I do not usually go out of my way to eat hardtack, but served fried, I kept reaching for it while waiting for the food.

What was the spicy Nagasaki jjamppong nabe like?

For the Nagasaki jjamppong nabe, I could choose mild or spicy. I was craving a spicy broth, so I ordered the spicy version.

With crown daisy, bean sprouts, and clams, the broth had a refreshing taste. I wanted rice, so I asked whether they had a bowl of rice; it was not on the menu, but they served it separately for ₩2,000. To me, it felt generously portioned, like about one and a half servings.

Was the lamb shoulder rack enough for two?

The signature lamb shoulder rack came with three ribs. At first, I wondered if it would be too little for two, but with the nabe, it was just the right amount for us.

I first ate it without sauce. The distinctive rich juices of the lamb came through as I chewed, making it the most memorable part of the meal. It was also good with the basil sauce and jjaran (cumin spice) served alongside it.