Hongdae restaurant for shrimp wonton noodles on a date: Surim Sikdang

I was looking for a comfortable place to eat on a Hongdae date, and ended up at Surim Sikdang Hongdae (수림식당 홍대점). I liked that it's not noisy and we could share clean, tasty noodles and rice bowls. The seating was roomy too, so we could eat in comfort. Here's why it worked as a weekday meeting spot in Hongdae, along with everything we tried.

Where is Surim Sikdang Hongdae?

Surim Sikdang Hongdae sits between the Hongik Univ. Station shopping street and Sangsu Station, so it was easy to walk to from public transport. There's plenty to see around it before and after the meal, which made it great for a full day out together.

What are the interior and seats like at Surim Sikdang Hongdae?

Walking in, we found a clean interior in white and wood tones. There's a bar table that's good for eating alone, and further inside there's plenty of group seating.

Even at weekday lunchtime the place wasn't crowded, so we could talk without raising our voices. It wasn't the kind of hectic spot where you have to wolf down your food either. I wanted a relaxed meal with my boyfriend, and it felt like a good fit for a break in the middle of a Hongdae date.

Surim Sikdang Hongdae menu and how to order

You order at a kiosk! The menu ranged from tantanmen (spicy sesame noodles) and mixed tantanmen to shrimp wonton noodles and several rice bowls. Since it's known as a Hongdae ramen spot, we wanted to try one soup and one rice dish, so we ordered the shrimp wonton noodles and the dongpo pork rice bowl (braised pork belly over rice), and added the eggplant mandu (dumplings) we were curious about. Sharing different dishes in the middle of the table, rather than each finishing one bowl of noodles, made the meal more fun, haha.

What the two of us ordered

The food came out one dish after another not long after we ordered, and seeing it all spread out on the table was a treat for the eyes~

Is the shrimp wonton noodle broth strong?

The shrimp wonton noodles at Surim Sikdang have a mild, light broth that isn't over-seasoned, which was perfect for me since I struggle with intense flavors. It came in a milky-white broth with wontons, bok choy and egg. The first spoonful of warm broth spread a gentle, savory depth through my mouth.

I liked the noodles too: they went down smoothly, cooked just right, neither mushy nor hard.

The wontons have plump shrimp inside a thin wrapper, and the texture wasn't dull at all. Strong flavors upset my stomach afterward, so this was just right for me!

Dongpo pork rice bowl

The dongpo pork rice bowl comes piled with so much thick-cut meat you can't even see the rice. The moment it arrived I swallowed hard; it looked so delicious.

When I put my chopsticks in, the meat pulled apart softly along the grain, and in my mouth the moist lean meat gave way to a rich, nutty flavor. The salty-sweet sauce soaked in between the grains of rice, which went well with the meat, and eating it with the vegetables now and then kept it from feeling heavy.

What does the eggplant mandu taste like?

The eggplant mandu is a Surim Sikdang specialty. It's fried to order, so it was piping hot the moment I picked it up. It's also big, so even one piece was filling.

Biting in, the outside shattered crisply, and inside I could feel soft eggplant and a moist dumpling filling together. The eggplant wasn't mushy, so the contrast between crisp and juicy was great, and dipping it lightly in the sauce added a subtle sweetness. It was a side I kept reaching for.

Earl Grey highball and the self-serve banchan bar

We also had an Earl Grey highball with it, and the pairing was perfect. With this lineup, I felt I could have eaten five more bowls, haha.

The side dishes at Surim Sikdang Hongdae were amazing too. There's a self-serve bar where you can help yourself freely, so I kept going back for refills, which is our little secret...^^

Why Surim Sikdang Hongdae worked for a weekday date

• Easy-to-reach location
• A calm atmosphere that's good for talking together
• Menu items that are great for sharing
• The unusual eggplant mandu
• A Hongdae date route where you can go shopping and to a café afterward

From rich-broth Hongdae ramen to rice bowls and sides, you can taste it all in one place, so it's ideal for sharing even if you and your partner like different things. I could take a break from the crowded streets and have a warm meal with my boyfriend. If you're looking for places to go in Hongdae, I think Surim Sikdang Hongdae is worth a visit!