Western restaurant date lunch in Pocheon: crab risotto, Eoneu Dal

Why did I go back to Eoneu Dal in Pocheon?

Eoneu Dal (어느달) is a Western restaurant that's become well known as a Pocheon Art Valley favorite, and I came back for a weekday lunch with my boyfriend. I'd been once before and loved the atmosphere and the food, so when I came to Pocheon again I stopped by haha

How do you get to Eoneu Dal, and where do you park?

Eoneu Dal is much easier to reach by car than by public transport, and there's plenty of parking right in front. The location really felt car-friendly, yeah. The surroundings are quiet, so driving was far easier, and with so much parking space even a beginner driver like me got in without any parking stress haha

Should you reserve for weekends?

Weekdays are relatively relaxed, but on weekends there's almost always a wait, so I think it's much easier to book ahead through Tabling. You can really feel how much waiting time it saves, yeah.

What's the inside of Eoneu Dal like?

The interior is a bright space with white tones, high ceilings and sunlight coming through big windows. The mood hits you the second you walk in, haha. The white tones are easy on the eyes, the high ceiling means nothing feels stuffy, and the sun comes in naturally, so the place looks bright and clean. It put me in a good mood from the first impression.

The middle of the restaurant is wide open, so it feels airy, and further in, partitions divide the space. That makes it easy to talk and gives a slightly private feel, which I liked. It seems great for dates, and also for get-togethers with friends or family.

Are there restrooms and baby chairs?

The restrooms are inside the restaurant, separated by gender. Not having to go outside was quietly convenient. Little details like this really do boost how satisfied you are haha

Baby chairs were set out in various spots, and the country-of-origin labels were neatly organized, so overall it felt like they'd put a lot of care into things.

The basic setup at Eoneu Dal: herb water and homemade pickles

The table setting is clean, the water comes with lime, lemon and herbs, and the pickles are homemade. The tableware is tidy with no fuss and has a subtly upscale feel, so my expectations shot up before the food even came out.

The water was honestly impressive. It's not plain water: lime, lemon and herbs are in it, so a faint aroma spreads and adds freshness. It looks pretty and makes you feel good while drinking, haha

The pickles were homemade too, clear and bright in color, and the crunchy texture made them perfect for resetting the palate.

What did we order at Eoneu Dal, and how much was it?

You order by scanning the QR code on the table, and this time we got three dishes: the large salmon salad, garlic shrimp and the monthly crab risotto. You can see photos and descriptions together, which made choosing easy, and I liked being able to compare slowly. I picked a bit differently from last time because I was curious about new dishes haha

• Salmon salad, large size: ₩18,000
• Garlic shrimp: ₩19,000
• Monthly crab risotto: ₩22,000

Pre-meal bread

The starter bread was a mini roll shaped like a salt bread, served warm. A faint butter aroma rises from the crust and the inside is soft, so it gently wakes up your appetite before the meal. I liked that it wasn't overdone, a nice basic touch lol

How big is the large salmon salad?

The large salmon salad (₩18,000) comes out nearly filling the plate. It's one of Eoneu Dal's popular dishes so I had expectations, but the portion was genuinely generous and I was surprised lol.. It's loaded.

They apparently prepare the salmon themselves and even cure it with kelp, and maybe that's why the texture was very firm and the freshness came through. No fishy taste at all, just clean! It comes with peeled cherry tomatoes and orange, and that combination matched way better than I expected. The fresh fruit cuts the richness of the salmon and balances everything out lol

I drizzled the oriental dressing on myself. It's sesame-oil based, so the nuttiness really comes up and the flavor is deep, which went well with the salad lol. Adding a little wasabi on top brought a sharp kick and made it even tastier.

What does the garlic shrimp taste like?

The garlic shrimp (₩19,000) is topped generously with mushrooms, zucchini and several kinds of shrimp in garlic oil and bisque sauce. It's been on the menu since the early days of opening, so the quality felt consistent. The portion was generous and it looked appetizing just to look at.

The shrimp were nicely peeled and easy to eat, and the garlic oil and bisque sauce blended into a deep savory flavor overall. It isn't harsh but you keep reaching for more, which I liked haha

Monthly crab risotto: the most memorable dish

The monthly crab risotto (₩22,000) is a seasonal dish, and personally it was the most memorable of this visit. It was the last dish to arrive, and it lived up to my expectations!

It's built on a creamy sauce, and the crab is packed in without holding back, so with every bite the crab meat was soft and the richness shot up lol. The grains kept their texture and weren't overcooked, so it was fun to chew. With minari (water dropwort) and tomato added, it never felt heavy within the creaminess and finished with a light freshness, so the balance was really good haha

Is Eoneu Dal in Pocheon worth going back to?

I was happy with all three dishes, and the portions were generous, so it felt good for the price. The atmosphere is nice, photos come out pretty thanks to the natural light, so it suits a date, and the space is big enough that it's easy for group gatherings too.

Pocheon isn't somewhere I come often, but having a memorable place like this makes me return, and I plan to visit again to try other dishes when I get the chance.