Omakase restaurant in Seongnam: Suyori Sikdang lunch

While looking for a restaurant to visit with my mother, I went to Suyori Sikdang (수요리식당) in Pangyo. I wanted somewhere not too far from home, with an unpretentious atmosphere and an experience a little different from our usual meals. What stayed with me from this lunch was the variety of sauces served with the sushi and the explanations given with my mother in mind.

Where is Suyori Sikdang, and is parking available?

Suyori Sikdang is on the first basement level of a shopping building near Botdeul Reservoir Park by Pangyo Station. Its address is Suite B126, Building B, 230 Pangyo-yeok-ro. If it is difficult to find underground, head toward the center and look for the standing signboard. Parking was listed as free for two hours.

How much is lunch, and how long does it take?

At the time of my visit, the fixed-course prices were ₩45,000 for lunch and ₩75,000 for dinner. Lunch was divided into first and second sittings, and the restaurant was listed as closed on Sundays. My lunch took about an hour. The course may change depending on ingredient availability, and guests are asked to consult in advance about allergies.

Every seat is at the counter, with up to 11 people dining in one sitting. The plate area where the sushi is served sits higher than the dining surface. When I placed finished plates on top, they cleared them away.

What does the lunch course begin with?

The first dish, gamtae juk (seaweed porridge), was nutty and savory. Since it was the opening dish, I expected a milder seasoning, but it was saltier than expected, making the seaweed's umami stand out. For the steamed abalone, I first tasted the tender abalone, then mixed the innards with rice.

From across the counter, I could watch sashimi and sauces being prepared. The kitchen looked clean to me, and I could see the chef washing his hands frequently as he continued preparing, cooking, and tidying.

The sashimi came with a sauce containing uni (sea urchin). Since each slice of raw fish and each sushi piece had its own seasoned sauce, I rarely needed to dip anything in soy sauce. My mother, who mainly prefers Korean food, ate it without hesitation, and I liked how softly the raw fish yielded in my mouth.

The miso soup had a deep nuttiness that reminded me of shrimp broth. I did not confirm the actual broth ingredients, but to my palate, that nutty flavor paired well with the miso.

How was the service while dining with a parent?

The sitting I visited was full, so the chef was busy cooking. Even so, he took particular care to explain the dishes in detail to my mother. As we tried new combinations together, we naturally found ourselves talking about the food, and I appreciated that considerate service toward her.

How did the flavors differ from typical sushi?

Suyori Sikdang introduces itself as a “multinational cuisine restaurant” that uses cooking methods and pastes from various countries as a base for sushi omakase. Different sauces were added to each fish, making it enjoyable to compare the flavors piece by piece.

The white-fleshed fish sushi that I noted as flounder started light and soft, then left a weighty aroma at the end. I remembered it as a truffle combination at the time, though I am a little unsure of the exact ingredients.

The red sea bream came with miso sauce, giving it a rich flavor. Smoked mejimagu-ro (young bluefin tuna) was paired with yuzu, leaving a fresh citrus aroma.

I liked eating each sushi piece as soon as I received it, letting it slowly come apart in my mouth. First came the moisture of the raw fish, then its texture with the rice grains, with the sauce's flavor lingering at the end.

There was a wide range of accompaniments, from shiso and ginger to dadegi (seasoned chili paste), uni, and miso. The fish had many knife cuts, so it softened easily in the mouth. The horse mackerel's oily nuttiness stayed with me, while the cuttlefish had a chewy texture with torch-seared smokiness and dadegi, making it a familiar combination to enjoy.

Which dishes stood out late in the course?

The fried fish came with a soy sauce-based katsuobushi (bonito flake) sauce. The fish was tender, and despite being fried, it felt like it refreshed my palate midway through the course.

The combination I remember most was otoro topped with basil pesto. Basil and the pesto's cheese-and-oil flavor overlapped with the tuna's richness. It had an even more melting, rich texture than the sashimi I had eaten earlier.

The one-bite kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) combined uni, tuna, herring roe, and more. The seaweed served with it was crisp and nutty.

The mackerel, which I usually enjoy, came as seaweed sushi that I received by hand. To my palate, the combination softened the fishy note of the mackerel and brought out its umami.

The uni was wrapped in gamtae. It felt lighter than a seaweed wrap, allowing the uni's deep sweetness to come through clearly.

The futomaki had a particularly noticeable crab flavor. They gave my mother the large end piece, so I felt that consideration continued through the end of the meal.

How were the finishing dishes and overall experience?

The finishing meal was vegetable and shrimp tempura with udon. The tempura was crisp, and the udon broth had a mushroom flavor that reminded me of matsutake. As someone who likes mushroom broth, I found the soup especially suited to my taste.

Dessert was yuzu sherbet topped with jujube. Alongside the yuzu's freshness, I noticed a deep aroma that reminded me of honey. I did not confirm the exact composition, but I liked it as a way to finish the meal.

I felt comfortably full by the end. The gamtae porridge at the start was saltier than I expected, but the sushi with its varied sauces and the attentive service left me very satisfied with the ₩45,000 lunch. My mother also enjoyed the new combinations comfortably, making this a restaurant I would think of when wanting an unusual sushi course with parents.