Sushi Shinae Style

If you find yourself in Seongnamdong, and in need of a relaxing restaurant where no one pushes you to order a minute after you walk in the door, check out Sushi Bar, a small restaurant with an ultra chill atmosphere, fantastic sushi, and the coolest owner this side of the Taewha.

First and foremost, the sushi is excellent, and rivals the Sushi Bar Haru in Samsondong in taste and quality. It’s a somewhat limited menu with only about 10 choices of sushi/rolls plus 4 side dishes, but each morsel is too tasty for you to care. My favorite is the Alaska Roll, but I tend to convince friends to order the Spicy Salmon or Eel so that I can “sample”. Expect to pay 12,000 won a person. More if you get a whiff of Alex’s own udong noodles or have a taste for nice Sake.

But the food is only half of the appeal. What sets Sushi House apart from its competitors is the sense of intimacy. The owner (and only employee so far as I can tell), Alex, makes each piece–as opposed to each roll–of sushi individually without any sense of hurry. He seems to construct each roll for its own benefit. If you come at off peak times, you’ll find him chopping onions, cucumber, or fresh eel. Maybe you’ll catch him making a new pot of soup, or mixing up a new batch of homemade (amazing) salad dressing.

He also always has a towel covering his long hair, making it seem as if he just got out of the shower to come make sushi for his friends. Notice the Coldplay and Radiohead posters, the one of a kind “Nightmare Before Christmas” clock, the nice Japanese chachkas, and the black and white amateur photography that cover the walls. Check out the guitar (Alex plays) leaning up against the back wall, as if when he’s done cooking, he’ll play a set for his customers. Sushi House doesn’t feel like home exactly, but the decor and the Coldplay coming through the speakers provide a sense of peace and familiarity not to be found any where else in the city.

Hang around for an hour or so, and he’ll talk to you about music: what do you want to listen to? Have you ever seen Radiohead live? Alex’s English isn’t perfect and he is a little shy, but the conversations feel genuine. You aren’t just another customer he has to talk to. He really wants to know what you’ve got on your iPod, and will write down your suggestions on a notebook he keeps on the counter.

Sushi Bar is located about 2 blocks north of Shinee’s main strip, and one block north of Shigaetop. If you’re looking at Megabox Cinema, turn right, go to the corner with the Converse Store and New Core Outlet. Turn left, and go 2 blocks. Sushi Bar is near the end of the 2nd block on the right. It’s open till 11 during the week. Check it out…and don’t forget to mention my name. Free Alaskan Roll here I come.