Seolleung sushi bar for solo counter dining and 13 nigiri: Sakai

I suddenly got hit with a craving today. A sushi craving. The kind where I felt like I literally couldn't sleep without eating sushi. And it just so happened I had a morning appointment in Gangnam! So I went to Sakai, a sushi sakaba famous as a Seolleung restaurant, haha.

Sakai basics: location, hours and parking

Sakai is a sushi sakaba located at 1F, 15 Yeoksam-ro 67-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It's open daily 17:00–01:00, with last order at 00:00, and closed the first Tuesday of every month. No parking available.

How to walk to Sakai from Seolleung Station

Seolleung Station Exit 2! Walk straight out.

Turn at Changjo-ui Achim (창조의 아침).

Turn once more here and just keep going! I might have missed the entrance myself, but coming in this way works!!!!!

Inside Sakai: the mood and the counter seats

Sakai, this Seolleung izakaya, has a proper sushi sakaba counter along with 2-seat and 4-seat tables. There were pretty glasses displayed as decor, which was fun to look at, haha.

The atmosphere was nice enough that I thought it'd make a great Seolleung date spot! Sitting at the counter, you can watch the chef make the sushi right in front of you! Thanks to that, even eating alone wasn't boring at all, haha.

What is on the menu at Sakai

There's a wide range of sushi options, and whatever's available that day is written above the kitchen counter. It's not in the photo, but on the day I visited (9/13) botan shrimp was also on offer.

Beyond nigiri, this Seolleung izakaya also has sashimi and various other dishes.

There was a good sake selection too!

Eating 13 nigiri alone at the Sakai counter

Since I was there for a sushi craving, I focused entirely on nigiri, hehe. There were so many kinds, and honestly I don't know much about sushi, so it took forever to pick, lol.

Since I'd reserved ahead, I was assigned a counter seat, and my chopsticks, small plate, and water glass were all neatly set — it already felt like I was being treated well. The wooden board the sushi comes on! Pickled ginger comes alongside! Overall, the sashimi was all fresh, which was great. No fishy smell at all. And you could really tell they used good-quality fish because that distinctive sweetness of premium sashimi was really present.

Halibut, red sea bream and benizari nigiri

First up was the halibut nigiri. Honestly I've had halibut sushi many times and figured it's a common item, so I was on the fence about ordering it — but the moment I tasted it, I realized every halibut sushi I'd had before was fake. The halibut itself was sweet and delicious, and the shio kombu on top upgraded the flavor even further!

Next, red sea bream! The sashimi quality itself was great, and it came pre-seasoned with just the right amount of seasoning 🥹

Benizari! I was hesitant since I'd never had this fish before, but I'm so glad I ordered it. Benizari comes lightly seared, so you can really taste the char, and above all it was incredibly tender.

Salmon, akami and chutoro nigiri

I've had salmon sushi tons of times, but I love it so much I ordered it anyway. Usually when salmon has too strong a flavor, all you taste is salmon, and the balance with the rice suffers — but here the mild salmon flavor and the score cuts let the sauce soak in nicely, and the harmony with the rice was really good.

Akami nigiri! Akami was a completely new type of sushi for me — it's the red flesh of the tuna. Apparently these days it's soy-sauce cured for flavor and aroma, but in the past, since refrigeration wasn't developed, they used salt-curing to prevent spoilage! It's delicious even eaten plain, but hearing that explanation made me pay even closer attention while eating. The salty umami paired really well with the tuna's rich fattiness — a totally new flavor for me!!!

Chutoro, the medium-fatty belly part of the tuna! The right amount of fat meant it wasn't greasy at all — just left the tuna's rich savoriness behind..><

Horse mackerel and mackerel nigiri

I tried horse mackerel nigiri for the first time too, and it came topped with a scallion paste. Horse mackerel felt richer/fattier than something like halibut sashimi, but the scallion paste kept it well balanced.

And then, the mackerel sushi I love.......♡ Mackerel nigiri comes with ginger. Zero fishy taste, and after having plenty of mackerel sashimi and sushi over the years, this was easily the best I've had.

Uni, cuttlefish, amberjack and sweet shrimp nigiri

One of the tastiest of the bunch — the uni nigiri!!!!!! I love uni so much that I was genuinely shocked the moment I tasted it, but I was too embarrassed to show it. Do you all know how insane really good uni tastes — sweet and rich? There's no going back after this. I don't think I can ever be satisfied with ordinary uni again...

The cuttlefish nigiri also shocked me. I usually prefer fish-based sushi over seafood sushi like shrimp or scallop, but this cuttlefish nigiri changed my mind. It looked plain, but it came brushed with a citrusy sauce that paired beautifully with the cuttlefish. If I come back, this is definitely one I'll order again!

Kingfish! As you can see it's a red-fleshed fish, so the umami was excellent!!

Another one I highly recommend — this sweet shrimp nigiri!!!!!! The sweet shrimp paired so well with the rich egg yolk sauce. I'll be ordering this again on a return visit too!!!!!!

Gizzard shad nigiri and an anago finish

Gizzard shad nigiri. I've basically turned into a full convert now.. I get why people say gizzard shad makes even a runaway daughter-in-law come back home. I was worried it might have bones, but of course there were none! The person next to me reordered it, so I followed suit — now I completely understand why they reordered. I feel a little embarrassed that all I can say after coming to such a great sushi place is stuff like this..

Finishing off with anago (conger eel)! The anago nigiri comes with a little fire show.

Honestly, we all assume anago sauce tastes the same everywhere, right? But Sakai was different. Instead of an overpoweringly sweet-and-salty sauce, it just quietly boosted the eel's own flavor. So you could really taste the eel's tenderness and richness more. And that char flavor is still there..... It was way better than eel I've had at dedicated grilled-eel restaurants!!!

Who is Sakai right for?

I properly satisfied my sushi craving, but now I'm a bit worried, because I was inwardly shocked and amazed with every single piece, and I don't think ordinary sushi will ever satisfy me again..ToT That's how much of a once-in-a-lifetime sushi meal this was. I'd recommend this sushi sakaba for a special anniversary, a Seolleung date course, or a blind date spot! If you love sushi, please go visit!!