Itaewon Korean restaurant with my sister: deboned dried croaker, Modam

Modam Itaewon (모담 이태원점) is a Korean restaurant in Itaewon that works for everything from family dinners to in-law meetings. I went with my younger sister because we wanted a nice Korean meal together. On the way out we were both saying, "Let's bring Mom and Dad next time," so yes, the food and the atmosphere both won us over.

What is the atmosphere like at Modam Itaewon?

Modam Itaewon is on the ground floor of the Mondrian Hotel, a Korean dining room with a modern feel and Korean touches. The first thing I noticed before even going in was the sleek, upscale interior. Korean sensibility is woven naturally into the modern space, so it felt comfortable but refined, and really nice for a quiet meal. Photos come out beautifully too, so it suits dates as well as family meals.

Modam Itaewon location and opening hours

• Address: 23 Jangmun-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea (1st floor, Mondrian Hotel)
• Hours: daily 11:00-21:30
• Break time: 15:00-17:00
• Last order: 13:40, 20:10

Is Modam Itaewon good for meeting the in-laws or family meals?

Tables are spaced widely and there are private group rooms, so it looked well suited to an important meal. My sister and I kept coming back to the space while we ate. The tables are far apart and the mood is calm overall, so it seemed like a great place for a significant occasion.

The private group rooms in particular seem right for any gathering that needs a quiet, dignified setting, like these:

• Family gatherings
• Parents' birthdays
• First birthday parties (doljanchi)
• Family events
• Group gatherings
• Business meetings
• Company dinners (hoesik)
• In-law meetings (sangyeollye)

Soft lighting and a tidy layout make the room feel relaxed yet refined, good for dates and for important meals alike.

Modam Itaewon menu and prices

Here is the menu at Modam Itaewon.

The weekday lunch menu starts at ₩27,000 per person. A stylish Korean dining place can sound pricey, but weekday lunch is relatively reasonable, so it would work for an office lunch or a meal with your parents.

Modam Itaewon serves Korean dining that reinterprets signature jang (fermented sauces) and seasonal specialties in a modern way. Fresh ingredients are prepared daily and the menu centers on light charcoal-grilled dishes, so you can enjoy the true flavors of Korean food more deeply.

Does Modam Itaewon offer course meals and drinks besides the sets?

Besides the set meals there are several course menus, which is a plus because you have more choice. Courses such as the Sangyeollye-sang (in-law meeting table), Modam-sang and Seoksura-sang can be chosen by purpose, so they seem a good pick for dining with parents, anniversaries or in-law meetings.

There is a wide range of traditional liquors and wines to suit your taste, and it looks great for pairing with Korean food. A glass of wine on a special day would make the mood even better :)

The wines recommended this month were Loire Moulin d'Argent Chardonnay and Loire Saumur Chenin Blanc, and there were plenty of other drinks that go well with a meal.

The two sets my sister and I ordered

My sister and I ordered these two at Modam Itaewon.

• Deodeok (bellflower root) and charcoal tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty) set (₩45,000)
• Charcoal Beopseongpo barley-dried croaker (gulbi) set (₩45,000)

Instead of plain water, Modam Itaewon serves a tasty tea, which went nicely with the food.

Which starters come with the sets at Modam Itaewon?

Before the meal, the set came with seasonal fruit and grilled vegetables with black sesame dressing, a green salad with dried barley shrimp chips, perilla-oil buckwheat noodles with bracken (gosari), Modam gangjeong (crispy glazed bites), and seasonal sashimi. For our taste, the bracken perilla-oil buckwheat noodles were so good that we wanted them as a whole meal..!

The fried shiitake mushrooms served alongside were really good too.

What comes on the main set table

After the starters, the main dishes arrived. The main set at Modam Itaewon comes with the rice of the day, the soup of the day, Cheongyang mulkimchi (chili water kimchi) and 3 side dishes. You could tell fresh ingredients were used, and the charcoal aroma added depth. The rice, soup, water kimchi and sides were neatly arranged and generous.

Even each side dish was carefully prepared, so I really felt the charm of Korean food, and the friendly service made the whole meal a pleasant time :)

How do the deodeok and charcoal-grilled tteokgalbi taste?

The charcoal tteokgalbi had a subtle smoky flavor and was juicy, and the sweet-but-not-too-sweet seasoning kept us reaching for more. The deodeok was fragrant with a crunchy texture still intact, and eaten together with the tteokgalbi the combination was really good.

Is the charcoal-grilled Beopseongpo dried croaker easy to eat?

The charcoal Beopseongpo gulbi came with the big bones already removed, which made it much easier to eat. A faint charcoal aroma soaked in, giving it an even nuttier flavor.

It was a healthy meal and I left very satisfied. We even finished the perilla leaf sorbet served as dessert. We sat in the hall rather than a room, and it was quiet and easy to talk while eating.

Who should go to Modam Itaewon?

If you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Itaewon with a nice atmosphere, I'd recommend Modam Itaewon. Weekday lunch is reasonably priced, and the space suits everything from family meals to in-law meetings, first birthday parties, business meetings and group gatherings, so I think it satisfies diners with many different purposes. My sister and I relaxed over our meal and loved both the food and the mood, so I'd like to come back next time with our parents :)