Namyangju Italian restaurant: carbonara & octopus risotto, Mac9Table

What kind of restaurant is Mac9Table?

Mac9Table is a Blue Ribbon Survey Italian restaurant in Hopyeong-dong, Namyangju, and it used to be called Chef Mac9. Chef Mac9 was right in front of my parents' house since before I got married, and now it has been renamed Mac9Table and moved from in front of the house to in front of Hopyeong Elementary School!

When I first visited a few years ago, I was amazed that Hopyeong-dong had a place like this... haha. It felt like something you'd find in Seongsu. And of course, it's a Blue Ribbon Survey Italian restaurant! Plus it's my dad's favorite pasta place! Whenever he's craving pasta, he still goes with my mom. This time I got to visit through a lucky opportunity.

Honestly, I went often even without a sponsorship.... (Dad likes it... we even had his birthday party here. It's the place I think of for anniversaries.)

It was a last-minute plan, so Dad couldn't come, and it was just my mom, me and my daughter! My daughter also came here often when she visited her grandma's... haha. This was my first time since it became Mac9Table!

It's where Arien Sushi used to be! Hopyeong-dong locals will all know.. Arien Sushi was also a great place and we went a lot, so I guess this spot is a prime location only great restaurants can get..

Where is Mac9Table and where can you park?

Mac9Table is across from Hopyeong Library. It's quite large and easy to spot, and there are separate waiting seats at the entrance!

We parked in the open lot in front! There's a parking lot at the entrance road, but it's about a 2-minute walk, so if there's space, the front lot is more convenient. At 12 on a Saturday, the front spots were available!

Mac9Table opening hours and break time

Mac9Table is open from 11 AM to 11 PM, so it's also great for a late-night date! Isn't pasta the basic date choice? haha. There's a break time in the middle, so search on Naver and check it before you go! haha

What did three generations order at Mac9Table?

The three of us, mom, daughter and me, ordered the set of salad + 2 pastas + 2 drinks and added a mini gorgonzola pizza. Our three-generation mother-daughter date begins! haha. We were hungry (it was 12), so we ordered right away! Since there are three of us... my daughter ate a whole portion by herself (she loves pasta... she takes after her grandpa....haha). We added the mini gorgonzola pizza too hahaha

How big is the beef salad?

The beef salad at Mac9Table is very generous, with lots of different ingredients. Wow... the salad was big enough for an elephant haha. The owner gives so generously. (I ordered the beef salad.) The meat was warm and not tough, perfect for a child.

Carbonara pasta that my daughter loved

The carbonara at Mac9Table is the thick, rich style with big mushrooms and lots of sauce. It's my daughter's favorite pasta! While grandma and I ate salad, I told her to go ahead and start hahahaha. It has big mushrooms, it's soft, and best of all there's lots of sauce! When eating pasta, I sometimes wish there were more sauce, but here they give so much you could add extra noodles!

Honestly I'm a Korean-food person, so I like risotto more than pasta... something spicy, that kind of thing, but the pasta at Mac9Table keeps drawing my hand back without my realizing it! (Think of a thick, rich carbonara sauce.)

It suited my taste so well I wanted to clap haha. No wonder it keeps earning Blue Ribbon Survey selections hahaha (a must-order carbonara for families with kids).

How was the rosé octopus risotto?

The rosé octopus risotto at Mac9Table had rice that was cooked soft and a nice octopus texture. As I said, I'm a Korean-food person... so: rosé octopus risotto! Some risotto places serve rice that's not soft and chewy, but here it's cooked tenderly! The octopus texture is great too. They said the octopus is simmered in wine!

Gorgonzola pizza on pastry dough

The mini gorgonzola pizza at Mac9Table has a pastry dough, so you can enjoy it right to the crust. The gorgonzola pizza came out last! You have to dip it in honey, that's the real taste. My daughter is more of a pasta person than a pizza person (if there's pasta she won't eat pizza), but she asked for more of the Mac9Table pizza.... She even dipped it in honey, she knows her food.

The cheese stretches so well! The pastry dough makes it even tastier! Because it's pastry, you can eat all the way to the crust (?) haha. I normally never eat the crust hahaha

Drinks: wine and iced Americano

For the set drinks, my mom had red wine and I had an iced Americano. If you didn't bring a car, definitely have it with wine! It's a perfect match :)

Mac9Table also runs a Naver receipt review event, so spend one minute and get your ade! A bargain haha

Does Mac9Table have a private room for family gatherings?

Mac9Table has a private VIP room you can reserve in advance. I only noticed the VIP room after we finished eating hahaha. I think it would be great for family meals or anniversaries. If you have an event, reserve ahead and eat in the VIP room! It's private :) If I'd known, I would have booked the private room haha

How Mac9Table differs from the Chef Mac9 days

Even the atmosphere at Mac9Table is classy! The interior is similar to Chef Mac9 but different. More upscale! The tone seems similar though! Oh, there's the Blue Ribbon Survey sign.

Close-up! Mac9Table has received the Blue Ribbon Survey six years in a row without a miss! Once you try it, you'll probably come back even from far away! If you live in Namyangju, definitely, definitely go! Especially if you're looking for a great pasta place in Hopyeong-dong, I recommend it :)