Omakase restaurant in Seongnam with a 19-course lunch: Suyori Sikdang

My husband and I had lunch omakase at Suyori Sikdang (수요리식당) in Pangyo. The course centered on sushi, followed by dishes such as steamed abalone, sashimi, tempura, and udon. Different sauces, such as truffle oil and basil pesto, accompanied each fish, making even familiar sushi feel new.

How much is lunch and how long does it take?

The lunch I had was ₩45,000 per person. There were 19 items in total, from gamtae porridge (seaweed porridge) to steamed abalone, sashimi, sushi, tempura, udon, and yuzu sorbet. My husband and I eat fairly quickly, but the meal still took almost exactly an hour through dessert.

After about three pieces of sushi on average, another dish would arrive, so I did not get tired of it easily. With warm dishes, soup, and even a small rice bowl included, I felt the course was a good value for the price.

What is the seating like, and where is the entrance?

The restaurant has bar seating only, with 11 seats in total. There are no high chairs, so I thought it would suit a date or anniversary meal for a couple better than a meal with a child.

Salt and wasabi were set out at my seat. Since each piece of sushi arrived already brushed with soy sauce or another sauce suited to that fish, I rarely needed them. I was also impressed that the chef washed his hands whenever changing cooking tools, and that his nails were short and neat.

The address is Building B, B126, B1, 230 Pangyo-yeok-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. I got a little lost on the way; the orange entrance to Building B is a useful landmark.

I also kept a record of the alcohol menu from my visit.

What came before the sushi?

The first dish was gamtae porridge with gamtae, shiitake mushrooms, and egg. It was my first time trying it, and I detected a flavor oddly similar to abalone. It was warm and soft, making it an easy way to start the meal.

The steamed abalone came with abalone innard sauce and rice. I was told to first dip the abalone alone in the sauce, then try the rice, sauce, and abalone together. The rich, nutty innard sauce paired well with the abalone, and with rice it felt like a small abalone-innard bibimbap.

There were four kinds of sashimi: yellowtail, sea bream, amberjack, and tuna. Uni topped the yellowtail, while the sea bream was rolled around soybean-paste sauce. The amberjack and tuna were brushed with house-made soy sauce, so I could compare the different flavors of each fish.

Miso soup came after the sashimi. The warm broth let me reset my palate before the sushi.

How did the sauces differ with each fish?

The first sushi was flounder topped with truffle oil and scallions. The truffle aroma added something different to the mild flounder sushi I usually eat.

Red sea bream sushi came with a sweet-and-sour soybean-paste sauce. Its slight heat and acidity worked well with the mild fish.

Amberjack sushi was topped with a garnish of yuzu zest and onion. The fresh yuzu aroma and sharpness of the onion cut through its rich flavor. I would like to try it again in winter.

Between sushi courses came a mini kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) topped with tuna and uni. Though it was a small bowl, I could enjoy the soft tuna and nutty uni with rice.

The dish I remember most from the day was herring sushi with shiso paste. The herring tasted fresh, and shiso's bright aroma cleanly balanced its richness. It was especially memorable among the herring I have tried.

The spear squid sushi was lightly tataki-seared on the outside and served with rakhashio sauce. The sauce added umami to the squid's tender yet chewy texture.

The smoked tuna sushi came with basil pesto. It initially seemed like an unfamiliar combination, but the smoky and basil aromas blended naturally. It clearly showed this restaurant's approach of using varied sauces with a Japanese-food foundation.

The fatty tuna otoro sushi melted softly in my mouth. It was rich, but dishes in different styles came before and after it, so it did not feel heavy.

How did the course finish with dessert?

After the sushi came freshly fried eggplant tempura with shrimp inside. The soft eggplant and springy shrimp textures worked well together. Having a warm dish midway also changed the feeling in my mouth.

Next came saba, or mackerel, wrapped in seaweed. To me, it was nutty without a fishy taste, and the crisp, salty seaweed paired well with it. My husband, who is sensitive to fishy aftertastes, also said none lingered.

The uni wrapped in gamtae was soft and nutty, with gamtae's deep ocean aroma. The futomaki that followed was full of filling. I swapped my piece with the end piece served to my husband, and I preferred that fuller end piece.

Warm udon arrived as the meal course. I was told that the tempura crumbs are made in-house and that the noodles are thinner than typical udon noodles. The thin noodles blended well with the broth and did not feel too heavy late in the course.

The tempura included shrimp, kabocha squash, and shishito peppers. I alternated between the springy shrimp, sweet squash, and gently spicy peppers. The final yuzu sorbet was cold and refreshing, clearing the rich taste left in my mouth.

What kind of meal does it suit?

Suyori Sikdang's lunch suited me because different dishes came between the sushi and every fish had a different sauce, which I enjoyed as someone who likes new combinations. The herring with shiso paste and smoked tuna with basil pesto stood out in particular.

My husband also ate well without being bothered by a fishy aftertaste. With its flow of tasting many dishes over about an hour at the bar, I thought it would work well for a couple's date or anniversary lunch. Still, it is worth keeping in mind that there are no high chairs.