Weekend date izakaya in Suyu, Seoul: Songjukmae sake and Bunko Set

An omakase-style course that makes you feel looked after: Bunko Suyu

What kind of bar is Bunko Suyu?

Bunko Suyu is an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) in the Suyu food alley, and the food comes out as a course, like omakase. It had been a while, so for a weekend date I went looking for a nice bar in Suyu and ended up here. It felt great for a special day, a date or even a blind date.

Exterior: a calm mood in the Suyu food alley

Bunko Suyu sits in the Suyu food alley, and it looks so good from a distance that your feet just carry you over. It has a calm feel, quite different from a rowdy pub.

Interior: counter seats, table seats and an open kitchen

Inside, Japanese-style interior and soft lighting made for a great mood. With counter and table seats set up for easy conversation, it was exactly the kind of space you'd call a good date bar in Suyu.

We sat at the counter, and the open kitchen let us watch the cooking up close, which felt special. It also felt like enjoying omakase, so the anticipation grew with every dish.

Bunko Suyu menu and events

The menu runs from sashimi to sushi, maki, soba, katsu, pasta, simmered dishes and jjamppong, so you can have a full meal too. There are also several coupons available on Naver as events, so take a look and grab the perks!

Two adults visited, and we ordered the Bunko Set, the signature menu at Bunko Suyu.

In what order does the Bunko Set come out?

Welcome sake

First up in the Bunko Set is a complimentary welcome sake. Oh my~ haha (so good!) It opens up the appetite, and the soft, clean taste was impressive. What a happy start, let's go!

Bean sprout salad and Korean melon salad

Alongside the welcome sake come two side dishes: seasoned bean sprouts and a Korean melon (chamoe) salad. The sprouts had a crunchy bite and well-balanced seasoning, which built anticipation for the dishes to come. The salad with seasonal Korean melon was freshness itself! You could call it today's "kick", haha. The sweet melon and dressing worked well together, and it cleansed the palate between bites, which I liked.

Extra sake: Songjukmae Junmai 750

After finishing the welcome sake, I ordered Songjukmae Junmai 750. Its subtle aroma and clean finish went well with everything we ate. It isn't too heavy, so it seemed to bring out the flavor of the food even more! Drunk on the mood and drunk on the sake, so good, so good haha.

(I originally ordered Jokigen Honjozo, but they said it wasn't available today and gave me a glass as a service instead. It had a fruity scent? haha I think women would like it!!)

Menchi-katsu

Menchi-katsu (breaded ground meat cutlet) was the first dish of the Bunko Set. It's cooked to order, so the moment I took a bite it was full of juice. Crisp outside, moist inside, with a rich meaty flavor.

Sashimi and sushi

The main of the Bunko Set is sashimi and sushi. The look alone made me gasp,,, They said futomaki was swapped for sushi, and you get 6 pieces! The rice and fish were well balanced and melted together in my mouth, with no fishy taste and a generous spread. The yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) was good too.

The sashimi was fresh seasonal fish that looked like flounder, salmon and maybe sea bream(?), thickly cut so the texture came through, nutty and really fresh.

Crab innard pasta

The crab innard pasta came out just as we were finishing the sashimi, and honestly, food is best eaten hot haha. The nutty, creamy richness of the crab innards soaked deep into the noodles, and the savory depth was outstanding!

Jjamppong to finish

The Bunko Set ends with jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup). It had plenty of bean sprouts, and the spicy yet deep broth was excellent. It went well with everything before it and wrapped up the course perfectly.

Would we go back to Bunko Suyu for a date?

We were a little late for our reservation, but the staff at Bunko Suyu guided us kindly, and I'm grateful haha. Whenever I come to Suyu from now on, this is the first place that will come to mind. As a date bar in Suyu and an izakaya with a great mood, Bunko Suyu is the best.