Ankimo bomb salt gimbap at a Samgakji bar for dates: Hatpiendo

There are days near Samgakji Station or Yongridan-gil when just having dinner feels a little lacking, and you want tasty anju (drinking snacks) with a drink to go with it, you know that feeling?

I visited Hatpiendo, an izakaya bar on Yongridan-gil.

Where is Hatpiendo, and how close is it to Samgakji Station?

• Address: 12 Hangang-daero 54-gil, 2nd floor, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Location: About 1–2 minutes on foot from Samgakji Station Exit 3

Hatpiendo is close by, about 1–2 minutes on foot from Samgakji Station Exit 3.

It's right at the start of Yongridan-gil, and the shop is on the 2nd floor of the building! Accessibility was great since it's so close to Samgakji Station.

Why we took the bar table at Hatpiendo for a Samgakji date

Hatpiendo is on the 2nd floor and has a casual atmosphere with a big picture window.

We sat at the bar table this time. Sitting face to face on a date is nice too, but I also really like sitting side by side like this, sharing food one dish at a time and talking. The bar table vibe suited having a draft beer or highball with anju really well too.

They also have window seats for two and tables for bigger groups, so it's worth knowing about whether you're on a date or looking for a group meetup spot.

Ankimo bomb salt gimbap: how big is the monkfish liver portion?

The first thing we ordered was the ankimo bomb salt gimbap (seaweed rice roll).

Ankimo is basically monkfish liver, to put it simply. The first thing I thought when the dish arrived was, "There's SO much ankimo!" haha.

The word "bomb" in the menu name is no joke. There was so much ankimo piled on that even between the two of us, this dish alone left us pretty full. The taste was very smooth and creamy! You might assume ankimo would be rich and greasy, but surprisingly it wasn't heavy at all for me. If anything, the soft texture kept pulling my chopsticks back for more.

Adding a little wasabi to the soft, creamy ankimo brought in a sharp kick that paired really well. If you like ankimo, you have to try this at Hatpiendo! The portion is generous too, so it'll be very satisfying on a day you really want to eat your fill of ankimo.

Abalone innard pasta: how were the sauce and the noodles?

The second dish was the abalone innard pasta.

For the abalone innard pasta, the sauce was smooth above all else. The noodles were also boiled just right, so it was delicious. With pasta, the sauce matters but the noodle doneness really changes the overall impression too.

The noodle texture suited my taste perfectly that day, so I enjoyed it together with the sauce. If the ankimo bomb salt gimbap is a dish for enjoying a generous amount of creamy ankimo, the abalone innard pasta lets you enjoy the smooth sauce and noodles together, and switching back and forth between the two was fun. If you're looking for a slightly different anju at an izakaya bar on Yongridan-gil, this combo was a solid choice.

Kirin draft beer and a Suntory highball at Hatpiendo

Since we ordered such good anju, drinks were a must haha. We got a Kirin draft beer and a Suntory highball.

Is Hatpiendo worth it? Our verdict

• ✔️ Close to Samgakji Station Exit 3, easy to get to
• ✔️ 2nd floor picture windows and a bar table make it great for a date
• ✔️ The ankimo bomb salt gimbap really is loaded with ankimo, true to its name
• ✔️ The abalone innard pasta has a smooth, tasty sauce

The ankimo portion was so generous that the two of us got pretty full on just that dish, and it was surprising how smooth and creamy it was without being too heavy. The combo with wasabi was especially my kind of thing, so I'd recommend trying it that way! The abalone innard pasta was satisfying too, both the sauce and the noodle texture, so I had a great meal with this combination.

Being close to Samgakji Station, and being able to sit side by side at the bar table with a drink, made it a great date spot too. If you're looking for an izakaya bar on Yongridan-gil for a Samgakji or Yongridan-gil date, or want to try a slightly different anju like ankimo, give Hatpiendo a visit. :)