Sadang izakaya sashimi platter with Seoul's best herring: Bunko Dining

As a regular of Sadang izakayas, I'd been to Bunko Dining Sadang before, but that was before I started blogging, so I had hardly any photos. What a shame! This time I went back and had such a good time, so let me introduce this Sadang spot with a great atmosphere for drinks: Bunko Dining.

What's the atmosphere like at Bunko Dining Sadang?

Bunko Dining Sadang is a Sadang drinking spot with soft lighting and a modern interior that really stands out.

What to order: the signature assorted sashimi

What I picked at Bunko Dining this day was the signature assorted sashimi.

Free starter: vegetable sticks with shiitake ssamjang

The complimentary side dish at Bunko Dining was carrot, cucumber, bell pepper and garlic chives, served with ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) made with shiitake mushrooms.

One way or another, I think soju is the drink that goes best with sashimi, so I love an izakaya that serves it. haha

Which fish come in the Bunko Dining assorted sashimi?

From every angle, this sashimi moriawase (assorted platter) is so pretty. Let's take a closer look at which fish are on it.

Tasting the assorted sashimi piece by piece

With the vegetable sticks added, it looks even more gorgeous. >.<

Flounder sashimi first, to check the aging

I always start with flounder. haha It's an easy, intuitive way to gauge the aging and the skill in the kitchen. hahaha The flounder at Bunko Dining was quite sweet and full of umami, with just the right amount of aging. Loved it!

Greater amberjack belly

Once the large amberjack season ends and it warms up, it's time for lesser amberjack. haha Even though it isn't yet summer, the peak season, the belly already had plenty of fat: rich and clean. The texture was a little firmer too, so it never got tiresome. Delicious.

Conger eel (anago) topped with barley miso

The anago (conger eel) with barley miso was lightly torched, so the tiny bones didn't feel bothersome. There was no fishy taste at all, and I could enjoy the soft flesh together with the texture of the fine bones. The barley miso wasn't too salty, which I liked.

Sea bass and salmon back

Sea bass, in season in summer, will soon be showing up more often. Then again, it's farmed too and is tasty any time of year. hahaha A fish with an appealing firm texture.

Even though it's salmon back, the fat was packed in tightly, so this piece was rich and nutty.

Bluefin tuna akami with Kikkoman sashimi soy sauce

The bluefin tuna akami (lean red meat) wasn't too acidic either; it was soft and tasty. I like Kikkoman sashimi soy sauce, and Bunko Dining uses Kikkoman, so I enjoyed it even more.

Why the Bunko Dining herring sashimi was my top pick

My top pick of the Bunko Dining assorted sashimi was the herring! I really, really, really love herring. It's in my top one. hahaha Honestly, it's been hard to find satisfying herring sashimi in Seoul... but this was No. 1 among the herring I've had in Seoul.

Herring is an oily blue-backed fish that spoils very fast, so freshness matters so, so much. And this felt like it had come straight from the source: no fishy smell or odd aroma, just rich, nutty flavor. The cuts were delicately scored, so the tiny bones weren't a bother either... It was crunchy, nutty and truly delicious.

The Bunko Dining kitchen from the open-kitchen bar table

That's the privilege of an izakaya with an open kitchen. I sat at the bar table at Bunko Dining and watched the chef cook. His hands are really fast, and he handled all sorts of dishes skillfully and deliciously. I lost track of time watching. hahahaha

Also, the futomaki (thick sushi roll) at Bunko Dining was the thickest I've ever seen. Wow! I'm getting the futomaki next time.

Engawa (flounder fin) with okra and fresh wasabi

The engawa (flounder fin) was thick and huge, so they must use a big whole flounder. I tried it topped with okra and fresh wasabi. hahaha Okra looks like a chili pepper but isn't spicy; it's a soft vegetable with a slight green-bean taste.

Bluefin tuna chutoro

It looked like otoro (fattiest tuna) from the chutoro (medium-fatty tuna) area, but it tasted more like chutoro! I like this balanced level of fat, so I really enjoyed this bluefin tuna.

Large flounder belly topped with uni

Next, uni (sea urchin) on a huge piece of flounder belly. >.< Sweet, melt-in-your-mouth and nutty umami.

Sweet shrimp to finish

I personally love the rich, melting taste of sweet shrimp, but if I eat it first I feel I won't taste the other fish, so I save it for last! hahaha Bunko Dining seems to use quite large, good sweet shrimp: sweet and rich, and really delicious.

Is the Bunko Dining assorted sashimi worth it for sashimi lovers?

Every piece of the assorted sashimi at Bunko Dining Sadang was of really good quality, so it was a truly happy time for a sashimi nerd like me. From the open kitchen I also saw that the various à la carte dishes were very popular, so it looks like a good place to enjoy a variety of drinking snacks too!