Early dinner at a Yangjae Italian restaurant: free caprese, Romaok

The autumn weather has been so lovely lately, how is everyone doing? I had some business in Seoul and went up for the first time in a while. Whenever I go to Seoul I always search hard for which restaurant to try haha. I wanted a nice dinner in a lovely place and a special time I'd remember for a long while, so I went to Romaok Dogok near Yangjae Station, famous for its atmosphere and food. I loved it so much that I'm going to recommend it right from the start!

What does the exterior of Romaok Dogok look like?

Romaok Dogok is on the first floor of a red brick building in an alley off Gangnam-daero 48-gil in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and its ivy-covered, European-style exterior is its signature. I'd finished my business in Seoul, dropped my bags at the hotel, the autumn weather was gorgeous, and I arrived at Romaok Dogok feeling light and excited.

Along the old-fashioned red brick facade of Romaok Dogok, green ivy twines naturally, so it feels like a little restaurant tucked into a European alley 🌿🍂

Seriously, it's so pretty from the outside already.. the vibes are crazy. The yellow lighting lifts the mood even more.

I heard Romaok Dogok is run by a chef who trained at madonnina del pescatore, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Italy. You can enjoy a variety of dishes together with drinks and wine.

Anyone looking for a place with atmosphere near Yangjae has probably heard of it, and sure enough, the entrance is covered in Blue Ribbons! The opening hours and menu are posted out front, so let's take a look and head inside.

What are the interior and seating like at Romaok Dogok?

The interior of Romaok Dogok is a cozy, antique European space with soft lighting, and the writer, who booked the 17:30 early dinner, sat at a table on the left of the entrance. The moment I opened the door, the cozy interior was the first thing I noticed, and the antique European mood is just insane. Happy from the second I walked in..

I'd booked the 17:30 early dinner, so I was led straight to a reserved table on the left. The soft mood, as if every light was chosen with care, I just love it.

Right next to it there's a section that isn't a private room but feels separated from the rest, so it looked good for group or family gatherings too.

The view from inside looking out is so pretty too 😭 It really feels like a small restaurant in Europe. It's calm and stylish rather than overly flashy, and it's a nice place to eat while quietly enjoying the mood.

With the cozy, antique interior and romantic atmosphere, it would be great for a blind date or a date with wine too.

What did we order at Romaok Dogok?

At Romaok Dogok you order on the tablet at the table, and this day I picked the abalone innards pasta and the seaweed scallop risotto. The table was set so nicely, and since we'd decided beforehand, we ordered right away without much agonizing!

What are the 7th anniversary event and receipt review event at Romaok Dogok?

When the writer visited, Romaok Dogok was running a 7th anniversary thank-you event, and joining the Naver receipt review event got you one free grapefruit or lemon ade. We chose lemon ade!

A staff member suggested I join, so I took part in the 7th anniversary event, like scratching a lottery ticket haha. You pick a paper from that box and they give you a coin to scratch it with hahaha. I got 4th prize, but it was fun. They said every participant gets a Romaok meal voucher, so make sure to grab one.

Early dinner perk at Romaok Dogok: the mini pine nut caprese

Romaok Dogok also runs various events like late lunch and early dinner, and with my 17:30 reservation I got a free mini pine nut caprese. It's fun to make the most of the perks. This was insanely good, so you absolutely have to eat it.

Ta-da, the appetizers came out first! The complimentary bread and the mini pine nut caprese from the early dinner event. Every time they served a dish, the staff explained each one so kindly and in detail, which I loved.

This is the mini pine nut caprese. The sauce is fresh, the vegetables are fresh, and the combination with nutty pine nut cream cheese really woke up my appetite from the first bite. I could feel it from the very first dish, this place is the real deal.

It's not easy to find a place in Dogok-dong with service this attentive, and I'm so glad the early dinner let me try this delicious salad. The lemon ade from the Naver receipt review event is also wonderfully fresh and tasty.

The warm, chewy ciabatta served as the bread, dipped in olive oil, is chewy and soft, and I don't envy any famous bakery 😭

How does the abalone innards pasta taste at Romaok Dogok?

The abalone innards pasta is the best-selling dish at Romaok Dogok, with the rich nuttiness of abalone innards and tender abalone blending well with the pasta. The main dish finally arrived. Wow, what is this, the plating is so luxurious and the food looks so pretty and delicious 😭

Romaok Dogok is especially famous as a pasta place near Yangjae Station, so we couldn't skip the pasta. The abalone innards pasta already felt upscale from the look of it! Doesn't it look so appetizing 😭 Cut the abalone and mix it well with the pasta.

The deep, rich nuttiness of the abalone innards filled my whole mouth, and the savory depth was remarkable. The luxurious flavor of the abalone goes well with the pasta, so I really recommend this one. The abalone was very tender too.

What is the seaweed scallop risotto at Romaok Dogok like?

The seaweed (maesaengi) scallop risotto is made with glutinous barley, topped with scallops and shrimp, and the sea aroma of the seaweed went well with the mild scallops. Next was the seaweed scallop risotto, perfect as our first meal of the day.

Chewy, plump scallops and shrimp on top of the soft risotto, so this one looks amazing too. Look at that refined plating.

They explained it was made with glutinous barley, and the nicely cooked risotto texture, the seaweed's soft, sea-scented flavor and the chewy, mild scallops came together in a luxurious harmony in my mouth. So good.

Why I want to go back to Romaok Dogok

Romaok Dogok was a place near Yangjae Station where the food, atmosphere and service all satisfied me, and I definitely want to visit again. Tasting dishes made with real care in a cozy, antique interior with a great mood, chatting, the time went by quickly.

It felt like more than just a place to eat; the warm air of the restaurant itself seemed to make conversation more enjoyable. The staff were really kind too, so I felt well looked after the whole time. If you're looking for a good place near Yangjae Station, don't hesitate, stop by Romaok Dogok, enjoy a special meal and have a happy time. Totally recommend it.