Seongsu wine izakaya to end a date night, with mochi tofu: Kitpou

Today I'm introducing Kitpou, an izakaya near Seongsu Station where you get both great food and a lovely mood! It's a perfect way to finish off a Seongsu date night, and a great place for a quick drink. Okay, let's start my honest Kitpou review!

Where is Kitpou near Seongsu Station, and what are its hours?

Kitpou is at 26 Seongsuil-ro 12-gil in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, and it's open every day from 17:00 to 01:00.

Walk about 10 minutes from Seongsu Station Exit 1 toward the neighborhood and you'll find Kitpou on the ground floor of a clean, tidy new building! The small sign is cute and a nice touch, and you can feel the charming vibe from the outside already.

Kitpou's atmosphere and seating: can you come as a group?

The ceilings at Kitpou are high, and the glass window along the side lets you see outside, so it feels open rather than stuffy. There were good bar counter seats, plus a variety of tables for 4 and for 2. Every seat has a basket beside it, which is perfect for stashing your bags!

Kitpou fits 5-6 people, enough that a nearby company even comes here for team dinners, and I loved how cozy and comfortable it felt. That's why it's such a good last stop for a Seongsu date night.

An izakaya near Seongsu Station where you can enjoy wine too

Kitpou stocks a range of drinks, from sake to wine. Sake at an izakaya is a given, but you don't often see places with wine, right?! Kitpou has put together a proper wine lineup this time! So wine lovers can enjoy it alongside delicious izakaya dishes, haha.

Kitpou's menu and best sellers

Kitpou's best sellers are the sashimi plate and the mackerel bou-zushi (rolled sushi)! Besides those, sashimi is the main focus, with things like futomaki (thick sushi roll), salmon tartare and tuna yukhoe (Korean-style raw tuna). There are also soupy dishes like oden soup and nabe (hot pot), and easy dishes like grilled pollock roe and karaage (Japanese fried chicken), so the menu has lots of variety.

Here's what we ordered that day.

• Sashimi plate
• Mackerel bou-zushi
• Mochi tofu (mochiri-dofu)

The sashimi plate and bou-zushi came out on pretty plates, plated like a painting! I could tell right away why these two are the signature best sellers, even before tasting. The black plate caught my eye first, and the sashimi plate was detailed all the way from the selection of fish to the lemon and herbs.

Complimentary fried tofu

Before the main meal, Kitpou gave us fried tofu on the house! I think little freebies like this are the charm of an izakaya (thank you, boss! >_<). Freshly fried, crispy outside and soft inside, it was a perfect appetizer.

What's in Kitpou's sashimi plate?

Kitpou's sashimi plate comes with 9 kinds, from sweet shrimp to flounder, tuna, salmon and mackerel, and you can tell each piece was aged with great care.

It isn't just raw fish lying there: lemon, herbs or sauce are placed on top or beside each piece to suit its character, and it all felt so harmonious. The melt-in-your-mouth texture was a given. Maybe because the fish is aged, the umami was no joke.

The plate gives one piece per person, and each piece is quite big, so I thought it was a light snack that's great for sipping drinks over a long, slow evening.

Kitpou's mackerel bou-zushi won over someone who didn't like bou-zushi

And then there's the mackerel bou-zushi my husband loves! Honestly I'm not a big fan of bou-zushi, but Kitpou's was seriously, amazingly good. It even came wrapped in gamtae (a thin seaweed), which was a clever touch, and the subtle scent of the sea lingered nicely.

Tender mackerel, deboned and nicely cooked, is rolled up with pickled ginger and wasabi and sliced, and it really melts in your mouth. Soy sauce is fine, but the mackerel itself is so well seasoned that it was delicious even without dipping.

Handmade mochi tofu for dessert

And for dessert, Kitpou's handmade mochi tofu!! Being handmade, it had a squishiness and nutty flavor you can't get from store-bought, and it was really good. Condensed milk was drizzled underneath too, so the gentle sweetness blended in beautifully. It's perfect to end a meal, or when you're drinking and want something sweet.

How was Kitpou as a Seongsu date night finale?

At Kitpou, an izakaya near Seongsu Station, I properly wrapped up our Seongsu date night with a melt-in-your-mouth sashimi plate and bou-zushi! The staff were so kind, the food was tasty, and the mood was lovely. That was Kitpou, a great Seongsu izakaya.