Daejeon fresh pasta restaurant with corn soup, kids welcome: Plate

Today I want to introduce a restaurant that our whole family fell completely in love with after visiting with our kid a while back. Eating out with a child always means thinking carefully not just about the food, but also the atmosphere and whether there's something the kid will actually enjoy eating.

This time we went to 'Plate,' a fresh pasta restaurant full of atmosphere in Sunhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon.

I looked this place up for our kid, who usually loves Western food, and what made it especially exciting was that they make fresh pasta noodles in-house rather than using store-bought dried ones. We went in with high expectations.

Where is Plate in Sunhwa-dong, and its hours and parking

Plate Sunhwa branch is located at 30 Jungang-ro 121beon-gil, 1st floor, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 342m from Exit 6 of Jungangno Station. It's open 11:00–21:30 with no closed days, offers takeout/delivery and a baby chair, and parking is available at a nearby public lot. Reservations are also possible through Catch Table.

It's very accessible, being close to Jungangno Station, Daejeon Jungbu Police Station, and Daejeoncheon Stream. It sits in the charming alley of Sunhwa-dong's restaurant street, so even the walk in, hand in hand with our kid, put us in a good mood.

What is the dining room at Plate like?

The entrance greets you with sparkling, pretty light decorations, and our kid was grinning nonstop even before stepping inside. Walking in, the quiet wine rack and the elegant, clean wood-toned interior immediately caught my eye.

Thanks to the warm, cozy atmosphere, it's not only great for family meals but also feels like it wouldn't be out of place as a date spot for couples.

How the menu works: choosing your own fresh noodle

One of Plate's biggest strengths is that when you order pasta, you can pick the noodle type yourself to suit your kid's taste or preference.

It was surprising that there are as many as six kinds of fresh noodles prepared: spaghetti, spinach spaghetti, squid ink spaghetti, tagliatelle, pappardelle, and pici. Looking at the noodle samples and deciding together with our kid which one to try was a small pleasure in itself. You can also switch to dried noodles (linguine, penne, fusilli, etc.) or risotto.

Set menu pre-meal bread and homemade corn soup

We ordered the well-priced set menu. Before the main course arrived, we were served pre-meal bread, a savory and smooth homemade corn soup, and a fresh-tasting salad, all of which made a strong impression.

The sweet corn soup, which glided smoothly across the palate, was especially a hit with our kid — it disappeared in no time, spoonful after spoonful.

Steak cream ragu pasta at Plate

The cream ragù pasta, made with the fresh noodle we picked ourselves, was overwhelming just to look at. It came generously topped with big chunks of golden-seared steak, drawing an audible gasp from us.

The moment we took a bite, the rich, savory depth of the cream sauce enveloped the whole mouth. Being fresh noodle clearly made a world of difference compared to dried, store-bought pasta.

The outside was chewy while the inside stayed soft, so it was easy for our kid to eat without any trouble. On top of that, the crispy fried onion chips, the salty savoriness of the cheese, and the tender, clean-tasting meat all came together, and the umami kept building right up to the last bite.

Chuck flap (buchaesal) steak

The moment the steak arrived, its savory aroma hit us instantly. It was cooked perfectly, soft enough for the knife to glide right through, and once in the mouth, juicy meat juices burst out.

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, once I cut it into bite-sized pieces for our kid, they kept shouting 'Delicious!' while eating it up. A small dab of whole grain mustard gave it a refined flavor that also suited us adults perfectly.

Potato gnocchi to try on the next visit

Looking at the menu, I noticed Plate is also famous for signature potato gnocchi dishes like the truffle bacon cream gnocchi and the cheongyang chili vongole cream gnocchi.

Catching a whiff of the savory, chewy aroma from the gnocchi served at the next table, I've decided I definitely have to order this potato gnocchi menu the next time we visit with our kid haha.

Is Plate worth it with a child?

Between the high-quality fresh pasta kneaded in-house, the fanchal steak that melted softly in the mouth, and a warm space where you can eat out comfortably and happily with a kid, everything about this place was perfect. It also makes a great date spot for couples, and works just as well as a stylish pasta spot for kids, family, or friends 😋

If you're in Daejeon and want to enjoy great Western food with your kid, or want to make a special occasion memorable, I highly recommend stopping by 'Plate' in Sunhwa-dong, Daejeon!