Tanbang-dong restaurant with street parking, mom's lunch set: THE MUA

Today I'm sharing my review of THE MUA, located in Tanbang-dong.

I visited for lunch with my mom, and both the food and the cozy atmosphere made for a really pleasant meal. This was actually a repeat visit — I kept thinking about the gnocchi I'd had here before, so this time I ordered the Lunch Set to try several dishes at once.

• 📍 Address 35 Munjeong-ro 122beon-gil, 1F Unit 101, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours 11:00 ~ 21:00
• 🚗 Parking Roadside parking available

Where is THE MUA, and how is parking in Tanbang-dong?

THE MUA sits inside a residential block in Tanbang-dong.

I was a little worried about parking before my first visit, but on a weekday lunch there was plenty of room along the roadside, plus a small parking space beside the building. Parking ended up being easier than I expected. If you're driving, I don't think you need to worry too much.

Inside THE MUA: private room and wine display

Walking in, the warm, cozy atmosphere was the first thing that caught my eye. The tables were spaced generously so it never felt cramped, with everything from large-group tables good for gatherings to smaller tables perfect for family, friends, or couples. While eating, I noticed a private room off to one side that would be great for a quiet get-together.

On one side there was also a wine display. Pairing wine with the menu would make for an atmospheric meal, and the overall calm vibe of the space made me think it would suit a special-occasion date as well.

THE MUA menu and why we chose the Lunch Set

The menu included a wide range of pasta, risotto, gnocchi, and lasagna. Along with individual dishes, there were also set menus, which seemed great for anyone wanting to try several things at once. With such a varied menu, there were plenty of dishes I didn't get to try this time — I'd like to work through more of them next visit.

Since I came with my mom this time, we ordered the Lunch Set. For the main dish, we chose two options: quattro mushroom gnocchi and shrimp ricotta pomodoro pasta.

Same-day pre-order service and the review event at THE MUA

Another thing that impressed me about THE MUA was its same-day pre-order service. If you order by 11:30 AM, your food will be ready at whatever time you choose. That seems genuinely useful for office workers with short lunch breaks. Waiting for food to come out during lunchtime can eat up more time than you'd think, so pre-ordering lets you enjoy a more relaxed meal.

They were also running a review event where writing a review gets you a free ade or coffee. If you're planning to leave a review, be sure to grab a drink too :)

Once we sat down, pickles were already set out, along with individual plates. Having individual plates is really convenient when sharing a main dish, and I appreciated that even a small detail like this was taken care of.

Lunch Set starters: iced cold brew and 2 lobster croquettes

A little while later, the iced cold brew included in the lunch set arrived first. The rich cold brew flavor really woke me up before lunch, haha. As someone who loves coffee, it was the perfect pre-meal drink.

Next came the appetizer included in the lunch set: 2 lobster croquettes. The presentation alone was really pretty.

A well-matched sauce was spread beneath the croquettes, topped with small leafy greens. Dipping the croquette in the sauce, the crispy texture paired nicely with the soft, mellow flavor of the sauce.

Cutting the croquette in half revealed lobster and assorted vegetables inside. Crispy outside, soft inside, with a rich lobster flavor — the vegetables added variety to every bite. The appetizer's plating and taste were both solid, which made me even more excited for the main dishes to come.

Shrimp ricotta pomodoro pasta: the cheese is love-it-or-hate-it

Next, the gnocchi and pomodoro pasta arrived right after each other.

Along with the gnocchi, the shrimp ricotta pomodoro pasta we ordered came out. It was pomodoro pasta topped with ricotta cheese. You mix the ricotta into the tomato sauce as you eat — and since I'm generally a cheese lover, I really enjoyed how the ricotta blended smoothly into the sauce. The tangy tomato sauce combined with the soft, nutty ricotta gave it a different feel from a typical pomodoro pasta.

My mom, though, isn't usually a fan of ricotta cheese, so she felt a bit differently about it than I did. I guess food preference really does come down to the individual. Still, if you love cheese, it's worth trying at least once.

Why I came back: quattro mushroom gnocchi

And now, the biggest reason I returned to THE MUA — the quattro mushroom gnocchi. Honestly, I kept thinking about the gnocchi from my last visit, which is why I came back. THE MUA makes some of its dishes by hand, one by one, and it shows — each piece of gnocchi had a truly soft texture. Cutting it gently with a fork, it separated smoothly, and it practically melted in my mouth.

Best of all, the mushroom-scented sauce paired perfectly with it. Combining the soft gnocchi with the rich, savory mushroom sauce made the flavor even deeper. Trying it again this time, it was just as delicious as I remembered — personally, it was the most memorable dish of the day.

Who is THE MUA best for?

Overall, THE MUA is clean, cozy, and has a varied enough menu that I'd call it a good spot for family meals or dinners with friends or a partner. If you love Italian dishes like pasta or gnocchi in particular, the wide range of options makes it easy to find something to suit your taste. If you're a gnocchi lover like me, definitely try the quattro mushroom gnocchi. If you're looking for a relaxed meal in a nice atmosphere in Tanbang-dong, THE MUA is worth a visit :)