Gung-dong pasta bar, Daejeon: bacon cream pasta and shrimp pilaf

I was craving good pasta near Chungnam National University after a while, so I headed to Gung-dong. Being a university neighborhood, Gung-dong has tons of good restaurants and cafés, and this time I visited Ciment Chungnam National University Branch (씨멘트 궁동충남대점).

If you like Western food like pasta or pizza, I'd recommend stopping by at least once!! It's especially good for a casual meal with a friend, and the atmosphere is nice enough for a date too.

Where is Ciment in Gung-dong, and what are the hours and parking?

Ciment Chungnam National University Branch is on the 1st floor at 131 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Weekday hours are 10:40-21:40, weekend hours are 11:00-21:40, and last order is at 21:00.

• 📍 131 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea, 1st floor
• 📆 Weekdays 10:40-21:40 / Weekends 11:00-21:40 (last order 21:00)
• 🅿️ No dedicated lot (1 spot at the back entrance, white-line street parking in the alley)

The store has entrances at both the front and the back! There was space for one car to park at the back.

Inside Ciment: seating and ordering by table kiosk

Walking in, I found a clean, spacious, comfortable dining room. There are tables for 2, 4, and 6 people.

Water is self-serve. Every table has a kiosk, and there's cutlery near the counter if you need extra.

Here's the overall vibe of the place.

On the way to the back door there's a restroom, which is unisex! The kitchen is open, too, which felt reassuring.

Once we sat down, they set the table like this.

This sign seems to list the signature menu items.

This is the kiosk — you can pay right from it.

What we ordered at Ciment and what it cost

The menu was really varied. Here's what we ordered:

• ☑️ Bacon cream pasta (₩8,900)
• ☑️ Spicy shrimp pilaf (₩10,500)
• ☑️ Ciment garlic fries (₩12,500)
• ☑️ Blue lemonade (₩4,000)

If you're looking for a good Western food spot in Gung-dong, Ciment Chungnam National University Branch is worth a visit. Pasta and pizza are dishes most people like, so it's easy to pick menu items when you're with a group, and there's enough variety that it's fun to choose. Visiting this time reminded me that Gung-dong has more Western restaurants than I expected, and I want to come back to try other dishes next time.

Everything looks delicious...

How do the bacon cream pasta and spicy shrimp pilaf taste, and how spicy are they?

Pasta is a must for Western food!! The bacon cream pasta at Ciment Chungnam National University Branch is only ₩8,900, but the portion wasn't small at all, and more than anything, it was really really good. The noodles and sauce came together so well that I ended up scraping up every last bit of sauce.

I heard the pilaf was spicy and braced myself, but as someone who's terrible with spice, I couldn't even tell it was spicy. Both dishes were so good I would've regretted skipping the garlic fries we ordered alongside them too. All three dishes highly recommended!!

Looking back at these photos makes me want to eat it again... I'm calling this my go-to Gung-dong pasta spot 🤍 Next time I definitely want to try other kinds of pasta too.

Who should eat at Ciment in Gung-dong?

The view from inside the restaurant. Personally, I think Ciment Chungnam National University Branch is a great fit for anyone who wants to enjoy Western food in a comfortable setting. If a super fancy restaurant feels like too much, but you still want somewhere with a bit more atmosphere than an ordinary diner, I highly recommend it 👍🏻👍🏻

Since Gung-dong is right around Chungnam National University, there are a lot of restaurants with a young, lively vibe, and this place fits right in with that atmosphere. So personally, this is somewhere I'd want to recommend to anyone looking for a good Gung-dong restaurant. If you're after Western food in Gung-dong, go check out Ciment Chungnam National University Branch.