Pregnancy-friendly pasta near Jeongbalsan Station: Garlic Cook & Story

I recently went with my husband to Garlic Cook & Story, a famous spot near Lafesta. We were looking for a good pasta place around Lafesta and Western Dome, and it turned out to be great for both the food and the service, so I wanted to share it. If you love pasta and pane (pasta in a bread bowl), it's worth a visit.

Where is Garlic Cook & Story Western Dome?

Garlic Cook & Story Western Dome is in Western Dome Building B, Unit 208, between Western Dome and Lafesta in Ilsan. It's close to Jeongbalsan Station, so it's easy to reach, and it's a nice place to eat after shopping or a date.

What is the atmosphere like?

The inside was cozy and warm, and the tables were spaced well enough to eat comfortably. It looked fine for a family meal or a date.

How long can you park at Garlic Cook & Story Western Dome?

You can register parking for 2 hours, and up to 4 hours inside Western Dome. Just register your parking before you go 😆

Driving was easy too. It's near Western Dome and Lafesta, so access is good and parking made it stress-free. I'd also recommend it if you're looking for a place to eat after Ilsan Lake Park, Ilsan Aqua Planet or Lotte Department Store Ilsan. It worked especially well as a weekend date course.

The menu and what we ordered

The menu is really varied, from pasta to risotto, doria (baked rice gratin), pizza and hamburg steak, so you can pick whatever suits you. Here's what we ordered.

• Shrimp bomb pane (spicy cream)
• Pasche
• Garlic bread
• Salad
• Orange juice
• Peach iced tea

What's at the self-bar?

At the self-bar you can help yourself to Parmesan cheese, hot sauce, jalapeños and more, so you can season your food your way, haha. There were aprons too, so you don't have to worry about splashes when eating cream sauce or soupy pasta. They even had hair ties. I was impressed by how carefully they'd thought of the small things 👍

Our food arrives

The dishes started arriving one by one, and they looked even better than I expected 😆

How is the shrimp bomb pane (spicy cream)?

The shrimp bomb pane is Garlic Cook & Story's signature dish, and as the name says, it comes piled with plump shrimp. The bread bowl is filled with spicy cream sauce that isn't greasy at all, so you keep going back for more. The cream is rich but not overwhelming, so I think anyone would enjoy it.

Garlic bread is a must

I'd definitely recommend adding the garlic bread. Dunking the crispy garlic bread into the shrimp bomb pane sauce was so good 👍 The savory garlic aroma blends well with the cream sauce, and it was as memorable as the main dishes.

Spicy, refreshing pasche

The pasche (a soupy seafood pasta) was packed with seafood and the broth was really refreshing. With mussels, shrimp and other seafood, you could taste the depth of the broth. Paired with the cream dishes it worked well, and the spicy broth cleaned up the palate. I think it would be good for anyone nursing a hangover, too!

Is it comfortable for pregnant women?

At Garlic Cook & Story Western Dome, the owner noticed I was pregnant first and helped me sign up for a coupon! It was originally for 2 garlic breads, but since we'd already ordered garlic bread, they swapped it for a salad. I was so grateful that they looked out for us first, haha.

The salad was full of fresh vegetables, nice to nibble on between bites 😄 With orange juice alongside, we finished the meal feeling clean and fresh.

And I never expected it, but they even gave me a nutritional supplement 😲 Since I'm pregnant, I was extra thankful. Beyond the taste of the food, I could feel their warm care for customers. Thanks to such thoughtful service, it was an even happier meal 😆

Overall verdict on Garlic Cook & Story Western Dome

Garlic Cook & Story Western Dome was an Ilsan pasta restaurant that satisfied with both the food and the friendly service. The combination of the shrimp bomb pane's rich cream sauce and plump shrimp with the spicy, refreshing pasche was great, and dunking garlic bread in the sauce was fun. The self-bar offered Parmesan cheese and hot sauce, and aprons and hair ties made it convenient. If you're looking for a good pasta place near Lafesta and Western Dome, I recommend Garlic Cook & Story 👍

• Address: 24 Jeongbalsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea (Western Dome Building B, Unit 208)
• Hours: 11:00–21:00
• Last order: 20:20
• No break time