Suwon wine bar for solo nights: stir-fried water spinach at Raon

I went back to Raon Asian Dining Bar (라온 아시안 다이닝 바) on Nahyeseok Street. The atmosphere is great and it's good for get-togethers, but it's also good for drinking alone, so I was happy with it in all sorts of ways and wanted to come again.

Raon Asian Dining Bar hours, parking and days off

Raon Asian Dining Bar is open Wednesday to Sunday, 17:00–01:00, and closed every Monday and Tuesday. Groups and corkage are fine, there's parking, and the nearby alternative lot is Gyeonggi Arts Center.

• Wed–Sun 17:00 - 01:00
• Closed every Monday and Tuesday
• Groups welcome, corkage allowed
• Parking available (nearby alternative lot: Gyeonggi Arts Center)

11th-floor view and terrace on Nahyeseok Street

Raon is on the 11th floor of Useong Tower, so it feels luxurious from the outside and the view is the best. If you want a classy date on Nahyeseok Street, I recommend it. There's a terrace too, so on a nice, cool day I'll have to sit out there.

Bar table for solo drinking, and what about group seats?

Raon has both a bar table and regular tables. I like bar tables anyway, and since I was drinking alone, I sat there. The group seats are in a good spot too, with a variety of tables, so if you just book ahead on Naver you can visit comfortably. There are 4-person tables, 8-person tables and the bar table for solo drinking, so you can sit where you like.

The nice thing about the bar table is that you get this view, and it's good for sorting out your thoughts alone. It's an easy place to order a glass of wine or whisky with a simple dish. They don't sell regular soju, but they do have premium distilled soju like Iljum Jinro.

A look at the Raon rooftop at sunset

After ordering, I went out to look at Raon's rooftop, and it's lovely, and even more atmospheric at sunset, haha. It's a perfect spot for a date too.

Solo drinking menu: water spinach stir-fry, handmade beef cheese roll and red wine by the glass

The course menus at Raon look good, but since I was drinking alone, I ordered a simple stir-fried water spinach (gongsimchae) and a side, the handmade beef cheese roll. There are 3 red wines by the glass, and I asked for a recommendation that would go well with the food.

There's a wide range of whisky, wine and dishes, so just pick what you like. Last time I also tried the yurinji (Korean-style fried chicken in sweet-sour sauce) and sashimi, and besides tasting good they came with a bit of performance, which I loved. For such a classy atmosphere, the prices are reasonable too.

The glass of wine came out before the dishes, and it was poured for me right there, so I tasted it. Ordering a bottle would probably have been better, but since I was alone I just got a glass.

₩8,000 handmade beef cheese roll: taste and portion

Raon's handmade beef cheese roll is ₩8,000 and the portion is pretty big. The roll came out first and I was surprised by how it looked, and it was crispy outside, moist inside and packed with beef, so it was really delicious. The portion is generous, and I was surprised all over again by the ₩8,000 price.

It also came with a pollock roe (myeongran) sauce for dipping, which was a thoughtful touch. It was good on its own, but dipped in the roe sauce it was even better.

Does water spinach stir-fry go with wine?

Raon's stir-fried water spinach comes spicy, with shrimp and chili, and the savory depth was spot on. I'd loved this dish in Vietnam, and it went well with the wine and also with the handmade beef cheese roll I ordered with it.

Who is Raon Asian Dining Bar for?

If you're looking for a bar with a good atmosphere on Nahyeseok Street, I highly recommend Raon Asian Dining Bar :) It's great for dates and get-togethers, and just right for drinking alone like me. I'll definitely come back, and it's a good place for a blind date too, so if someone asks where to go for one in Ingye-dong, I'd recommend Raon. Soft lighting and atmosphere, food with a bit of performance, reasonable prices and easy parking: it passes on every count.