Date-night omakase in Pangyo: roast beef and eel katsudon, Kkweda

On a day when I wanted a bit of atmosphere in Pangyo, I couldn't decide where to go, and ended up booking Kkweda Pangyo Avenue France Branch (꿰다 판교아브뉴프랑점). I wanted omakase (chef's-choice course) but nothing too stuffy, and I definitely didn't want an ordinary rice place. This spot hit exactly that! haha Lots of you near Pangyo Station are probably looking for a date or a meal with someone special, so let me honestly tell you how my visit went.

Kkweda Pangyo Avenue France Branch: hours, parking and how to get there

Kkweda Pangyo Avenue France Branch is on the first floor of Pangyo Hoban Summit Place, 381 m from Exit 1 of Pangyo Station. It is open 11:30–21:30, and you need to ask the restaurant about regular closing days.

• Opening hours: 11:30–21:30
• Regular closing days: ask the restaurant
• Parking: basement level 1 of Pangyo Avenue France
• Public transport: 381 m from Exit 1 of Pangyo Station

What's the atmosphere like at Kkweda in Pangyo?

The mood is neither too heavy nor too casual, so it's easy to chat and still focus on the food. My first thought walking in was, "Ah, good choice."

I'd heard they serve dishes made with seasonal ingredients, so my expectations were high, and the menu alone already felt so seasonal. The menu seems to change a little each season, and when I visited it was themed "12th Season [Spring and Jang]." Doesn't the name alone smell like craftsmanship? Honestly, at some omakase places you just listen to explanations and that's it, but at Kkweda it was really fun to see how each dish handled its seasonal ingredients.

How was Kkweda's "Spring and Jang" dinner course?

The "Spring and Jang" seasonal dinner course kept the natural taste of the ingredients while adding unique touches using jang (Korean fermented soy sauces and pastes). Once the dishes started coming, my suspicion turned into certainty after the very first bite. The taste was great, but the saying "you eat with your eyes first" fit the presentation perfectly.

From cold potato soup to rare cheesecake, the seasonal course dish by dish

Cold potato soup and barley salad

The opening cold potato soup was chilled yet nutty, and it really woke up my appetite. The barley salad that followed

had a really fun chewy texture.

Steamed abalone and eggplant

Next, the steamed abalone and eggplant combined the chewiness of abalone with the softness of eggplant for a deep flavor. This was the dish I was most looking forward to, and the match between sauce and ingredients was seriously amazing.

The plump abalone had soaked into the eggplant so well that my eyes went wide after one bite.

Shrimp cannelloni

The shrimp cannelloni that came next was nice as a neat, bite-sized dish, and I scraped up every bit of the sauce.

The deep flavor of the sauce blended perfectly with the ingredients, and the plate was empty in no time.

Clear chicken soup

The clear chicken soup in the middle of the course had a deep, rich broth that really left an impression.

It neatly reset the flavors of the earlier dishes and felt warming and soothing for the stomach.

Main dish: roast beef

Thanks to the chef's careful cooking, the roast beef main was cooked perfectly. The tender meat paired with the garnishes was a lot of fun to combine. It tasted kind of sous vide, haha

Meal dish: eel katsudon

The meal dish was an eel katsudon (fried eel rice bowl),

with crispy fried eel on top of rice that made it nice and filling.

That one bowl alone gave the course real weight.

Dessert: rare cheesecake

The final dessert, rare cheesecake, wasn't overly sweet and had a clean aftertaste, making a perfect finish.

It was a pleasant sweetness that made me want a cup of coffee.

The whole flow of Kkweda's "Spring and Jang" course

• Cold potato soup
• Barley salad
• Steamed abalone and eggplant
• Shrimp cannelloni
• Clear chicken soup
• Roast beef (main)
• Eel katsudon (meal)
• Rare cheesecake (dessert)

Checking the menu between dishes to follow the flow of the course made the meal even more enjoyable.

Is Kkweda Pangyo Avenue France Branch worth recommending for a Pangyo date dinner?

The "Spring and Jang" course at Kkweda Pangyo Avenue France Branch had really excellent harmony of ingredients and flow of flavors. If you want a proper dinner in Pangyo, or a cozy evening with someone special, I strongly recommend it. Thanks to the clean interior and carefully made dishes, I had a lovely time the whole visit. I'll definitely go back when the next season's menu comes out!