Gyeongju Italian restaurant for beef brisket oil pasta: Midam Kitchen

A hanok Italian restaurant at the entrance to Hwangridan-gil, Midam Kitchen

I absolutely love Korean food, but every once in a while, there are days when I get a really strong craving for Italian food, you know?

Hwangridan-gil Italian food _ Midam Kitchen

Right at the entrance to Hwangridan-gil is Midam Kitchen. Since it is a hanok (traditional Korean house), it is pretty and perfect for a date or a change of pace.

It is not just a simple hanok—it has been decorated really well. There were onggi jars and pine trees and such, so it would be a great place for photos too.

Because it is on the outer edge of Hwangridan-gil, the space itself seems fairly roomy. There is a courtyard, and it is nicely decorated; it also kind of feels like a converted home, you know?

I thought it would just be a hanok, but it is quite large. Those big windows you can see from outside made me excited to go in.

Private tables and seats by big windows

Once inside, the space is even bigger, with a somewhat distinctive layout. It gives off major stylish-restaurant vibes.

Rather than being completely open, it is laid out in a U shape, with tables along each passageway, so the interior feels private.

The tables are arranged along the passageways like this. Still, it is clean and has a great mood.

There is a decent amount of space between tables, so you can enjoy your meal without worrying too much about others. Turn to the side and there is a corridor, with several separate private rooms.

You can use a whole room at once, for up to six people, so families and gatherings with children, among many others, can come and enjoy it.

At the end of that corridor, there is a space where you can enjoy the view through the big windows. So good. The wide windows let in plenty of sunlight, creating a lovely mood.

There are aprons in each corridor, and baby chairs too.

We settled into a four-person seat by the big window, and the dining table was wide, which made it easy to use. Narrow tables are uncomfortable, but this was so good...

This is the outside view from indoors. Since all of Hwangridan-gil is full of hanok, being able to see hanok wherever you sit is a real advantage.

Aprons, tableware, wet wipes, and tissues are provided as standard, and everything was clean—very hygienic.

Three dishes ordered by two adult men

We could order from the kiosk. Two adult men ordered generously: pepperoni pizza, beef brisket oil pasta, and beef risotto.

Pickled radish and jalapeños come as the basic sides.

We also ordered green grape ade, and it was delicious. It smelled nice, and there were bits to chew too, which I liked. I always drink iced Americanos, so having something like this was very good!

The pepperoni pizza was seriously loaded, right? It looked great, and it came in a pretty large size too.

This is the beef risotto. I was a little surprised by all the meat on top and the large amount of rice. I tend to think Italian food will not fill me up, but apparently not. I was incredibly full, and the fullness lasted a long time. Hmm, maybe this place just gives a lot?

This is the beef brisket pasta. You can tell at a glance that there is a lot, right? Each dish seems to be a little more than one serving.

Seeing all three dishes lined up like this, the table was so full that it made me laugh, so I took a photo. I was happy about the wide table, but then we filled it right up.

Thick, crispy pepperoni pizza

The pepperoni pizza had a thick, soft crust and was piled with cheese. But the bread-like edge was thin and crisp, making it a pizza I could enjoy right to the end without leaving any behind.

The softness of the dough, the overflowing cheese, and those big slices of pepperoni. It was such a full, satisfying bite.

My friend's number-one pick: beef risotto

This risotto was my friend's number-one pick. First of all, there was a huge amount of rice—the main culprit behind the fullness. Maybe it had cheese in it? It was rich and thick, and insanely delicious.

The rice was thick and creamy with a strong cheese aroma, and it was soft, so it was easy to digest too. Above all, it was just really delicious.

My friend especially loved the meat on top of the risotto. It had the feel of well-seasoned galbi (marinated rib meat), which was great. The seasoning felt refined, and the meat seemed high quality—clean, with no unpleasant odor.

Put them together in one bite and they pair so well. The mild risotto and seasoned galbi-style meat melt together in your mouth—that is the eating point here.

Thoughtful touch: the Zero Coke came with ice.

Beef brisket oil pasta that was easy to enjoy

The beef brisket on the pasta was genuinely impressive, and the noodles had absorbed the seasoning really well, so the flavor was just right. There were lots of toppings too, which gave it a nice texture. Above all, the rich, delicious texture and aroma of the brisket—ah!

There were various ingredients like zucchini and onion, and there was still moisture beneath the pasta, so I could enjoy its soft texture right to the end.

The richness was not greasy but light, so I ate a lot of it just as it was. This place is great for pasta.

We completely cleaned our plates. I recommend it as a good restaurant for a meal on Hwangridan-gil—and for a Hwangridan-gil date too.