Italian restaurant in a Dogok alley: abalone innards risotto, Romaok

What kind of place is Romaok Dogok?

Romaok Dogok is an Italian restaurant I visited while looking for a nice place near Yangjae Station. Good food matters to me, but when I'm meeting someone I haven't seen in a while, I also care a lot about whether the atmosphere is good for conversation. In that sense, Romaok stuck with me because I could enjoy both the food and the space.

If you're looking for a date or blind date spot around Yangjae Station, this is a restaurant worth checking out at least once.

Location, atmosphere and whether to reserve

Romaok Dogok sits in an alley in Dogok-dong, close to Yangjae Station and set slightly back from the busy main road, which made it feel easier to focus on the meal. Seats fill up fast at popular times, so if you're planning a visit, booking ahead will give you peace of mind.

You feel the European vibe from the outside, and inside the lighting is soft and calm. The moment I walked in I thought, "Ah, this is a must-visit shrine for blind dates." It seems great for dates, blind dates and anniversary dinners in the evening! When I went, the place was packed with family gatherings, blind dates, dates and get-togethers of older acquaintances! If you're going on a day like that, I really recommend reserving!

Visit information

• Address: 11 Gangnam-daero 48-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (1st floor)
• Hours: daily 11:30–22:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: lunch 14:00 / dinner 21:00
• Parking: 4 free spaces in front of the restaurant; use a nearby paid lot when full

Signature dishes and prices

• Flounder carpaccio ₩16,000
• Caprese salad ₩12,000
• Prosciutto lemon dill pasta ₩21,000
• Abalone pasta ₩23,000
• Truffle cream pasta ₩25,000
• Chorizo ragu pasta ₩20,000
• Basil pesto pasta ₩21,000
• Tenderloin braciola steak ₩58,000
• Balsamic glazed salmon steak ₩35,000

Is the interior right for a blind date or a date?

The inside of Romaok Dogok really felt like a little restaurant on some European back street!

It's cozy and a bit old-fashioned in style, and since you can see the serving area like an open kitchen, it felt warmer and more comfortable.

This is the area where food is served and drinks are made, and you can see right into it!

There are also areas inside divided into rooms, which makes it perfect for a private meal.

Western food might feel like a slightly obvious choice for a blind date or date, but Romaok Dogok has an atmosphere where a blind date or date can't really fail, so I thought it was a great Yangjae spot for dating.

How is Romaok's menu different from other pasta restaurants?

The biggest charm of Romaok was the menu. There are familiar dishes like pasta, lasagna and risotto, but also dishes using Korean ingredients such as abalone, abalone innards (gewu), kelp-aged fish and Hanwoo (Korean beef) ragu, so reading the menu was fun.

You get a slightly different combination from the usual Italian restaurant menu. So for anyone looking for a pasta place near Yangjae Station who wants something other than the same old pasta, it seemed a particularly good fit. The pasta selection is varied too, so you can choose by taste, and if you come with several people, ordering one pasta plus other dishes to share looked like a good idea.

Bread and olive oil

At Romaok Dogok, piping hot bread comes out first. I like bread that's nutty, plain and crispy on the outside, so personally I thought it was delicious! The olive oil for dipping had a slightly bitter, spicy aroma, which was great for whetting the appetite before the meal!

How does the abalone innards risotto taste?

Romaok's abalone innards risotto had rice that wasn't mushy but pleasantly chewy, and the rich flavor of the abalone innards was so good! I like risotto where the rice keeps a chewy bite, and this was exactly my taste. Please try at least one risotto!

What noodles come with the abalone pasta (₩23,000)?

Romaok's abalone pasta comes with linguine, a slightly flattened noodle, cooked al dente with a bit of bite, and the combination with the creamy sauce was really good! The abalone was plump too, and eaten together it was so rich and delicious... I want to eat it again..

Balsamic glazed salmon steak (₩35,000)

Romaok's salmon steak was among the most tender and rich salmon I've had in my life! It comes with salad, so it felt healthy, and the seasoning was just right, not as salty as I expected!

A good restaurant has delicious pickles too...>_<

What kind of occasion suits Romaok Dogok?

Romaok Dogok felt less like a place to eat quickly and leave, and more like a place to eat slowly while talking with someone good. But it isn't overly formal or stiff, so it seemed to suit many situations, from dates to meals with friends to important appointments.

This time I was satisfied not only with the food but with the whole dining atmosphere. If you're looking for a restaurant near Yangjae Station that has "a nice atmosphere and decent food," I think Romaok Dogok is quite a good choice. Searching for pasta places near Yangjae Station turns up many restaurants with a similar vibe, but Romaok's menu combinations are a bit unusual and the space itself has a clear atmosphere, so it's memorable.

• Anyone looking for a good restaurant in Dogok-dong
• Anyone who wants a special meal near Yangjae Station
• Anyone looking for a date spot near Yangjae Station
• Anyone with a blind-date-style meeting where conversation matters
• A day when you want to enjoy both food and atmosphere

Next time I'd like to go back to Romaok Dogok and try the other dishes I missed, one by one :)