www.youtube.com/embed/Asu5aWS6GDQ

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Discover Seoul’s Real-Life Midnight Diner: Sigoljip in Seongsu-dong

Have you ever watched the Japanese drama “Midnight Diner”? Based on a manga, this drama gained immense popularity for its unique atmosphere and heartwarming stories, even leading to a Korean remake in 2015. One of the defining characteristics of “Midnight Diner” is, as the title suggests, that it operates only at night. However, the most captivating aspect, in my opinion, is its unique menu system – or rather, the lack thereof. There’s no menu! Customers simply tell the owner what they want to eat, and he’ll make it for them. This premise sets the stage for each episode, featuring diverse customer stories and delicious dishes that bring both entertainment and emotional resonance.

Surprisingly, a restaurant mirroring this concept exists right here in Seoul! While it doesn’t operate at night like the drama, Sigoljip (시골집), located in Seongsu-dong, offers a similar “no menu” dining experience. Unlike typical restaurants with fixed menus, Sigoljip allows you to order whatever you crave. If they don’t have the ingredients, they will even go out and buy them for you on the spot – a true real-life Midnight Diner! While there are other restaurants that boast ‘no menu’, they often operate within a broad, pre-determined range. Sigoljip, however, truly embodies the spirit of making whatever the customer desires, even sourcing ingredients externally if needed.

The Unique Charm of Sigoljip: Ordering Anything You Want

The idea of a restaurant with no menu might sound unusual or even unbelievable. How are prices determined? What’s the range of dishes they can possibly make? You might even wonder if customers take advantage of this system by ordering outlandish or difficult-to-make dishes. In the drama, there are scenes depicting customers ordering incredibly specific and unusual items. I decided to visit Sigoljip myself to see if this unique system truly works in reality and to explore the boundaries of their “anything goes” policy.

Upon ordering, I cautiously asked if it was really true that I could order anything. The owner confirmed with a smile, explaining that while they currently had ingredients for dishes like Korean BBQ (Samgyeopsal) and marinated pork, they were happy to purchase anything else needed. Since I was looking for a hangover cure from the previous night, I simply asked for any kind of soothing, hangover-relieving soup. The owner thoughtfully considered options like spicy Pollock soup (Dongtae jjigae) or dried Pollock soup (Buk-eo guk). After a brief moment, he decided on Buk-eo guk and immediately started preparing it.

Delicious Buk-eo Guk and Unbelievably Affordable Price

Sigoljip seems to be frequented mostly by regulars, and thankfully, it appears there aren’t customers who order excessively demanding or bizarre dishes. Unlike the drama, you probably wouldn’t order something as elaborate as shark fin soup! It’s about ordering what you genuinely crave within reasonable bounds. The pricing isn’t fixed, but the owner seems to have a reasonable standard. When the food arrived, the portion of Buk-eo guk was incredibly generous, especially considering we only ordered one serving of rice for two people as we weren’t very hungry.

The taste of the Buk-eo guk was simply delicious – no further explanation needed! It was flavorful, hearty, and perfect for a hangover. While it might not have been drastically different from other Buk-eo guk, the owner’s excellent cooking skills were evident, easily surpassing the standard of most restaurants. When it was time to pay, I was even more surprised. The owner mentioned that Buk-eo guk was usually 5,000 KRW. Expecting to pay 10,000 KRW for two servings, I was astonished when the total bill came to only 6,000 KRW! For two people to have a satisfying and delicious meal for just 6,000 KRW, I almost felt apologetic for paying so little!

Final Thoughts: A Must-Visit in Seongsu-dong

My conclusion? Sigoljip, located in Ttukdo Market in Seongsu-dong, is a truly special place. Not only is it incredibly affordable with food exceeding basic expectations in taste, but the unique “no menu, we’ll make anything” system provides an extraordinary dining experience. If you live nearby, Sigoljip is definitely the kind of place you’d want to become a regular at. I regretted only ordering Buk-eo guk for a quick hangover fix and plan to revisit soon to try out more dishes, perhaps something different in the summer. I highly recommend you visit Sigoljip and experience this unique Seoul restaurant for yourself!

Sigoljip (시골집)
Location: Within Ttukdo Market (뚝도시장 안), Seongsu-dong, Seoul, South Korea
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5 out of 5 – Highly Recommended for Value and Unique Experience)

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