Korean restaurant in Yeongdeungpo: anniversary date at Modam Urban

Since getting married, I’m Daeyam, someone who is seriously passionate about good restaurants with my husband. With Chuseok approaching, we went to Yeouido IFC Mall to shop for clothes, and to celebrate our anniversary too, we had a Korean-food date at the elegant Modam Urban (모담 어반). Since it has private rooms and is used for gatherings—even family meetings between future in-laws—I had high expectations for the food.

Modam Urban at Yeouido IFC Mall: location and private rooms

It’s on L3 Floor, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, and open from 11:00 to 22:00. Since it’s inside IFC Mall and connected underground to Yeouido Station, it’s easy to visit. The private rooms accommodate up to 20 people and can be reserved for family-meeting gatherings and more.

These days, I feel like my husband and I often go on Korean-food dates when we eat out. But Modam Urban in Yeouido had a slightly different feel from the Korean food we always have! It looked upscale and was packed with people, so the moment I saw it from outside, I thought, this is the place today haha.

The atmosphere: partitioned tables and private rooms

Modam Urban, a Korean restaurant in Yeouido, had a sophisticated atmosphere, with fully partitioned tables on the left, private rooms on the right, and tables in the center.

I sat at a partitioned table, and this is what the central table area looked like.

The rooms at Modam Urban are usually used for family meetings between future in-laws. Every room was full, which made me think, ah, a popular restaurant really is popular.

Our Korean-food date order and prices

Today, we ordered the crab-stock octopus pasta for ₩29,900 and handmade tteokgalbi (Korean grilled beef patties) with grilled abalone for ₩38,000.

Prices start in the mid-₩20,000 range, so it isn’t inexpensive, but restaurants at Yeouido IFC Mall and The Hyundai Seoul are often around this price. If it tastes good among them, I call that a success.

Elaborate appetizers included with the mains

Honestly, these appetizers were what first caught my eye from outside when we came for our Yeouido Korean-food date. They come automatically when you order a main, but the quality was good enough that every single one could have been sold as a side dish.

The mushroom pyeonyuk (pressed sliced meat-style dish) was fascinating! It looked unusual, and since I’d never had it before, I was curious about the flavor. It had a subtle mushroom aroma and a lovely texture.

The perilla-oil capellini was so pretty too, with all those different colors.

The spicy mushroom gangjeong (crisp glazed bites) was a favorite of mine because I love fried food, haha. The appetizers were so varied and carefully prepared that I was already happy before the mains even arrived.

The light flavor of crab-stock octopus pasta

As we enjoyed the appetizers and chatted away in the pretty setting on our date, they brought out the mains. It was lovely—almost like having a course meal.

They cut the large pieces of octopus into easy-to-eat bites with scissors. The crab stock had great savoriness, and there was plenty of octopus, so we shared it nicely. The seasoning wasn’t strong and leaned rather mild, so I did think, maybe I should have ordered Korean food at this Korean restaurant, haha.

But the octopus texture was unusual because it wasn’t what I expected. Rather than the typical texture of parboiled octopus, it was so soft there was almost nothing to chew. I wondered if this is what happens when it’s simmered for a long time—a dish that made me curious about the cooking method, haha.

Handmade tteokgalbi and grilled abalone

My husband chose the pricey item at this upscale Korean set-meal restaurant: abalone and handmade tteokgalbi!

The abalone braised in sweet seasoning was pleasantly chewy, but there was only one, so it was a shame to split it in half, haha. Maybe because it had been a while since I’d had handmade tteokgalbi, it was so tender that I kept eating it with rice. The seasoned mushrooms served alongside it paired well and were delicious too.

There was also baekkimchi (mild white kimchi) and stir-fried kimchi, both nice and crisp to eat alongside everything. They’re both side dishes we somehow don’t make at home, haha. Having them here made them taste even better!

A refreshing finish with milk pudding

Modam Urban in Yeouido prepares not only appetizers but dessert too. It was chilled milk pudding, light and easy to eat. I loved how clean and refreshing it was as a finish.

I recommend Modam Urban to anyone looking for a great spot in Yeouido for an anniversary Korean-food date or Korean-food gathering. With its elegant atmosphere and reasonable price range, it’s especially nice for an important meeting or a formal occasion.