Namwirye shabu-shabu with group seating for a big family: Dadam

Why Dadam near Namwirye Station was the pick for a family gathering

Picking a family gathering spot is honestly a bit of a headache, isn't it? Parents don't want anything too greasy, kids can't handle spicy food, and the adults still want meat on the table... a menu that clears all these hurdles is rarer than you'd think.

In my family, shabu-shabu is always the answer in that situation. Hot broth, loads of vegetables, and meat that's blanched so it stays light — plus whatever the kids need is covered by the broth anyway. This time we did our family gathering at Dadam near Namwirye Station, an all-you-can-eat spot where you can eat shabu-shabu without holding back. Here's the rundown from a family-gathering angle.

Where Dadam Shabu Shabu & Wolnamssam Wirye Branch is, and parking

Dadam isn't far from Namwirye Station, so it's a convenient meeting point whether family members come by subway or by car. Parking is available too, which made it easy bringing my parents along.

Inside Dadam: atmosphere and group seating for a family table

Inside, the seats are spaced generously, there was room for a stroller or a kids' chair, and there was group seating that worked well for our family gathering.

Even with the place fairly full, I didn't feel like it was too noisy.

What the all-you-can-eat menu at Dadam Wirye includes

• Unlimited shabu-shabu meat
• Unlimited wolnamssam ingredients
• Unlimited vegetable bar
• Porridge or kalguksu to finish

Since the meat is unlimited, even with nephews in the middle of their growth spurt eating away, there's no need to feel awkward ordering more. The vegetable bar was stocked fresh with bok choy, napa cabbage, and all kinds of mushrooms, so the vegetable shabu-shabu that the older generation loves is unlimited too.

Refills happen right at the self-bar too, so you don't even need to call a staff member over — very convenient.

Wolnamssam: the part that kept the kids busiest at Dadam

The most popular thing at our table was the wolnamssam — since it's fun to pick your own favorite ingredients and wrap them yourself in rice paper, the kids were the busiest ones making their own, haha.

The adults topped their sauce with peanuts, and the kids made mild wraps loaded with vegetables. There were so many vegetables that even overeating a little felt easy on the stomach.

Dadam shabu-shabu with anchovy and seafood broth

You can choose the broth from anchovy, seafood, or mala — we went with anchovy and seafood. We put in meat and vegetables and fished them out to eat, and there's also ramyeon, but we were too full and finished with just porridge at the end.

With various vegetables plus mandu (dumplings), rice cakes, and fish cake all mixed in together, the broth ended up tasting even deeper.

At the end we made porridge, and since the broth had all the sweetness of the meat stock and vegetables infused into it, the older family members said this porridge was the best part.

Even when you're full, everyone still ends up having a bowl of the porridge, haha. There's nothing wasted from start to finish, which makes it really perfect for a family gathering.

Dessert at Dadam: ice cream and an affogato

For dessert, the kids had ice cream and the adults had coffee and tea — you can make your own affogato by pouring espresso over the ice cream, and it was refreshing yet had a great bittersweet coffee flavor.

Dadam near Namwirye Station: the verdict for family meals

• Near Namwirye Station plus parking — a great spot to meet up
• All-you-can-eat shabu-shabu, wolnamssam, and vegetable bar
• Covers everyone: light for parents, mild for kids
• Wolnamssam is the menu item that gets kids involved
• A complete course all the way to the kalguksu or porridge finish

If you're looking for a family gathering spot among Namwirye restaurants, I recommend Dadam.

It's relaxing to gather the whole family and let everyone eat to their own taste without feeling awkward about refills. The prices are on the affordable side too, so the value is good, and the vegetables are easy on the stomach even for the older adults, so I'm planning to come back here for our next family gathering. Save Dadam, a Namwirye restaurant, and go check it out!!