Dosan Park brunch before a studio shoot, pork neck steak: Eulji Darak

Why I chose Eulji Darak Dosan for a first meal before a shoot in Apgujeong

Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park (을지다락) is where I went for the first meal of a day when I met a friend early because we had a studio shoot nearby. Apgujeong isn't a neighborhood I come to often, but I wondered where to eat before the shoot, decided on somewhere near Dosan Park, and picked the Apgujeong Dosan Park branch of Eulji Darak because I remembered enjoying another branch before.

The menu is reliably safe, and I remembered it being good with a friend or on a date, so it came to mind naturally again. I went wondering, a little hopefully, whether it would taste just like I remembered.

Today's prey: Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park.

Eulji Darak Dosan location and hours: do you need to arrive at opening?

Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park is about a 9-minute walk from Apgujeongnodeo Station, right across from the Atissue store and next to the Diesel store. The address is 25 Eonju-ro 168-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd floor. It is open daily 11:30 to 21:30, with a break from 15:30 to 16:30.

I went on a Wednesday for the 11:30 opening, and even though I arrived 10 minutes early, people were already lined up. It was an election day, so it may have been busier than usual. When I visited a few years ago it was full too, so it's clearly still a very popular place.

The bookcase entrance and cozy attic atmosphere

Just like the name (darak means attic), the exterior gives off a cozy, attic-like feel even from outside. Upstairs on the 2nd floor, the entrance is styled like a bookcase, so walking in feels a bit like entering a house in a fairy tale. While we waited, the neighbors' kids were so fascinated by the entrance and loved it, which was pretty cute, haha.

Inside, the whole place is bright and warm. The seats are comfortable and the restaurant is kept neat and clean, so it looked good for an Apgujeong brunch or for chatting slowly over pasta with friends. Many families and couples on dates were there, and it felt like a place I'd want to come back to with family or a partner.

What we ordered at Eulji Darak Dosan, and the prices

What we ordered:

• Darak rose pasta ₩18,000
• Chopped pork neck steak ₩22,000
• Katsu sando (cutlet sandwich) ₩12,000
• Zero cola ₩3,500

I love meat, so I chose the chopped pork neck steak, and my friend likes pasta, so she went with the Darak rose pasta. The katsu sando looked like a good side, so we added it. Everything we ordered felt like a signature dish, but on the menu the Darak omurice (omelet rice), spicy crab risotto and corn gnocchi looked pretty tasty too. I want to try those next time. (eyes gleaming)

Chopped pork neck steak: not what I expected from a pasta restaurant

Honestly, the chopped pork neck steak (₩22,000) at Eulji Darak Dosan surprised me with the first bite. It's a pork neck steak at a pasta restaurant, so I wasn't expecting much, but the chunky cubes of pork neck tasted like far more proper meat than I'd imagined.

I've always liked a chunky texture, and the meat was good quality and juicy enough that I immediately said, "Oh, this is really good." It's lightly seasoned, which adds savoriness, and it was tasty enough just eaten on its own with whole-grain mustard.

The grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes that came with it were good too. The grilled vegetables in particular were really fresh and cooked just right, so the juices burst out. It was fun mixing and matching them with the soft mashed potatoes and the fresh grilled veggies, and I enjoyed it to the very end. At trendy pasta places I don't usually expect much from the meat, but Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park broke that prejudice a bit.

What does the Darak rose pasta taste like?

The Darak rose pasta (₩18,000) at Eulji Darak Dosan was a signature dish, as expected. You mix the noodles and sweet fresh cream yourself into the spicy house-made Darak meat sauce to turn it into a rose pasta. Once mixed, the rich flavor of the very meaty sauce comes first, and then the cream and cheese wrap around it softly. It's thick but not too heavy, and the slight spiciness cuts the richness, so it's a rose pasta almost anyone would like.

The noodles were cooked just right too. Not mushy, not too firm, and the sauce clung to them well. With dishes like this, near the end you want to scrape the plate clean with a spoon, and this was exactly that. If you're looking for a good pasta restaurant in Apgujeong, it seemed like a safe choice.

Katsu sando at ₩12,000: more satisfying than a side

The katsu sando (₩12,000) at Eulji Darak Dosan was so good it made me doubt the price. The thick, glossy pork loin cutlet looked delicious at a glance, and biting in, it was crispy outside and tender inside, with the juices still in there. The slightly pink doneness was just right, and the soft bread and sauce weren't overpowering, so everything came together cleanly.

The coleslaw and pickles served with it were thoughtful touches too. When it gets heavy, a bite of those brings the balance back. With coleslaw included and a generous 4 pieces, it felt far more satisfying than a side. It's good enough that I might come back just because I'm craving the katsu sando, haha.

The best part of Eulji Darak Dosan was the meat

The best thing was,

the meat, really. The pork neck steak, the katsu sando, even the meat sauce in the rose pasta: you could feel they're serious about meat. When I go to trendy pasta places like this, I expect good atmosphere and interiors, but I never expect the meat itself to be good.

But at Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park, you chew a bite without thinking and go, "Oh?" The texture is good and the meaty aroma comes through, so you immediately feel they're using good ingredients. So I came away thinking Eulji Darak Dosan isn't just a pretty Apgujeong brunch place but a good Apgujeong pasta restaurant where every dish has solid fundamentals.

Wrapping up

I remembered enjoying Eulji Darak at another branch before, and the Apgujeong Dosan Park branch was even more satisfying. There's a reason it's still popular enough to have people lining up at opening, and the space is cozy and comfortable, good for brunch with a friend and suited to dates, blind dates and family gatherings alike.

If you like meat especially, I'd say definitely try the chopped pork neck steak and the katsu sando, and the rose pasta is a no-fail pick as well. I'll probably go again next time I have plans in Apgujeong. Hehe.