Namsan date-night bar in Seoul: egg in hell on baguette, Heui Huam

What kind of place is Heui Huam?

Heui Huam (흐이 후암) is a bar that really cooks, in Huam-dong near Sookmyung Women's University Station. If you're looking for somewhere to have dinner and a drink after a Namsan date or around Haebangchon, this Haebangchon-area bar was quite memorable.

It's less a rowdy bar in the middle of a busy district and more a cozy space tucked into a quiet street by a school. The sign caught my eye first: a green neon sign with a frying pan on it, which draws a glance even from far away.

What is the interior of Heui Huam like?

Inside, the lighting is dim and there are bar seats and table seats, so it felt like stepping into a little European afternoon pub. The inside was even nicer than I expected, and the quietly warm lighting added to that feeling.

When you say Haebangchon bar, it's easy to picture a crowded, bustling scene, but Heui Huam was a bit calmer. The mood is good for talking, so I felt it would suit a dinner after a date around Sookmyung, Haebangchon or Namsan.

The interior isn't too bright, so the food photos come out moody too, and it's nice for talking slowly with whoever you came with.

What did we order at Heui Huam?

This day we ordered the egg in hell and the crab tomalley pasta (kani miso pasta). The egg in hell is the signature dish at ₩20,000, and the kani miso pasta, a crab tomalley cream pasta, was ₩18,000.

We started lightly with highballs. They came in cold glasses and went well with the rich dishes. Heui Huam felt less like a place just for drinking and more like a Haebangchon bar where you can enjoy proper cooked dishes as a dinner.

Why you have to try the egg in hell at Heui Huam

The tastiest dish of the day at Heui Huam was the signature egg in hell (₩20,000). Generous cheese on top of red sauce, with a baguette on the side: it already looked delicious.

The sauce had a tomato-based feel with a slight kick of spice, and the melted cheese added a rich nuttiness. It's good eaten with a spoon, but piling the sauce and cheese onto the baguette was the most satisfying.

Spicy sauce, soft cheese and crispy bread together just worked so well. Personally, this combo was close to heaven, haha. If you're after a Haebangchon bar with tasty food to go with drinks, I'd happily recommend Heui Huam's egg in hell.

What does the crab tomalley pasta taste like?

Heui Huam's kani miso pasta (₩18,000) was a rich crab tomalley cream pasta with crab and shrimp. It looked great too, hearty thanks to the crab and shrimp, and as the name suggests, the crab tomalley cream had a stronger flavor than an ordinary cream pasta.

The sauce clung well to the noodles, and the cheese on top added richness. If the egg in hell is the spicy, bold one, the kani miso pasta balanced it with a softer, deeper flavor.

That said, crab tomalley cream has its own distinctive aroma and taste, so I think it suits people who like seafood flavors more. Next time I'd like to try the gambas (garlic shrimp) too. Judging by the mood and the menu, I just had a feeling they'd do gambas well.

Why Heui Huam works for dinner after a Namsan date

I think Heui Huam works for dinner after a Namsan date because neither the mood nor the food is over the top. It isn't too loud, it isn't too formal, and yet it doesn't feel like an ordinary bar either.

The quiet Huam-dong street, the dim lighting and the cooked dishes fit together well, so it was an easy place to end a date. I think it suits people looking for a bar near Sookmyung Women's University Station, people wanting dinner and a drink in Haebangchon, and people who want to finish a Namsan date somewhere with atmosphere.

Tips for visiting Heui Huam

• Heui Huam isn't a very large venue, so at peak hours it looked like seats might not be plentiful.
• If you want a quiet mood, an early-evening visit seems better than a very late one.

Final verdict on Heui Huam

Heui Huam was a Haebangchon bar where the food sticks in your memory. The egg in hell especially is something I'd order again on a return visit. The combination of cheese, spicy sauce and baguette was really good, and it was satisfying both as drinking food and as a dinner.

Adding the kani miso pasta made a set that's nice for two to share in a good mood. In one line: Heui Huam is a good place to enjoy dinner and a drink together on a quiet Huam-dong street with a European-afternoon charm. Next time I'd get the egg in hell again, and definitely order the gambas too.