Gongdeok Station bar date night: Neapolitan pasta and soju, Orot Silbi

The weather was so breezy and lovely that I decided to enjoy a nice date night with my husband for a change of mood, haha.

After some deliberation about where to go, we ended up at Orot Silbi, a casual Japanese izakaya located right near Exit 10 of Gongdeok Station in Mapo!! Being right in front of the station made access absolutely amazing, and since this is the newly opened third location of Orot — following the famous Japanese dining spot Orot and the charcoal robatayaki restaurant Orot Robata near Gyeongui Line Forest Road — I went in with really high expectations, haha.

It's much closer to the subway station than the first location or Orot Robata, so finding it was so much easier!! From the moment we arrived, the exterior was already full of atmosphere, which put me in a good mood before we even walked in, haha.

What Orot Silbi looks like at Gongdeok Station Exit 10, and the 4th-floor rooftop

Inside, Orot Silbi has a sophisticated pub vibe with soft Japanese-style music playing quietly, and it felt totally calm yet full of atmosphere — perfect for a date course 💕 The interior is stylish and clean, but there's also a dedicated rooftop space on the 4th floor!!

I imagined that having a drink up on the outdoor rooftop with the breeze on a nice day in spring or fall would make for such an atmospheric and happy evening, haha. We used the indoor seats this time, but once the weather gets a bit cooler, I really want to go up to the rooftop too 😊

What's on the Orot Silbi menu: sashimi, nabe hot pots and fusion small plates

Sitting down and looking through the menu, it was packed with fusion-style Japanese small plates you could enjoy without much burden — everything from sashimi to nabe (hot pot) to seasonal single dishes!! Maybe because it's modeled on the comfortable feel of a silbijip (casual neighborhood tavern), the prices overall were reasonable and the portions weren't too heavy, so it felt perfect either as a full meal or as a second round of drinks, haha.

I heard that after a 2025 renewal focused on fusion Japanese cuisine, they've kept the Orot brand's own culinary identity intact, and I had such a hard time deciding because I wanted to try every single item on the menu ㅠㅠ

The drink lineup was also super varied, with highballs, draft beer, sake, soju, and wine all available, so it was great to pick whatever suited our taste!! After some thought, we ordered soju to enjoy lightly with our food, and for the food we tried Orot Silbi's signature dishes, jamón maguro and Neapolitan pasta 👍

• Address: 서울 마포구 새창로6길 4 3층 (4 Saechang-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 3rd floor)
• Hours: 15:00–23:00
• Closed every Sunday

When our dishes finally started arriving one by one, the presentation alone made us go wow, haha.

This was the basic side dish — tomato and cucumber pickles I think?? Eating one of these every so often really cleansed the palate nicely ☺️☺️

Jamón maguro: bite-sized tuna with truffle sauce and shiso leaf

The first thing we tried, jamón maguro, was a luxurious bite-sized dish of akami (lean tuna) wrapped savory-salty in jamón, topped with a special truffle sauce and fragrant shiso leaf!! The moment it hit our mouths, the harmony of the nutty, tender tuna, the saltiness of the jamón, and the truffle aroma spreading subtly was so perfect that my eyes lit up 🤤

As soon as my husband took a bite, his eyes lit up and he started raving about how delicious it was, lol.

He kept saying this is a dish you absolutely have to eat when you're feeling down or want a real mood lift and healing!! One sip of soju followed by one bite of this really did feel like all our worries just melted away ✨

Neapolitan pasta: thick-cut bacon and a gentle kick of heat

Next up came the Neapolitan pasta, a Japanese-localized pasta dish in a special tomato sauce base, generously topped with large, thick chunks of whole bacon!!

The visuals alone were seriously appetite-stimulating, haha.

One bite in, and it was nothing like the ordinary tomato spaghetti I was used to ‼️

It had this rich, deep ketchup-like tomato flavor, and yet it tasted like something totally new to me 😋 It was loaded with sausage and bacon too, so the texture was great to chew on, and above all, it had a subtle spiciness that was stronger than expected, so it never felt greasy and I could enjoy every bite until the end!!

How the two dishes go with soju, and why sake is next

The soft, rich truffle aroma of the jamón maguro and the spicy-tangy, umami-packed flavor of the Neapolitan pasta matched better than expected — the combination of the two dishes was absolutely fantastic 💕 Paired with a clean glass of soju, the drinks really went down smoothly, haha.

While enjoying our meal, I noticed the restaurant also had a really diverse selection of sake available!! The sake lineup was so well put together that even though we drank soju this time, I thought next time I definitely have to come back and pair our food with some delicious sake 🍶

Service, restrooms and other practical details at Orot Silbi

One thing that stuck with me was how kind all the staff were throughout our visit, which made for such a comfortable time 😊 The interior was well maintained overall, and above all, the restroom was located inside the restaurant and kept very clean and tidy, so women shouldn't have any trouble using it comfortably!! Being satisfied even down to these small details really made my overall impression of the place even better, haha.

If you're looking for a good-atmosphere bar near Gongdeok Station for a date with your husband or partner, or a small gathering spot to catch up with friends over delicious fusion Japanese small plates and drinks, I really recommend giving Orot Silbi a visit!! Between the excellent access, the stylish vibe, and the food that had us raving nonstop, all three elements were perfect, so I'm pretty sure I'll be running back soon for a glass of sake 😆