Yeouido izakaya spicy seafood yakiudon and basil-pesto lamb ribs: Nani

No AI, no script — this is written by Sujjang, one word at a time.

• 🍽 Menu: Lamb shoulder rack, karai seafood yaki udon
• ⏳ Wait time: None
• 📌 Location: 1-minute walk from Exit 3, Yeouido Station

What we ordered and the prices

• Lamb shoulder rack ₩43,000
• Karai seafood yaki udon ₩29,000
• 1 bottle of soju ₩7,000
• 1 canned drink ₩3,000

A 1-minute walk from Exit 3, Yeouido Station, 3rd floor of S-TRENUE

Today I visited Nani in Yeouido. It's on the 3rd floor of the S-TRENUE Building, and since you can use the building's basement parking, driving there works too.

Curtained booth seats, but window seats need a reservation

The interior is dim but cozy, and most seats have partitions so you can enjoy a private atmosphere.

My own seat was set up like this too — a booth with a curtain, so drawing it closed let us focus on the conversation, which I liked.

There are also window seats on the outer side, and the view was really pretty. I wanted to sit there, but I was told they were all reserved. If I'd known seats like that existed, I would've booked ahead. If you're planning to visit, definitely reserve a window seat!

Since Yeouido is packed with securities firms and is a commercial district, the prices run a bit high. We ordered lamb shoulder rack, karai seafood udon, and soju.

Basic side dish: fried hardtack crackers and seasoned seaweed

The basic side dish was hardtack crackers and seasoned seaweed. These fried crackers coated in sugar are quite the delicacy, aren't they? I remember snacking on them since I was little. Just this could get you through a whole bottle of soju.

Karai seafood yaki udon — how spicy is it?

It came out fast, maybe 3 minutes after ordering. I guess turnover matters a lot in a district known for work dinners. In 'karai haemul yaki udon,' 'karai' means spicy and 'yaki' means stir-fried — so only 'haemul' (seafood) is actually Korean, making it a distinctively mixed name. Translated literally, it's spicy stir-fried seafood udon. Honestly, that combo can't miss, haha. It was spicy enough to pair well with drinks — not as fiery as buldak (fire chicken noodles), more like the spicy version of Jin Ramen. Think of it around that level. It was loaded with squid, shrimp, clams, onion, and more, and the clams had no fishy smell and were nice and tender, so I enjoyed it.

Lamb shoulder rack with cumin and basil pesto sauces

While we were eating and having a drink, the shoulder rack arrived too. Three lamb ribs came out along with the sauces, and they gave us tongs and scissors so we could cut it easily ourselves. The grill plate was served piping hot too, so it stayed warm all the way to the last bite, which I appreciated.

Cumin is pretty much an inseparable pairing with lamb ribs. Dipping a piece of lamb into cumin is just so good.

Honestly, before trying it, I assumed it would be mint jelly since it's lamb, but the taste was completely different, and I found myself looking twice at what this sauce actually was. It seemed like a thinned-out basil pesto, and I'd never had lamb dipped in basil pesto before, so it was a pretty novel experience. It felt unfamiliar at first, but once you get a bit tired of dipping into the cumin, switching to this every so often gives a basil aroma and a refreshing reset — I liked it.

Even though it was shoulder rack, the lamb was cooked to just the right degree and ate tender. The lamb's gamey smell was at just the right, pleasant level, so I enjoyed it a lot.

In summary

Given the district, the prices definitely run high. So considering the local context, I think this is a place you'd really enjoy if you're bringing a company card. The staff were kind, and I liked that every seat has partitions and even curtains. Not to mention the window seats with the great view. I'd recommend it for a work dinner.