Yeonnam-dong restaurant, solo house steak lunch: Hôtel de Couture

📍Location: 7 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (101-ho, 1.5th floor) / ⏰Hours: 11:00 - 20:00, last order 19:00 / No break time / 📅Regular days off: none

Today I'm introducing Hôtel de Couture (오뗄드꾸뜨), a pasta place in Hongdae with a line. I got there around 1:20pm on a weekday, and somehow word has gotten out among foreign visitors that it's a great spot, because I waited almost 30 minutes to get in, wow. So, let's start with this Yeonnam-dong pasta and steak restaurant, Hôtel de Couture!

Where is Hôtel de Couture in Yeonnam-dong?

Hôtel de Couture is on Gyeongui Line Forest Park (경의선숲길) in Yeonnam-dong, easy to reach from Hongik Univ. Station. Since this Yeonnam-dong date spot sits along the forest park path, there's plenty to see and do after you eat, which I loved.

How long is the weekday lunch wait at Hôtel de Couture?

Even at 1:20pm, after the weekday lunch rush, there was a wait of almost 30 minutes, and when I came out close to 3pm after finishing, there was no wait. I went on a hot, hot day, and I have no idea where in China it got its reputation, but I still had to wait even after lunchtime on a weekday. On weekends, a wait is probably a must at this Yeonnam-dong restaurant with a line 🍝

Still, toward the end of the line I could sit down while waiting, which was a relief.

Inside Hôtel de Couture

The inside of Hôtel de Couture is cutely decorated, exactly the interior you'd expect from a Yeonnam-dong/Hongdae hotspot. There's a tree with ribbons on it, and you could see care put into every little decorative item. A proper Yeonnam-dong date restaurant.

Hôtel de Couture menu and QR ordering

Hôtel de Couture takes orders by QR code! As you'd expect from a Yeonnam-dong pasta spot, there were lots of pasta dishes, and also salads, toast and steak that suit brunch.

Is Hôtel de Couture good for eating alone?

Hôtel de Couture is a Yeonnam-dong restaurant where eating alone feels no pressure. I came to eat solo, and besides me I saw three other tables of solo diners!

Hôtel de Couture house steak: taste and price

Coke Zero (₩3,000)

It's steak, so should I have wine? I hesitated for a moment, but it was so hot that I ordered a Coke Zero. They brought a cup of ice 🧊 with it, so it was extra refreshing~

House steak (₩35,000)

The house steak at Hôtel de Couture is ₩35,000, and I liked that the food came out quickly compared with the wait!

The steak looked so pretty that I kept picking up my camera 📸

Sauces served with the house steak

The sauces were whole-grain mustard, olive oil, a white(?) sauce, and ketchup! Steak dipped in whole-grain mustard is delicious anyway, and the white sauce isn't simply mayonnaise-flavored but went really well with the steak. The olive oil aroma paired wonderfully with the steak too.

Sides and doneness

I was glad the house steak came with two kinds of sides, onion rings and fries! Even in humid weather the fried items were crispy, which made this Yeonnam-dong spot a winner. Meat has been tasting so good to me lately that I picked the steak. You can't choose the doneness separately, but it was tasty meat cooked to a middle-of-the-road doneness that nobody would object to 🥩

Hôtel de Couture: final verdict on a solo lunch

I hear the pasta at Hôtel de Couture is rumored to be amazingly good, so next time I'll definitely try the pasta. Recommended if you're looking for a casual restaurant ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️