Samseong Station Italian date: new carrot dishes at Mano di Chef

Mano di Chef Samsung Branch: location and info

Mano di Chef Samsung Branch (마노디셰프 삼성점) is at 21 Teheran-ro 87-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in the basement of Dongseong Building, near Exit 5 of Samseong Station. It is open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

• Reservations, parking, Wi-Fi and takeout available
• Group seating available
• Separate men's and women's restrooms
• Free corkage
• Birthday event

Samseong Station restaurant Mano di Chef: the entrance

Why my husband and I went to Mano di Chef near Samseong Station

My husband and I visited Mano di Chef near Samseong Station. It's famous for its atmosphere, but above all there were lots of reviews saying the food is delicious, so we went in with high hopes!

Mano di Chef has won a Blue Ribbon every year since 2020 and holds a AAA hygiene grade from the Seoul city government, which made us trust it even more. Best of all, it reminded me of the carrot dish we loved on our honeymoon in Spain, so my expectations were sky-high before we even arrived.

Do you need a reservation at Mano di Chef Samsung Branch?

The restaurant gets a lot of customers, so I recommend booking. We reserved ahead, and I was surprised by how many people were there for a meal. The space is fairly big, but with a steady stream of guests I think there could be a wait. If you're planning a visit, I'd reserve!

The atmosphere was just right for a date or an anniversary dinner. There's a range of seating from round tables to six-person tables, and the tables are spaced widely, so we could chat comfortably while we ate.

Seating and mood for a couple's anniversary

The mood at Mano di Chef Samsung Branch was so good..! It made me really want to come back for a date or our wedding anniversary.

There are comfy round-table seats and square six-person tables, and generally the gap to the next table is wide, so it was easy to talk while eating.

Mano di Chef Samsung Branch menu and what we ordered

The menu has a wide range of risotto, salads, pasta and gnocchi.

• Risotto: seaweed (gamtae) pesto & seafood barley risotto, premium seafood rosé risotto, prosciutto & Tête de Moine cheese barley risotto, black sesame & king oyster mushroom risotto
• Salads: premium avocado salad, premium octopus garden salad, burrata & Italian garden salad, Italian garden salad, grilled chicken & Caesar salad, dolce baguette & garden salad
• Pasta: red shrimp bisque linguine, red shrimp aglio e olio, vongole aglio e olio, premium tomato seafood pasta, crab & shrimp pasta, jalapeño aglio e olio
• Gnocchi: seaweed pesto & octopus gnocchi, king oyster mushroom cream gnocchi

We ordered the carrot purée & octopus gnocchi, the steak pizza and an orange ade. When everything arrived, I was happy with the looks alone❗️❗️❗️ The portions were generous too, and there were so many unusual dishes you rarely see at an ordinary Western restaurant that we got even more excited.

What does the carrot purée & octopus gnocchi taste like?

The carrot purée & octopus gnocchi was the dish I was most looking forward to on this visit! I've almost never come across a dish in Korea where carrot is the star, so I was extra curious. The plating was a perfect 100 out of 100.

The gnocchi was soft yet pleasantly chewy, and the octopus was the most tender I've had recently. The carrot purée in particular didn't have that overpowering carrot smell; it was smooth and sweet, so I think even people who don't normally like carrots would enjoy it. It's a dish that makes you think, "How did they make this?"

Mano di Chef steak pizza: how much topping?

The steak pizza was the one I chose after agonizing over it versus the steak & carrot hummus plate. There was far more tenderloin steak on the pizza than I expected, and the meat had a subtle smoky, flame-grilled flavor that was great.

The toppings were so generous that the filling kept falling onto the plate as I ate. 😂 Personally, I recommend rolling it up to eat it!

New-menu customer survey and mini ice cream

At Mano di Chef Samsung Branch, they were giving out a mini ice cream if you filled out a customer survey about the new carrot dishes. We took part and got one: a clean-tasting milk ice cream, perfect for finishing the meal.

Prices and overall verdict on Mano di Chef Samsung Branch

Prices are on the high side, but considering the quality of the food and the atmosphere, I found them perfectly reasonable❤️ There's a reason it's such a well-known Samseong Station restaurant. There are plenty of original dishes you can't easily find at an ordinary Western restaurant, and the ingredients are used generously, so satisfaction was high.

Having visited, I now see why it's so busy. 😊 Corkage is currently free, so it's also a nice place to bring your own wine.

Mano di Chef carrot coupon and current events

At Mano di Chef Samsung Branch, if you spend ₩70,000 or more you can also get a coupon for one free dish: carrot glacé, steak & carrot hummus plate, chicken & carrot hummus plate, or carrot purée & octopus gnocchi. They also say a range of events is running, including a 20% weekend discount for the 20th anniversary and a free pizza for birthdays.

If you're looking for a place for a date, a family meal or a get-together, I recommend giving Mano di Chef a try! Would I go again? ★★★★★