Yeongdeungpo restaurant for solo dining with burrata pasta: Mela

I'm bringing you my review of Mela Times Square, a famous brunch café in Yeongdeungpo!! I went to Yeongdeungpo to watch a movie alone, and while looking for something to eat because I was craving Western food, I discovered Mela on the first floor of Times Square haha

Where is Mela Times Square, and what are the seats and reservations like?

Mela Times Square is located on the first floor of Times Square, so it was easy to find and really accessible.

Mela Times Square also takes Naver Reservations! There were plenty of seats prepared, so it felt relatively spacious and relaxed.

What is on the Mela Times Square menu, from meals to wine and dessert?

The menu has a really wide variety — steak, pasta, gnocchi, risotto, pizza, brunch, salad, and more! It's the kind of menu everyone from young to old can enjoy, which I liked haha. On top of that, they have wine and beer too, so it's great for a quick drink~~ There's even cake and coffee for dessert??? You can handle both a meal and a café visit in one place without having to go somewhere else, which seems really convenient for people who have mobility issues or who have a baby with them hahaha.

After choosing from the menu, I had to go to the counter near the entrance to pre-order and pre-pay.

What one person ordered at Mela Times Square, and the prices

I ended up sitting at a window seat. The restaurant is located near the entrance, so I had a full view of the outdoors! There was no stuffy feeling at all, and it was so nice for a leisurely brunch/meal :)

What I ordered that day was burrata & arrabbiata pasta | ₩22,000, grilled napa cabbage salad | ₩19,000, and earl grey tea | ₩5,500 — three items total, and it was really a filling amount to eat alone hahahaha.

Burrata & arrabbiata pasta with Earl Grey iced tea

The burrata & arrabbiata pasta and earl grey iced tea came out first!!! The arrabbiata pasta looked so delicious, with a whole chunk of burrata cheese placed right on top!! And on top of the burrata cheese, basil pesto too!!!!! I really love burrata cheese, and having a whole big chunk sitting right on top of the pasta was totally my type ㅠ

My favorite arrabbiata pasta, my favorite burrata cheese, and my favorite basil pesto all together.....!!!!!! Just looking at the photo made my mouth water ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Honestly, I really wanted wine or beer, but I had other plans after the meal so I held back ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Still, a sip of the earl grey iced tea was so clean and refreshing that it paired perfectly with the Western food~?~?haha If you're dieting or can't drink alcohol, there are lots of ades and teas to choose from, so give those a try haha.

Actually, I originally wanted to try the plum tomato ade (₩8,000) that day, but unfortunately they said it was sold out just for that day ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ An ade combining plum and tomato... that's totally my thing ㅠㅠ If I visit again, I'm definitely going to try it next time haha.

Grilled napa cabbage salad that eats like a cabbage steak

Last to come out was the grilled napa cabbage salad! It's basically a napa cabbage steak haha. I recently tried napa cabbage steak for the first time, and at the time I developed a huge liking for this kind of dish! It's not heavy, not high-calorie, and yet the flavor is sweet and delicious ㅠㅠㅠ I think it might really be the ultimate side dish haha.

The grilled napa cabbage salad had nicely cooked napa cabbage topped with a savory white sauce and pieces of bacon. The combination of the well-cooked cabbage, the white sauce, and the bacon pieces was truly the strongest.... so sweet-and-salty that it made me think of beer hahahahaha.

Is Mela Times Square good for solo meals and small gatherings?

Mela Times Square also looks great for regular gatherings or small meetups!! The location is so convenient to stop by while shopping too, so if you're craving Western food, I think it's worth a visit haha.