Ansan Italian restaurant for shrimp rosé risotto: That Man's Italian

Were you looking for somewhere atmospheric in Jungang-dong, Ansan, or a place for a date? When you want a nice date spot but also want the food to be delicious, this is the kind of Italian restaurant both boyfriends and girlfriends will love because it tastes so good.

The first thing to arrive after we ordered was That Man's Weizen beer.

At first it had this strong floral scent, so I worried, “Is this not my style?” But as I drank it, the subtle aroma was lovely and it was so refreshing that I had two glasses.

They gave us some nuts as beer snacks too, and they were a basic side dish we enjoyed right to the end. Not long after, the bread arrived.

It was a little crisp on the outside and piping hot, while the inside was chewy rather than dry—the bread itself was delicious. It comes with refills, just so you know!

I had a bite dipped in balsamic olive oil, then settled in to wait for the main dishes.

My personal way of judging good restaurants: Korea = kimchi; Italian restaurants = aglio e olio.

People say aglio e olio is the basic test, right? Salt level, how the pasta is cooked, how saucy or rich it is—these all depend so much on personal taste that finding the right balance is hard.

It had the kind of flavor nobody would really dislike? It was not a saucy oil-pasta style. Even so, it went down so easily: soft and oily without being dry.

The bowl was deeper than I expected, so the portion was not small either. Instead of sliced garlic, it came with whole cloves roasted beautifully—it was the kind of pasta that would come to mind when you think of Jungang-dong, Ansan.

Tail-free shrimp rosé risotto

A generous shrimp rosé risotto you keep reaching for

I wanted to mention this first: the shrimp had no tails attached. Why is that so nice? Pulling shrimp tails off while you are on a date totally kills the mood.

With plump, perfectly cooked, juicy shrimp in every bite, it was not rich in a cloying way—just nicely creamy, with the grains of rice still subtly distinct. It was a rosé risotto I kept reaching for.

I kept reaching for it, so in the end I cleared the whole thing without leaving a bite, haha. It was seriously delicious, and it was still good even once it cooled down.

Tender, juicy lamb rib steak

Tender, juicy lamb rib steak

I ordered it without thinking much, but as soon as I did, the owner came over to check whether I had really meant to order it rare. I had missed that, so thanks to the check I asked to change it to medium, and the lamb rib steak arrived last.

The aroma of the meat spread out the moment it arrived, and I could not wait to try it. Look how thick the meat is.

Meat doneness = medium. Even at medium, it was incredibly tender and barely had that distinctive lamb smell. It cut easily with a knife, so rather than pulling meat off the bone with your hands, you can neatly slice it and keep the mood going.

We each took a piece onto our side plates. The steak was already seasoned, so it was not bland at all. It was seasoned well enough to enjoy its flavor without adding another sauce.

The vegetable garnishes were zucchini, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and oyster mushrooms.

You can easily eat these things at home, so why do they feel unremarkable at home but taste great at an atmospheric Italian restaurant? People are so fickle, haha. The doneness was just right and I enjoyed it. We each tried different meat-and-garnish combinations, and my pick was the zucchini!

The zucchini was incredibly soft and juicy. Its subtle sweetness and pillowy texture were just perfect with the lamb ribs.

The surprising standout was the eggplant. Eggplant can be divisive because of its texture, even when it is very soft and tasty. But I think this eggplant would work for anyone because it was tender and did not overpower the meat.

The steak sauces were whole-grain mustard, mint jelly, salt, pepper, and steak sauce.

It came out on the plate so prettily. I love trying different flavors, so I dipped it in this and put that on top too. I knew mint jelly was traditionally eaten with lamb, but it was my first time trying it. I do not usually like a prepared sweetness, rather than the natural sweetness of ingredients, coming into a meal, but I really kept dipping into it. Still, salt and pepper were the best finish.

We filled the table and cleared absolutely everything. The lamb rib steak was, of course, the best, while the shrimp rosé risotto was the unexpectedly amazing one! There was also aglio e olio that anyone could enjoy, plus fragrant beer that went so well with Italian food.

The restaurant is long, and the space on either side between tables was comfortably wide, so other tables did not make us feel cramped.

Terrace and private-room atmosphere

We sat by the window, and the flowers on the outdoor terrace really added to the atmosphere. I was thinking it would be so pretty at night, and as the sun began to set, they switched on a light at our table.

This lighting is exactly restaurant mood, haha. With this kind of mood as the sun goes down, love could bloom and all that, right? I am single. I went with a woman friend.

There were also two private rooms that seat six, so I thought they would be nice for families or even a formal meeting between families before a wedding.

One detail that made me feel they had put in a lot of care was that the restroom is inside the restaurant. It is even separated for men and women! Those of you who visit Jungang-dong often will know that restrooms are usually out in the building corridor, so you have to wrap up some toilet paper and take it with you when you leave the restaurant. But here, the restroom was inside, neat and clean, with interior design that continued the restaurant's mood. Having a place inside to wash your hands and check the mirror before eating was nice too.

The outdoor terrace running along the windows had pink flowers blooming, and it was lovely both from inside and outside.

It would be nice to sit out there briefly after eating, enjoy the cool air, and chat. I also heard that people often choose That Man's Italian Restaurant for first-birthday parties. Since there are course meals, it can host family events and group gatherings, and because the food is delicious to begin with, it seems like a place where you can treat your parents to a tasty meal in a lovely atmosphere.

That Man's Italian Restaurant & Lounge information

40 Gojan 1-gil, Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do

• Tue–Sun 12:00–22:00
• Break time 15:00–17:00 / last order 21:00
• Closed every Monday
• 1 hour supported when parking at the public lot in front of Dongwon Building
• ₩2,000 cash support when using Lotte Cinema Central Rock parking
• Private rooms for 5–20 guests / group seating for 5–40 guests

I do not have a man to date, so I came with a friend, but couples clearly come here often. One couple seemed to be celebrating a special anniversary—they were having a celebration party. With its great atmosphere and pretty food, it is the sort of place you would visit for a special occasion. If you are celebrating in Jungang-dong, Ansan and want a romantic setting with delicious food too, give it some thought!