Sinyongsan uni bar: sea urchin with shari and gamtae, Yukhoegwan Black

Whenever you have plans around Sinyongsan or Yongnidan-gil, there's a little dilemma, right? You want good food, you want a nice mood, and you want somewhere not too noisy where you can take your time. I tend to look for a place with something a bit more special than an ordinary bar.

This time I visited Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan (육회관블랙 신용산점), near Sinyongsan Station. It's a yukhoe (seasoned raw beef) specialist, so at first I expected just yukhoe and mungtigi (Gyeongsang-style raw beef), but looking at the menu, you can have uni (sea urchin) here too.

Personally I like yukhoe, but I also like the uni and gamtae (seaweed) combo, so the menu really appealed to me. What surprised me was that Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan isn't just a place to eat yukhoe; you can combine lots of ingredients in different ways. So, was it worth the price?

Where is Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan, and what is the seating like?

Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan is about 156 m from Exit 1 of Sinyongsan Station. The address is 13 Hangang-daero 40-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 3rd floor. It's close to the station, so it's easy to reach by public transport.

It would fit nicely into a date along Yongnidan-gil or a dinner plan near Yongsan. When you're hunting for a Sinyongsan restaurant, the food matters, but so does an atmosphere where you can chat comfortably with whoever you're with.

Besides hall seating, Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan reportedly has separate rooms. So I thought it could work not only for a date but also for a get-together with friends or a company dinner. It'd be wise to check whether a room is available before you go, right?

How much are the uni set and same-day Korean beef yukhoe?

I ordered two dishes: the uni set for ₩37,000 and the same-day-slaughtered Korean beef yukhoe for ₩32,000. Going by price alone, it might feel a bit heavy for a casual bar snack. I hesitated over the price at first too.

But when I looked at the ingredients served with each dish one by one, I noticed the setup is different from a standard single yukhoe plate. With the uni set, how you combine things is what matters.

How do you eat the uni set at Yukhoegwan Black?

The uni set (₩37,000) at Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan centers on uni, served with shari (sushi rice), gamtae (seaweed), wasabi, seed jeotgal (salted seafood) and soy sauce.

The vivid orange uni sat temptingly on the plate. It's good on its own, but personally the most appealing part was the variety of accompaniments.

Uni is all about its soft, creamy texture and sea aroma. But depending on the person, that distinctive smell can feel a bit much.

That's where adding shari and gamtae lets you enjoy it another way, which is the strength of this set.

Gamtae, shari and uni, then a dab of wasabi

First, put a little shari on a piece of gamtae, then top it with uni. You get the fragrant flavor of gamtae, the tang of the shari and the soft texture of the uni all together.

Add a small amount of wasabi and it gives a clean finish. Even the same uni feels different depending on what you eat it with, so I like menus where you put things together yourself, haha.

Seed jeotgal and soy sauce: just a little at a time

It was also worth noting that the uni set comes with seed jeotgal and soy sauce. The seed jeotgal in particular felt a bit unusual as a side for uni. If you want to taste the uni's own flavor, though, it's better to add the sauces little by little rather than pouring them on from the start, right? If you're looking for a Sinyongsan restaurant where you can enjoy uni in different ways, this setup is worth a look.

And that's not all. The yukhoe I ordered with the uni set had its own charm.

What comes with the same-day Korean beef yukhoe?

The second dish is the same-day-slaughtered Korean beef yukhoe for ₩32,000. What caught my eye most was the lineup of accompaniments.

Lots of people love yukhoe, but it often comes out in much the same form wherever you go. The yukhoe at Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan caught my eye from the plating alone.

Red yukhoe sits invitingly in the middle of a big plate, topped with an egg yolk. The yolk is from an egg with the number 1 on its shell code, they said. It also comes with gamtae, cheese, crackers, gotchang gim (crispy seaweed) and pear.

What surprised me most at first sight was the cheese and crackers. Yukhoe with pear is familiar, but yukhoe with cheese and crackers? A bit unusual, isn't it?

Cheese and yukhoe on a cracker in one bite

But think about it: the soft texture of yukhoe gets the crunch of the cracker and the richness of the cheese. Putting cheese and yukhoe on a cracker to make a bite-sized piece is fun. Enjoying one dish in several ways felt like the signature of the menu at Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan.

Mixing in the yolk from the top makes it even richer, which is another plus. Personally, I'd taste the yukhoe on its own first rather than mixing everything in from the start, then add the accompaniments one by one.

Uni vs yukhoe wrapped in gamtae seaweed

If you order yukhoe and uni together, you can have gamtae with both. Even the same gamtae should bring out a different flavor with uni than with yukhoe. I think comparing them as you eat would be fun.

Two dishes for ₩69,000: is it worth the price?

Ordering both the uni set and the same-day-slaughtered Korean beef yukhoe comes to ₩69,000, so if portion size for the price matters to you, your choices might differ. It can't be compared with places you visit for a cheap meal. But if you value the range of accompaniments, the plating and the variety of combinations, I think it's a lineup well worth a look.

If you're searching for a Sinyongsan restaurant and have been wondering about something a bit special instead of the usual, this kind of spread would be fine. Especially if you go with someone who likes yukhoe or uni, sharing the two dishes sounds fun.

Tips before visiting Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan

• Address: 13 Hangang-daero 40-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (3rd floor)
• Access: about 156 m from Exit 1 of Sinyongsan Station
• Ordered: uni set ₩37,000 / same-day-slaughtered Korean beef yukhoe ₩32,000

What stands out at Yukhoegwan Black Sinyongsan is that you don't just enjoy yukhoe and uni separately; you can combine them with gamtae, shari, crackers, cheese and more. If you're looking for a Sinyongsan date spot or a gathering place around Yongnidan-gil, or you simply love yukhoe and uni, it's worth a look. For me, the most interesting part was being able to enjoy one dish in several ways.

Which would you pick first? The soft uni set vs. the same-day-slaughtered Korean beef yukhoe with all its combinations!