Namdong Japanese restaurant with 12-piece sushi: Hongdae Gureume

After finishing a huge weekend cleaning session, I suddenly had the biggest urge to eat out..! While wondering what to have for dinner, I heard about a ramen spot in Nonhyeon-dong, Incheon that locals rave about, so my partner and I went on a little date.

It was Hongdae Gureume Incheon Nonhyeon Branch (홍대구루메 인천논현점)! I heard the sushi was just as good as the ramen, so we simply could not give either one up and ordered both. Above all, the staff were unbelievably kind, and the food was delicious too, so we left very happy :)

Is parking easy?

If you are visiting by car, I do not think you need to worry too much about parking. You get two hours of free parking in the Iplex Building underground lot. There are a whopping three elevators too, so we went straight up to the second floor without waiting.

Once we got out of the elevator and turned left, the restaurant was right there, so it was easy to find. I tend to care a lot about parking when looking for good restaurants, and convenient building parking made a great first impression!

A Japanese-inspired storefront

The moment we arrived, the Japanese-inspired exterior really caught my eye‼️ You can check the menu outside beforehand too, so we had a good look through the options before going in.

Hongdae Gureume has apparently kept going steadily for a total of 20 years: 10 years in Hongdae, Seoul, and 10 years in Nonhyeon-dong, Incheon. Ten years in Nonhyeon-dong alone! It felt impressive that it has been loved in the same spot for so long...👍👍

Seating for solo meals through date nights

I heard there can be a wait during busy lunch and dinner hours. It was nice that they had a separate waiting area inside.

Once inside, it really had that Japan-local feel! There were all kinds of seats, from spots great for dining alone to tables for two and four. I especially liked the partitions between tables: you do not have to make eye contact with the next table, and it felt like they had put thought into making meals comfortable.

It looked great whether you are visiting alone or stopping by for a Nonhyeon-dong, Incheon date, like my partner and I did.

Scoop-and-eat sushi, served for 20 years

The menu item that caught my eye at Hongdae Gureume was its scoop-and-eat sushi. The owner learned traditional Japanese cuisine while studying in Japan, and apparently began introducing the memorable scoop-and-eat sushi through Hongdae Gureume 20 years ago already.

It is a new style of sushi served in one bowl, with fresh fish and a variety of vegetables to scoop up and eat together.

You could tell there were lots of regulars here, because they even have a ⭐prepaid top-up system⭐! The credit can be used for a year from the top-up date, with benefits of up to 15%, so that is a handy tip for anyone living in or frequently visiting Nonhyeon-dong, Incheon, right?

A wide menu, from ramen to sushi

Hongdae Gureume uses the concept of “Fukuoka within walking distance” and sells a wide range of dishes, from ramen to sushi. Along with ramen and kaisen-don (seafood rice bowls), there were mountain-high ramen, cutlet, and fried-food dishes, plus scoop-and-eat sushi, regular sushi, tonkatsu set meals, rice-bowl set meals, and sets for one or two people.

There were also lunch specials, pan memil (buckwheat noodles), sides, drinks, and alcohol, so the menu selection was truly enormous 👏

You can order from the kiosk built into the table, and since it was our first visit, we picked mainly from the best-menu options 💗

Our 12-piece special assorted sushi set and Gureume Ramen

• 12-piece special assorted sushi set (24.9)
• Gureume Ramen (9.9)

A whole spread of pretty, colorful dishes arrived, so naturally I took lots of photos first 🫶

Deep, rich Gureume Ramen broth

Gureume Ramen is made by simmering pork bones for a long time to draw out a properly savory flavor. The milky broth came generously topped with half an egg, two slices of chashu, shredded scallions, and bean sprouts.

I wrapped the chashu around the noodles and took a bite, yum (*•؎ •) Then I had a spoonful of broth and wow... the broth here was seriously delicious..? It had that deep, rich flavor characteristic of pork-bone broth in full force.

It was salty in a good way and packed with umami, the kind of broth that makes you want to add a whole bowl of rice after one sip (haha). Noodles matter to me when I eat ramen, but I care quite a bit about the broth too—and this broth had already won the game‼️

A generously arranged 12-piece special assorted sushi set

The 12-piece special assorted sushi set included four tuna pieces, four salmon pieces, two eel pieces, one raw shrimp piece, and one cooked shrimp piece, so it was nicely varied. It also came with fried shrimp, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), kabocha squash salad, a side salad, and side dishes—a proper full spread.

The salmon and tuna looked so good from the color alone. Can you see the grain in the salmon..? It looked so pretty and fresh that you could tell even in the photo,,,👍

My partner is a total salmon lover, and the moment they took a bite, it was applause all around~! They raved that it was easily the best salmon sushi they had eaten recently. I tried it too, and it definitely felt fresh and worked nicely with the rice.

The fried food was done really well too. The fried shrimp was crispy, while the karaage was crisp outside and moist inside, making both easy to keep picking at. Sushi alone might have felt a little lacking, but with the fried items, salad, and side dishes included, it was a pretty filling amount for two!

How was it for a Nonhyeon-dong, Incheon date meal?

Overall, it was a meal where every part—from the ramen and sushi to the sides—was satisfying. The staff were so kind, and parking was easy too, so next time I would love to come back and try the scoop-and-eat sushi :) Rich, deep ramen broth and fresh sushi: a Nonhyeon, Incheon restaurant I want to revisit!