Hwaseong Italian restaurant steak risotto: Paol

Today, my mom and I headed to Dongtan for a mother-daughter date for the first time in a while. She loves Western dishes like pasta and steak, but since we usually eat Korean food at home, we tend to look for Western food on days like this.

Location and visitor information for Paol Dongtan Yeoul Park Branch

Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 11:00–21:00, and it is closed every Monday. Parking is free for 2 hours in the building.

We visited Paol Dongtan Yeoul Park Branch, located near Yeoul Park in Dongtan. I heard it is known as a good restaurant near Dongtan Station; it is on the first floor of Building A at D'etre Prestige, so parking was convenient. It also looked like a nice place to stop for a meal after a walk around Yeoul Park on a lovely day.

An atmosphere suited to dates and gatherings

The restaurant is not especially large, but the seating is fairly well spaced out through the interior design, so it looked good for a date or a gathering.

The clean overall interior and warm mood were lovely, and the lighting at each table also felt thoughtfully arranged. I thought it would be even more atmospheric after sunset.

Steak risotto and Gamba Aglio e Olio from the A Set

We ordered the A Set (pasta set), adding steak risotto (+₩4,000), Gamba Aglio e Olio, and Zero Coke for drinks. Paol has such a varied menu of pasta, risotto, steak, and more that we debated for a while before deciding. I had not had drinks the night before, but I was still very curious about the hangover pasta! In the end, though, everything we ordered was so delicious that we were very satisfied.

Paol, a popular restaurant near Dongtan Station, seemed to have put care into its water and tableware too. The water seemed to be barley tea rather than bottled water, and the dishes were quite clean and pretty. Just right for a date.

This is how our order arrived. It seems they use matching side plates and tableware for all of the sets.

A refreshing set salad to start

First came the salad. The salad included with the set was not a huge portion, but it was perfect for the two of us to share as a light appetizer. Above all, it was refreshing and really woke up our appetites.

Gamba Aglio e Olio, perfect with creamy risotto

The Gamba Aglio e Olio we ordered alongside it was quietly the winning move. It was delicious on its own, with garlic infused into the olive-oil base and plump shrimp, but it was even better alternated with the creamy steak risotto.

Just when the risotto might have started to feel rich, its lightly spicy flavor cut right through it. It was not hot, really—just pleasantly spicy—so I think even people who do not eat spicy food well could enjoy it without worry. Ordering a creamy dish and an oil-based dish together keeps them balanced so neither becomes too much! We just kept eating without getting tired of them.

Paol steak risotto, our most satisfying dish

Paol steak risotto

The dish we were most satisfied with that day was the steak risotto. Thick slices of steak sat over creamy risotto with a subtle truffle aroma, and the presentation alone was a pass!

The risotto itself was seasoned just right, and even though the steak was cut thick, it was so tender and tasty that I kept reaching for it. The steak would probably have been delicious on its own, but paired with the creamy risotto, the combination was simply fantastic.

The rice in the risotto was cooked beautifully too, with just the right amount of bite. The creamy risotto alone was a winner.

It was so good that both my mom and I finished our meal very happy. It even made me want to order the steak on its own next time and enjoy it properly. If you are looking for good pasta or steak near Yeoul Park in Dongtan, I recommend Paol Dongtan Yeoul Park Branch. The atmosphere is nice and there are set menus too, so I think you will be pleased. Having the set rather than ordering individual dishes felt like a more substantial meal as well. If you are deciding on a date spot or a family meal near Dongtan Station, I recommend Paol! I would like to come back next time with my husband and daughter too.