Namdong Japanese restaurant salmon sushi & ramen: Hongdae Gureume

Visiting Hongdae Gureume in Incheon Nonhyeon-dong

It had been a while since my partner and I went out for a meal in Incheon’s Nonhyeon-dong. Today’s restaurant was Hongdae Gureume Incheon Nonhyeon Branch (홍대구루메 인천논현점)!

It is in Room 202 on the second floor of the Iplex Building, 17 Nongogae-ro 123beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon. It is open daily from 11:30 to 21:30, with last orders at 21:00.

Hongdae Gureume is on the second floor of the Iplex Building. The location was not especially conspicuous, but it is a much-talked-about spot, so there were still lots of customers when we visited at around 8 p.m.

If you drive, you can park free for two hours in the Iplex Building basement. By public transit, it is within a three-minute walk from Exit 3 of Incheon Nonhyeon Station.

Seating for solo diners and family meals

The interior was more spacious than I expected. With counter seats and square tables, it is a nice place to visit alone or with family.

Hongdae Gureume signature dishes and ramen choices

• Gureume Ramen ₩9,900
• Gureume Ramen Set ₩14,900
• Snowy Double Cheese Katsu Set ₩13,900
• Assorted Katsu B Set ₩17,900
• Salmon Scoop Sushi ₩12,900
• Tuna + Salmon Scoop Sushi, Upsized ₩19,900
• Assorted Sushi ₩17,900
• Sake Don ₩16,000

You can choose from three ramen styles! Please refer to the photo above.

They also have a review event, so join in and get a complimentary item.

The salmon set and Korean-style ramen set we ordered

Today we ordered the Premium Special Ramen Set, Korean Style for ₩22,500, the Salmon Scoop Sushi Set for ₩17,900, and Pork Loin Katsu as a side for ₩7,500. The food came out faster than expected.

The Salmon Scoop Sushi Set comes with scoop-style salmon sushi, salad, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), fried shrimp, sweet-potato salad, candied sweet potato, and miso soup.

Since it was a set meal, the selection was really good, from the salad to the sweet dessert.

What is the best way to eat scoop-style salmon sushi?

The scoop-style sushi, the main dish, had such fresh salmon that there was not even a hint of fishiness. It was wonderfully springy the more I chewed it. There was quite a lot of salmon too, so if you like salmon, just order the scoop sushi!

They say it tastes best if you do not mix it all together: make a wasabi soy sauce, pour it over the scoop sushi, then eat it a little at a time.

The plump fried shrimp included in the set was good too! The batter was crisp and the sauce was decent.

The Special Ramen Set includes ramen, salad, karaage, fried shrimp, sweet-potato salad, candied sweet potato, and two kinds of inari sushi (seasoned tofu-pouch sushi). This Korean-style ramen adds a spicy, savory kick to tonkotsu broth, and its deep, refreshing broth was excellent. The inari sushi in the set was not overly sweet and was nice too.

Thick and juicy pork loin katsu

The pork loin katsu we added at the end was thick, juicy, and moist. Best of all, the coating was thin, so it was crisp outside and became more savory with every bite.

There was so much food that we were incredibly full, but every dish was delicious, so my partner and I left absolutely stuffed~ If you are looking for a good Japanese restaurant in Incheon Nonhyeon or somewhere for a solo meal, make sure to visit Hongdae Gureume. You will not regret it.