Ranjuku: A Hidden Gem Izakaya in Samseong-dong
Ranjuku / 31, Bongeunsa-ro 82-gil, Gangnam-gu (149-24, Samseong-dong)
Business Hours: Weekdays 17:30-23:50
Weekends/Holidays 17:00-23:00, Open Every Day
I revisited my favorite izakaya in Samseong-dong.
It's always filled with delicious and beautiful seasonal dishes.
Ranjuku is a high-end izakaya located in Samseong-dong's food alley.
I arrived right at the opening time of 5 PM on Sunday, becoming the first customer.
The clean and cozy atmosphere truly feels like being in Japan.
It's often used for business meetings, dates, and blind dates.
I've actually seen Japanese group customers here several times!
We started with Ranjuku Highballs (₩9,000) and Kirin Draft Beers (₩10,000) to wind down the week.
The crispy and savory potato chips, freshly fried in-house every day.
They disappeared so quickly!
Seaweed, Uni, and Seafood Samhap (₩48,000 / 6pcs)
A combination of seaweed, scallops, sea urchin, sweet shrimp, salmon roe, and caviar.
Isn't this more like a 'five-hap,' not a 'three-hap'?
A perfect starter, filling your mouth with the fresh and sweet flavors of the sea.
Sashimi Moriawase - 10 kinds (₩138,000 / for 5 people)
Tuna (2 kinds), Amberjack, Sea Bream, Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Abalone, Scallop, Salmon, Sweet Shrimp
A beautifully arranged assortment of sashimi, like a colorful flower basket.
Kamotsuru Kinshu Karakuchi Tokubetsu Junmai (₩90,000)
It's a crime to eat sashimi without sake, so I asked the sake sommelier (the owner) for a recommendation.
I requested a sake that:
(1) Pairs well with sashimi
(2) Is dry
(3) Has a slight effervescence
He immediately brought this out! It's imported from a popular sake brewery in Hiroshima.
It's gaining popularity in Korea these days, and it was truly delicious!
Seared Spanish Mackerel with a smoky flavor and firm texture.
The mackerel was also fresh, savory, and delicious!
With six people sharing a portion of sashimi for five, it was a real 'survival of the fastest' situation.
Everyone was busy grabbing what they wanted first!
Sudachi Hachiwari Soba (₩15,000)
Buckwheat noodles with young lime, capturing the refreshing taste of summer.
The tangy aroma of young lime is infused in the tsuyu sauce.
The noodles, made with 80% buckwheat flour, were chewy and satisfying.
The owner mentioned that young limes were late to arrive from Jeju Island, so this seasonal menu is still available.
Please try it before it disappears!
Potato Salad (₩13,000)
The potato salad is a must-order at Ranjuku.
It's a creamy, addictive dish with bits of bacon.
Cucumber with Barley Miso (₩7,000)
The combination of homemade barley miso and refreshing cucumber is also great to nibble on.
Grilled Golden Threadfin Bream (₩58,000)
A whole domestic golden threadfin bream from Busan, cut in half.
The bones were removed for easy eating and grilled to perfection.
They even lower the price if the fish is smaller than usual!
The fatty and savory meat of the expensive golden threadfin bream.
A single serving vanishes instantly when topped with refreshing grated radish.
Crab, Mushroom, and Taro Ankake (₩22,000)
Manseogi Mushrooms, Oyster Mushrooms, Golden Enoki Mushrooms
A hot pot with plenty of picked-out blue crab meat, harvested during the autumn season.
The broth is thickened with an ankake sauce and autumn mushrooms.
The warm, savory, and rich flavor feels like eating a luxurious Chinese crab meat soup.
Abalone Liver Yaki (₩21,000)
This is one of my favorite dishes at Ranjuku.
Abalone and scallops stir-fried in a cream sauce made with abalone liver.
Thinly sliced abalone and tender, chewy scallops.
You have to scrape up every last bit of sauce from the plate with a baguette!
Grilled Chicken Thigh (₩28,000)
A plate of juicy, plump chicken thigh meat, grilled until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Crispy chicken skin and moist meat.
It's even more delicious with a little barley miso on top!
Futomaki Half Roll (₩25,000)
Tuna, Sea Bream, Salmon, Castella, Fried Shrimp, Tofu Pouch, Cucumber, Pickled Radish, etc.
The colorful futomaki, packed with fillings, is as big as my arm!
They even give you a personal miso soup to prevent it from being too dry!
Because I have a small mouth, I usually cut this big futomaki into pieces.
Which means it's an appetizer for 10 drinks! haha
Matcha Highball (₩11,000)
A snapshot of the unique matcha highball ordered by a companion.
It felt like a slightly sweet sparkling green tea.
I heard there was a female customer who drank 10 of these by herself!
Shrimp Cream Croquettes (₩28,000 / 4pcs)
Served on a bed of sprouts and tomato salad, topped with prosciutto and cheese.
These round, crunchy cream croquettes are perfect.
The crispy coating hides a creamy, sweet sauce.
Enjoy a refreshing palate cleanser with the yuzu dressing on the salad.
Fig Tempura (₩12,000)
Sweet figs coated in a very thin tempura batter.
Finished with pungent Grana Padano cheese and salt.
A perfect appetizer with a sweet and savory flavor combination.
Cream Cheese Persimmon Rolls (₩17,000)
Dried persimmons rolled with cream cheese, topped with walnut brittle.
Miso Garlic & Stem Lettuce & Burdock Root Pickles, Bettarazuke, Jellyfish with Shiso
Tsukemono (₩15,000)
A 5-piece assortment of Japanese-style pickled vegetables.
Seafood Hot Pot (₩48,000)
A warm and comforting soup to finish the meal.
A hot pot filled with scallops, blue crab, shrimp, fish, and vegetables.
Simmered until the vegetable and seafood broth is fully extracted.
The broth is perfect for a hangover... incredibly refreshing.
I ended up burying my face in the bowl to drink it all... It's a secret.
Ranjuku, an izakaya in Samseong-dong that always delights the eyes and taste buds with beautiful and delicious seasonal dishes.
Perfect for blind dates, client entertainment, and wine gatherings.
The seasonal menus are constantly changing, and new dishes are regularly introduced.
It's fun to visit regularly.
Take advantage of the corkage-free policy on weekends and holidays.
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