Private room izakaya date in Apgujeong: Gatpo Karin's abalone pasta

I was in the mood to sit somewhere a bit quiet and talk slowly over a drink, so I headed to Gatpo Karin (갓포 카린), an izakaya in Apgujeong. I booked it because I liked that they have private rooms — and once I got there, the space had real atmosphere, but honestly each dish was so carefully made that I ended up focused more on the food than anything else.

Gatpo Karin's location: 3 minutes from Apgujeongrodeo Station

Gatpo Karin sits about a 3-minute walk from Apgujeongrodeo Station, so it's easy to find for a dinner appointment or date around Apgujeong-rodeo. If you're after a quiet Apgujeong izakaya for food and drinks together rather than a loud, crowded bar, this is the kind of place that fits.

Take the elevator to the 4th floor and you're right at the entrance — already the atmosphere felt upscale and cozy~

Interior: a modern Japanese dining vibe

Seeing it in person, the interior felt even calmer than expected. With dim lighting throughout and deep wood and black tones, it had that composed feel specific to Japanese dining. The glass block walls and soft pendant lighting were especially pretty, giving it a modern rather than overly traditional Japanese-restaurant feel.

So how are the private rooms?

And what I liked most about this place was, of course, the private rooms!

Each room has its own table and is clearly separated from the outer space, so it was easy to talk comfortably without worrying much about other people's eyes or noise.

There's a room good for about 4 people and a somewhat larger space too, so it looked like it'd work well not only for an Apgujeong date but also small gatherings or an important meal~!

The menu

Gatpo Karin's menu is quite serious for an Apgujeong izakaya. It runs from sashimi to sushi and maki, charcoal grill, tempura, pasta and sotbap (hot pot rice), all the way to nabe — a really wide range. Lots of dishes are built around slightly special ingredients too, like sea urchin, Korean beef, abalone, and golden threadfin bream.

Here's what we ordered that day — three dishes!

• Flounder mukeunji (aged kimchi) salt gimbap
• Abalone innard pasta
• Abalone scallop ceviche

How did the food taste?

A crunchy cracker came out as the starter snack — not too salty, not too sweet, exactly the kind of thing to get your appetite going.

Usually the snack comes out and then you order a drink — the cracker got me in the mood, so, a glass of soju~!

Flounder mukeunji salt gimbap

I'd seen the flounder mukeunji salt gimbap a lot on social media, so I ordered it. Just like in photos, thinly sliced raw flounder, mukeunji (aged kimchi), cucumber-type side pieces, and gimbap all come out together on one plate.

Wrap a piece of flounder with mukeunji and gimbap and pop it in your mouth — pure deliciousness! The flounder has a springy, firm texture when you chew, and eating it with the mukeunji adds a bright sourness and umami that makes the clean flounder flavor come through even more clearly.

Right after that, both remaining dishes arrived, and just looking at them was satisfying already.

Abalone scallop ceviche

This ceviche was genuinely gorgeous to look at! A green sauce is spread across the bottom of the plate, and on top of it sit abalone and scallop with a heap of various leafy greens and herbs.

It felt more like a fine-dining appetizer than a typical izakaya side. The taste was much fresher than expected too. If you want to start light and fresh rather than diving into something heavy, this dish is a solid choice.

Abalone innard pasta

And personally, my favorite — the abalone innard pasta! You can tell from the photo alone how deep the color is. The entire pasta is coated thickly in abalone innard sauce, with generous chunks of abalone mixed in.

With the first bite, the rich, savory depth of abalone innards spreads through your mouth. I'd worried it might be bitter or fishy since it's an innard, but instead it was more like a deep, savory umami with a hint of the sea.

The sauce itself isn't thin — it clings thickly to every strand of pasta — so chewing the abalone alongside the soft noodles adds a chewy bite that rounds out the whole dish.

There's also a clean restroom inside the restaurant, which made it easy to go back and forth. Between the atmosphere, the service, and the food, I was satisfied on every front — happy to recommend Gatpo Karin, this Apgujeong izakaya!