Hongdae Chinese restaurant for dinner after a cat café: Surim Sikdang

Somewhere to eat with kids after a Hongdae cat café

Surim Sikdang Hongdae is a Chinese-Asian restaurant at 19-19 Wausan-ro 21-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul. On the weekend we spent a fun stretch of time with the kids at a cat café, and before long we were getting hungry. With dinnertime approaching, we looked for somewhere to eat nearby and ended up trying Surim Sikdang Hongdae :)

There are so many places to eat in Hongdae that we hesitated over where to go, but since it wasn't far from the cat café, getting there wasn't a hassle at all.

Where is Surim Sikdang Hongdae? Between Hongik University Station and Sangsu Station

Surim Sikdang Hongdae sits between Hongik University Station and Sangsu Station. It's a convenient spot to grab a meal after shopping or sightseeing in Hongdae, so it should be useful for anyone searching for restaurants near Hongik University Station. It's not far from Sangsu Station either, so it's worth keeping in mind if you're looking for somewhere to eat near Sangsu Station.

We walked over after spending time at a Hongdae cat café that day, and since it was so close, we didn't have to go far out of our way to find a place to eat :)

The atmosphere and seating inside Surim Sikdang Hongdae

Inside, Surim Sikdang Hongdae felt cozier and warmer than expected. There were long tables too, which made it comfortable for the whole family to sit together. It had a relaxed feel that was quite different from the bustling streets of Hongdae, and I liked that :)

What we ordered for the kids: eggplant mandu, dongpo pork rice bowl, tantanmen, shrimp wonton noodle soup

At Surim Sikdang Hongdae we ordered four signature dishes: eggplant mandu (dumplings), dongpo pork rice bowl, tantanmen, and shrimp wonton noodle soup. After sitting down and looking over the menu, we chose these with sharing among the kids in mind.

The dongpo pork rice bowl and eggplant mandu we'd ordered came out first. Every single dish looked delicious :)

What does the eggplant mandu taste like?

Surim Sikdang's eggplant mandu is deep-fried dumplings filled with eggplant, so we got to enjoy them nice and crispy. We tried the eggplant mandu first, and it also paired well alongside the noodle dishes.

Dongpo pork rice bowl — can kids eat it?

Surim Sikdang's dongpo pork rice bowl had a sauce that wasn't spicy at all, so the kids ate it up happily. The meat was really tender too, making it easy to share with kids :) The soft meat sitting on top of the rice was easy for the kids to eat, and the seasoning wasn't harsh, so our kids had no trouble finishing it. Thanks to that, it was great for the whole family to share from one bowl :)

How did tantanmen and shrimp wonton noodle soup differ?

Next came the tantanmen and shrimp wonton noodle soup. Both are noodle dishes but quite different types, so we shared small portions with the kids. When trying new food, we tend to order several dishes and share a little of each since we never know what the kids will like. That day too, tasting both tantanmen and shrimp wonton noodle soup together was more fun than just sticking to one dish :)

The tantanmen was savory with a slight kick of spice, which I really enjoyed, while the shrimp wonton noodle soup had a comparatively light broth that worked well for eating with the kids too. We added a bowl of rice and mixed it into the broth, and ended up finishing every last drop of soup haha. Even with two noodle dishes, the flavors were different enough that switching between them never got boring :)

How did the kids react? A hearty end to the evening

The food at Surim Sikdang Hongdae was really delicious to my own taste, and it was even more satisfying that the kids ate it up happily too :)

Our first child fell completely for the shrimp wonton noodle soup and cleaned the bowl out entirely,

while our second child, who usually doesn't eat eggplant or mandu, ate the eggplant mandu with real enthusiasm haha.

Sharing a little of several dishes with the kids made for a fun round of tasting different things, and we came away having eaten a hearty dinner. Stopping by Surim Sikdang Hongdae while looking for a place to eat with the kids in Hongdae, we filled up on a satisfying dinner and wrapped up the day on a happy note :)