Magok pork lunch course with nothing raw, 25,000 won: Don Tamguso

A Magok date-night favorite, lunch omakase for ₩25,000?! High-end pork omakase at Don Tamguso.

That day I went to the hospital with my husband. I really could've gone alone, but he insisted on driving me,, we checked how our baby's growing — she was a little behind at first but seems to be catching up bit by bit each visit.

Still, since we were out together anyway, I wanted a cozy little date hahahahahaha. While looking for Magok date restaurants I saw a lot of people going here!!!

Don Tamguso near Magok Station: a 25,000 won lunch omakase

Don Tamguso, located near Magok Station, is a place where you can enjoy omakase for ₩25,000 these days❤️ Even more unusual, it's pork omakase! Since I'm still in early pregnancy and can't eat raw fish, a pork omakase served fully cooked was even better!! Let's go!:)

• 💖Address: 서울 강서구 마곡중앙6로 11 128호
• 💖Hours: Weekdays 11:30-21:10 / Weekends 15:00-21:10
• 💖Parking: 2 hours available

It's 300m from Exit 3 of Magok Station, and since Magok is full of large buildings, parking is super convenient! After eating, Seoul Botanic Park is right nearby too, great for a walk-date afterward — we actually went to nearby Seoseoul Park to stroll. Hehe.

Inside Don Tamguso: floor-to-ceiling windows and an open kitchen

The green outside — Don Tamguso has floor-to-ceiling windows so you can see Magok's characteristic green streets, which was nice.

An open kitchen! They do the cooking that needs preparation in the back, and the chef personally finishes and serves each dish right at the bar table. Since it's an open kitchen, it feels trustworthy, and being able to watch the cooking process adds excitement all through the meal.

See all the liquor bottles? Given it's an omakase-style meal, drinks are a must, and there's a wide selection to pair with according to taste:)

What comes in the Don Tamguso lunch course?

Don Tamguso, a Magok date favorite, keeps the menu simple — just lunch / dinner. No need to agonize over what to order, you just look forward to whatever that day's course is💖

The course I had that day

• Soup / chestnut, mushroom, fresh cream
• Salad / dried radish greens, orange, apple, basil, prosciutto
• Main / shio koji, tenderloin, mushroom, sun-dried tomato
• Rigatoni / con carne, nachos, rigatoni
• Select Course - Signature Burger (house-made patty, onion, maple syrup, bourbon whiskey) or Signature Risotto (cheonggukjang [fermented soybean paste] cream sauce, barley, glasswort, grana padano)
• Dessert / today's dessert

There are pairing drinks ready to go with the meal — wine, highballs, beer, ades. Alright, let's start eating!!

Soup: chestnut, button mushroom and fresh cream

It starts with a mushroom soup with chestnuts! The creaminess with the crunch of chestnut was such a great combo. Excited from the very start😏😋

Peach ade, the non-alcoholic drink choice

For drinks, peach ade!! It's packed with peach pulp so the texture when you sip it is amazing haha.

Salad: dried gim (seaweed), orange, apple, basil, prosciutto

Salad!! It has dried radish greens, apple, orange, basil, prosciutto in it. What's that foam on top? The visual is so intriguing.

The flavor is refreshing!! And each ingredient brought its own texture, so it never got boring bite after bite. Every time a dish came out, the chef explained the ingredients and features in real time, which made each dish feel special:)

Main: shio koji pork tenderloin with mushrooms and sun-dried tomato

Our main :)

I came to Don Tamguso, a Magok date spot, thinking pork omakase sounded pretty casual? But no! Is pork even allowed to be this tender and melt-in-your-mouth??

There was sun-dried tomato on top. Looking back, I noticed the chefs were actually making the sun-dried tomatoes themselves at that moment, which was nice to see. I remembered eating delicious sun-dried tomatoes in Italy with my husband before, and struggling — and failing — to make them at home. Right, dishes like this are best left to the experts to make deliciously for you!!!

Rigatoni: con carne, nachos, rigatoni

Next up, the con carne, nachos, rigatoni combo!

A dish with the fun of piling it onto nachos one bite at a time

You can eat it like this or just scoop it up plain — it was a delicious dish either way.

Signature risotto: cheonggukjang cream sauce, barley, bangpung greens, grana padano

Next, the chef preparing the signature risotto :) For the signature dish you can choose between risotto and burger, and the chef recommended that couples like us order one of each so we get to try both varieties!

It's risotto made with cheonggukjang topped with fried glasswort — I'd never had cheonggukjang risotto before, and I thought, this is K-food haha. If foreigners were served this, I bet they'd love cheonggukjang so much!?!?

First time having fried glasswort too (honestly everything was a first haha), but it was crispy and delicious, and both elements together worked really well.

Signature burger: house-made patty, onion, maple syrup, bourbon whiskey

Next came the signature burger!!! A light, brunch-style burger you can enjoy easily.

There were disposable gloves at every table to make it easier to eat, a nice touch.

Dessert: the milk pudding of the day

Dessert already!!! Milk pudding topped with fruit — cranberry? Blueberry? Tangy and so good. They recommended scooping it up in one go rather than stirring it around like yogurt!!

Would we return to Don Tamguso for a Magok date?

Absolutely moving flavors!!!! Haha, I scraped the bowl clean to the last bit and my husband joked I'd wear a hole through it haha, seriously so good.

Next time I want to come for dinner. Apparently the lineup changes then — I wonder how delicious the dinner dishes will be!!!! For anyone looking for a Magok date restaurant, I really recommend this place❤️❤️❤️