Yongin Italian restaurant: Ttukbaegi-e Dameun Italia pepperoni pizza

A family dining spot in Yangji, Yongin, we visited for the second time

Last Sunday, the three of us went to Ttukbaegi-e Dameun Italia (뚝배기에 담은 이탈리아) for pasta and pizza. This was actually our second visit. We had good memories from the first time, so we came back for the pepperoni pizza our child loves.

When you drive around for family meals, parking is quietly important, and I liked that parking here was fairly convenient. It is tiring when you go out to eat and get stressed from the parking lot, right? We could come in comfortably without that worry, and the interior was clean and tidy, so it did not feel burdensome to dine with a child.

The pepperoni pizza our child called the best

More than anything, our child really loves pepperoni pizza. After trying the pizza here, they said this might be the best place they had ever eaten it. They usually like pizza and eat a few slices, but it must have been especially delicious that day—they ate a whopping four slices. 😂 Even on our second visit, seeing them eat so well makes me think this will be the first place we come to when they ask for pizza.

Pizza and pasta for three to share

That day, we ordered three dishes: pepperoni pizza, aglio e olio, and ricotta cheese salad. It was just the right combination for the three of us to share.

We got three pieces of bread before the meal.

There is coffee at the self-service bar too! Personally, the ricotta cheese salad was a menu item I was really pleased with. The ricotta itself was so delicious. It was soft and nutty, went well with the salad, and above all, there was a really generous amount of ricotta. Usually when you order a ricotta cheese salad, there is just a little cheese on top, but this one felt like they did not hold back, which I loved.

Mild and chewy wood-fired pepperoni pizza

The pepperoni pizza was wood-fired style, so the crust was delicious. Baked in a wood-fired oven, it had that distinct mild yet chewy texture, and the edges were not uncomfortably thick. The salty pepperoni went well with the dough, and it was delicious—but our child’s reaction was the surest proof. Seeing them eat four slices, I could understand why we had come back for a second visit, haha.

Look at that stretchy cheese!

A unique aglio e olio full of mushrooms

The aglio e olio was a little different from the aglio e olio you would normally imagine. It had a lot of mushrooms, and the noodles had a slightly thick, clingy feel. As I ate, there was also an oddly medicinal kind of taste and aroma, so it was a little unique. I do not know exactly which ingredient caused it, but at first I thought, “Oh? What is that flavor?” and then I kept eating it. It felt different from ordinary aglio e olio, but I enjoyed it.

That aglio e olio is served in a ttukbaegi, an earthenware pot. Our child asked what a ttukbaegi was, so I explained it well. Maybe because they learned at school that pizza is Italian food, they said, “Ah, maybe it is because Italian food is served in a ttukbaegi.”

A pizza meal I want to revisit with my child

Having pizza, pasta, and salad together made for a great combination. The salad balanced the saltiness of the pizza, and sharing the pasta made it plenty for a meal for three. Our first visit had been nice too, but after coming a second time, I again felt it was a good place for a relaxed family meal. The parking is convenient, the restaurant is clean, and the wood-fired pizza is delicious; most of all, I love that there is a dish our child clearly enjoys. If you have a child who loves pepperoni pizza like ours, it is a place worth trying at least once! After seeing them eat four slices that day, I think this will probably be the first place they mention next time they ask for pizza. 😊

We really enjoyed the meal! There was so much that we had no choice but to leave some ricotta cheese salad behind…! It was a shame, but we will have to visit again.