Euljiro wine restaurant for a solo after-work dinner: Pyu Euljiro

I have a friend who's off on a two-week solo train trip right now, and she's great at eating alone no matter what's on the menu ??

Why Pyu Euljiro for a solo dinner in Euljiro?

Pyu Euljiro takes bookings for one, which was perfect for me, since I wanted to try eating alone somewhere with a nice atmosphere. I'm always meeting friends, so it never occurred to me that eating solo could mean trying all sorts of dishes. I've only ever had gimbap (seaweed rice roll), gukbap (rice soup) and sandwiches. And for various reasons I have no friends at the moment, ha,, haha.

So I thought, why not! I'd try eating alone no matter the menu. But when I started searching for restaurants, I really wanted somewhere with a nice mood. That's how I found Pyu Euljiro, and since they took a booking for one, I went right away.

Pyu Euljiro hours, location, parking and corkage

Pyu Euljiro is open 11:00 to 21:00, with last order at 20:20. Table time is 2 hours.

It's by Euljiro 3-ga Station Exit 9 and also close to Chungmuro Station. It turned out to be the same building as the café I went to with friends last time, which was so funny.

There's also underground parking in the building. In a tangled maze like Euljiro, a restaurant with parking is a rare find.

• At dinner, ordering an alcoholic drink is required (non-alcoholic options are available)
• Corkage is free for 1 bottle, only for alcohol the restaurant doesn't sell
• From the 2nd bottle, there's an extra fee per bottle

What is the atmosphere like inside Pyu Euljiro?

Inside, Pyu Euljiro feels like a lush green forest. Forest vibes in Seoul, who knew! I liked that the interior suits the restaurant's meaning: a place to put down your heavy body and mind and breathe a sigh of relief.

The deeper area is set up more privately.

Pyu Euljiro menu: what to order when dining alone

All by myself, I ordered the charcoal octopus with romesco (₩34,000), truffle smashed potatoes (₩23,000) and a Gyullulala (non-alcoholic, ₩12,500). Yes, really, this was a solo meal. The truffle smashed potatoes are listed as a small dish, so I assumed the portion would be small (a huge misunderstanding).

• Charcoal octopus with romesco ₩34,000
• Truffle smashed potatoes ₩23,000
• Gyullulala (non-alcoholic) ₩12,500

If you book ahead, the basic table setting is already laid out for you.

There's even a lovely welcome message! I came straight after work, and the atmosphere lets you really breathe easy, so the meal felt healing. It's known as a spot for dates and blind dates, and sure enough there were people on blind dates, couples and friend gatherings.

Pyu Euljiro review event: free house wine

At Pyu Euljiro, you can get 1 glass of house wine for writing a review, so give it a try. By the way, if you post on different platforms, the notice says "4 platforms = 4 glasses," so go ahead and write plenty!

What does Pyu Euljiro's non-alcoholic Gyullulala taste like?

Pyu Euljiro has two non-alcoholic drinks: Bergamore and Gyullulala. Gyullulala felt lighter and fresher, and I thought it would go better with octopus, so I picked it.

Pyu Euljiro is serious about wine in Euljiro, with options from glasses to bottles, so come for a wine date. The Gyullulala was a light sparkling drink that went down clean.

Truffle smashed potatoes: how big is this small plate?

The truffle smashed potatoes at Pyu Euljiro are a side dish, but the portion is like a main. Boiled baby potatoes are smashed and fried, then served with truffle sauce, bacon, wood ear mushrooms and arugula.

The white cream on top is truffle cream, so it's even better eaten together.

I tried a bit of everything in one bite: the bottom is crispy, the inside fluffy, and with salty bacon and fragrant truffle cream, the natural flavor of each ingredient comes through, which I loved. The plating is gorgeous too, so if you're wondering where to go for a blind date in Euljiro, I'd recommend Pyu Euljiro. It's also a good place for a day when you want to treat yourself.

Charcoal octopus with romesco: what does romesco sauce taste like?

The charcoal octopus at Pyu Euljiro comes with romesco sauce. I was curious what that was, so I looked it up: it's a sauce from Catalonia in Spain, made with roasted peppers, tomatoes, almonds, garlic, olive oil and more.

It's great with seafood, meat and grilled vegetables, and it blended wonderfully with the charcoal octopus. It has a slightly spicy feel, and eating it with a little wasabi now and then made it even better.

The octopus is tender and cuts easily, and it's lovely with the romesco sauce.

Juicy, springy charcoal octopus! You have to see the juiciness in a moving clip.

Pairing the truffle smashed potatoes with the charcoal octopus

You can enjoy the arugula and bacon from the truffle smashed potatoes together with the charcoal octopus,

and eating the potatoes and octopus together is a great combo too.

Solo dining at Pyu Euljiro: how was it?

I ate alone at Pyu Euljiro, a place perfect for a meal that's completely for yourself, and now I feel that whenever I crave something, I can eat alone anywhere, even outside a solo-dining zone.