Haenggung-dong, Suwon course dining paid by card coaster: Hado

I visited Hado, a go-to spot for blind dates and anniversaries in Haenggung-dong. It's a great place to treat yourself even without a special occasion.

Hado

Where is Hado, and where do you park? 1 hour free right out front

•Parking info• There's a public parking lot right in front of the restaurant. First hour free, ₩300 charged for every 10 minutes after that.

Hado sits on the alley connecting Haenggung-dong to Suwon Station. It's a quiet brick-paved alley, so the atmosphere around the restaurant is nice too (none of the hustle you'd find near Suwon Station).

Inside Hado: seating, open kitchen and paying with a card coaster

The interior is dim overall, with soft lighting at every table. In person it feels plenty private.

There's a bar table, 2-tops, and 4-tops. The kitchen is open, which added to my trust in the place.

The tableware was nicely set too. That coaster-looking thing in the upper left corner is where you place your card! After the meal, put your card there and a staff member takes it to run the payment, then brings it back with your receipt.

Hado course prices: 45,000-won basic course, 69,000-won summer course

Here's the course menu. The left is the summer course, the right is Hado's basic course. The summer course has more items and costs ₩69,000. The basic course is ₩45,000. I upgraded the basic course to chuck flap steak (+₩21,000).

The two starter tarts: sweet shrimp apple tart and green pea tart

Two tarts came out as starters: a sweet shrimp apple tart and a green pea tart. The staff briefly explained the ingredients and how to eat them.

The green pea tart was light and nutty. They said the garnish on top was an edible flower. The pea purée blended well with the other ingredients, and the thin tart shell was pleasantly crisp.

Personally, this sweet shrimp apple tart was a bit tastier — a distinctive, well-balanced flavor that made me curious about the main course. The summer course also starts with these same two tarts, for reference!

The best dish at Hado: minari yuzu bisque pasta

The best dish of the night — minari (water celery) yuzu bisque pasta. Genuinely... so good ㅠㅠ *Bisque pasta is a creamy pasta made by sautéing shrimp shells and innards together!

Minari pesto sits on top of the pasta. They told me to mix it in a little at a time. The shrimp umami was strong, and you could taste the buttery richness alongside it. I think this is a flavor anyone, of any age, would love — a solid pick if you're looking for a date-night restaurant in Haenggung-dong.

Here's what it looks like mixed together. The minari flavor wasn't that prominent, actually. Given the name 'minari yuzu' I expected something bright and slightly bitter, but instead my mouth was filled with creamy, nutty, umami richness.

They sell the bisque pasta as a lunch à la carte item for ₩16,900 — I feel like I'll be back just for this! Everything else was great too, but this is easily one of the best pastas I've ever had.

Chuck flap steak, a 21,000-won upgrade from chicken breast

The chuck flap steak. It came with mini carrots and mashed potato, and they poured the red wine sauce right in front of me! (The default is chicken breast steak, but you can upgrade to chuck flap steak for ₩21,000.)

For the first bite, they told me to dip the meat in the red wine sauce. The meat's richness combined with the subtle wine aroma really brought out the umami. I found myself thinking, this is what fine dining is.

The meat quality was good too — nicely chewy and juicy. The more I chewed, the more the deep meaty flavor came through.

The mini carrots on the side weren't overpowering, which I liked — they're more tender than regular carrots and paired well with the chuck flap steak. There were two pieces of roasted garlic on top of the mashed potato too, which made for a nice palate refresh.

Dessert at Hado: Earl Grey ice cream

The Earl Grey ice cream for dessert. I wasn't expecting much, but it turned out to be the second-best dish after the pasta. The plating alone really caught my eye.

I believe what's on top is a salted sauce. There's cookie crumble underneath, which added nice texture. The Earl Grey flavor in the ice cream is really intense — richer than your typical milk tea.

The rich cocoa cookie on the left was tasty too, and it went well with the Earl Grey ice cream.

Top 3 dishes of the Hado course

I wish they sold the dessert separately too — I'd buy it à la carte along with the pasta, haha. Everything was delicious, of course, but for those curious, here's my top 3:

• 1st: Minari yuzu bisque pasta
• 2nd: Earl Grey ice cream
• 3rd: Sweet shrimp apple tart

That's the ranking, haha.

The music was mellow too, making it a perfect spot for a date in Haenggung-dong. I'd also recommend it as an anniversary restaurant in Suwon. Even without a special occasion, the prices aren't as intimidating as other places, so it's a fine choice just to treat yourself.

The bisque pasta especially left a lasting impression, haha. If you're ordering the course, I strongly recommend not swapping it for a different pasta — go with the minari yuzu bisque pasta!