Black squid-ink oil pasta and aglio e olio takeout: Pasta Go, Magok

A day craving pasta near Magongnaru Station

Ah~ I want pasta~ haha. My old office was near Magongnaru Station and Seoul Botanic Park, and I kept going to the same old spots I always ate at until I got sick of them. Pasta suddenly sounded really good, so I started looking around.

When I searched for good restaurants near Seoul Botanic Park, this place kept coming up as a pasta spot near Magongnaru — but I was skeptical before actually visiting. I was thinking, "Is pasta really that famous in this neighborhood?"

Location and how to get to Pasta Go Magok Branch

It's a 1-minute walk from Exit 1 or 2 of Magongnaru Station. It's in the Botanic Purugio City building — walk out of the station, into the building, and you'll find it right away.

Being this close to the station makes it super accessible by public transit, so even if it's not near your office like it was for me, getting there without a car is totally fine. If you're visiting Seoul Botanic Park and looking for a good-value restaurant, this place connects right into that walking route, so it's a perfect spot to pair with a park trip.

The good-price certification posted at the entrance

The exterior is simple and clean, and as befits a certified good-price restaurant, there's a menu board posted right at the entrance. That gave me a bit of confidence in the place, oddly enough.

The good-price restaurant certification is a government program that recognizes businesses with reasonable prices — and I've never seen it at any place I've been to in Magongnaru, yet here's a pasta restaurant with this certification!

Atmosphere and seating

Walking in, the space feels cozy and clean. It's not a huge, sprawling restaurant — more like a warm neighborhood Italian spot. It doesn't feel awkward coming alone, and it's just right for two. Of course, there's group seating too, so families or groups of friends are welcome!

How the 25% set discount works

What caught my eye first here was the discount system. Basically, dining in or taking out gets you 20% off. But if you choose a set menu, you get a whopping 25% off.

Looking at the menu board at first, I thought "is this right?" — but the discount rate is printed right there on the kiosk, the menu board, and even on Naver haha. The reputation as a certified good-price, good-value restaurant wasn't just talk.

What's in a 1-person set, and how to order for two

The set composition is solid too. A 1-person set comes with morning bread, a drink, a side, and a choice of one main pasta — and bundling these into a set is way more of a deal than ordering everything separately.

I ordered two servings, each a different set, and packed them to go. If you're coming as two people, I'd strongly recommend each getting a different pasta as a set and sharing. It also seems like a good idea for one of the sides to be the salad so you can split that too — the portions are surprisingly generous haha.

Morning bread and green salad

Let's start with the sides. The morning bread has a moist, fluffy texture, and it comes out warm — a nice way to open your appetite before the pasta.

The green salad also had fresh vegetables with a lightly coated dressing, which was great for resetting your palate between bites of rich pasta. For a side dish, it did its job faithfully.

Special black oil pasta: how it tastes

The special black oil pasta looks striking the moment it arrives. The noodles are pitch black from squid ink, and that color alone makes a strong first impression. The moment it hits your mouth, the savory flavor of the oil base comes through first.

A deep, seafood-like umami spreads subtly — it's not a flavor that hits you hard all at once, but one that lingers quietly. The noodles kept their bite all the way through, so the flavor never got diluted. It's a clean yet deep pasta where the ingredients' flavor really shows.

Why aglio e olio is a steady seller

The aglio e olio is a classic build, and eating it here made me understand all over again why aglio e olio has been a longtime steady seller. The aroma of garlic slowly sautéed in olive oil is infused throughout the whole dish, and that scent alone is already enough to spark your appetite.

One bite and the savory, sharp flavor of garlic hits you, followed by the oil coating the noodles smoothly. It's not overpowering, and the clean finish is what makes it appealing.

The sweet potato pizza too

The sweet potato pizza has sweet potato on top that adds a sweet, hearty flavor, and combined with the cheese, it keeps the richness in check without getting heavy. Grabbing a slice while eating the pasta gave a nice change of pace, so I never got tired of eating. Also, it comes pre-cut into 4 slices — nice touch!

My conclusion after eating

Pasta Go Magok Branch was much better than I expected. Between the good-price certification and the 25% set discount, the "great value restaurant" title wasn't an empty phrase. I only really understood why it's already gotten word of mouth as a pasta spot near Magongnaru after eating it myself.

The food quality is clearly good for the price, and if you make good use of the discount structure, you can enjoy a filling meal without any financial burden. If you're hungry after visiting Seoul Botanic Park, or want a good-value meal near Magongnaru Station, I genuinely recommend it.

• For those looking for a restaurant near Seoul Botanic Park to pair with a park visit
• For those who want to enjoy a pasta spot near Magongnaru without worrying about price

I recommend everyone stop by Pasta Go Magok Branch! I'm definitely coming back to try the pasta menus I haven't had yet!! Hahaha 😊