Yeouido brunch restaurant with galbi ragu pasta and tartare: MOI

A lunch date with mom in Yeouido — she wanted pasta after a long time, so I went looking for a good Yeouido brunch spot and found MOI! The gorgeous-looking pasta photos and the upscale vibe won me over instantly, so I booked a table right away~

Where is MOI, and what are its hours and parking?

MOI is on the 2nd floor of Gongjak Sangga, 113 Yeouinaru-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. It's open Tue–Sat 11:00–21:30, closed Sun and Mon. Break time is 15:00–17:00, with last order at 14:00.

MOI is close to Yeouinaru Station, but there's no parking in the building, so you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot :) I was thinking of driving at first, but it's only about a 2-minute walk from the station, so I left the car and took public transit instead~

It's on the 2nd floor of Gongjak Sangga, and you enter through this doorway. 'Gongjak Sangga' is written in big letters at the entrance, so it was easy to find right away.

Stairs right there~ I brought my little one along that day, and since the stairs aren't too steep and it's only one flight up, she marched right up on her own. Walked up to the 2nd floor, went a bit further inside, and found MOI!

Inside MOI: the hall and the atmosphere

MOI's hall is a cozy space with about 7 tables, and the seats are spaced well apart, giving it a calm, private feel. As soon as I walked in, I could feel how upscale it was~ A place like this, tucked inside Gongjak Sangga! It felt great to have found a hidden Yeouido brunch gem ^3^

There are about 7 tables, so the interior isn't huge, more on the compact side. Maybe that's why it feels even cozier and more private~ The calm, warm mood would make it a great spot for an engagement gathering, an anniversary, or a date with your partner.

With the wide spacing between tables, the hall feels open and clean rather than cramped, and chatting away with mom in that calm, quiet atmosphere, an ordinary lunch brunch outing somehow started to feel like a special occasion. Thanks to the upscale mood, I got to enjoy a proper date-like outing.

MOI's menu and what we ordered that day

MOI's menu is simple, just one page! (Appetizers / Pasta / Risotto / Steak / Dessert / Drinks) With so few items, it felt like each dish gets extra care and focus~

• Tartare 4pc - ₩20,000
• Ribs ragu pasta - ₩23,000
• Chicken mushroom risotto - ₩23,000

Can you bring a toddler to MOI?

MOI didn't have a high chair or kids' tableware, but they did bring out an adult spoon and fork for us~ I visited with my daughter that day, and luckily she's a 27-month-old who can sit just fine without a high chair, so she sat comfortably in a regular chair the whole time haha

Beef tartare 4pc with crisp gimbugak (fried laver) and gungchae

Beef tartare 4pc is ₩20,000. I ordered it because I was won over by the visuals — it's crispy gimbugak (fried seasoned seaweed) topped with Korean beef and anchovy aioli sauce, plus gungchae (a leafy vegetable).

The anchovy aioli sauce underneath the gimbugak was savory and clean, so delicious~ The beef itself was seasoned too, and honestly a bit strong, but the anchovy aioli sauce seemed to balance it out. Would make a great wine snack too haha And the texture of the gungchae was the kicker! Tartare can easily feel one-note, but the crunch of the gimbugak plus the crisp bite of the gungchae made every bite really enjoyable :)

And right after, the ribs ragu pasta and chicken mushroom risotto arrived~

How does MOI's signature galbi ragu pasta taste?

Mom had been craving the ribs ragu pasta (₩23,000), which is MOI's signature dish. It's made with alla chitarra fresh noodles, white ragu sauce and rib sauce, plus kkwari peppers (shishito-style green peppers) and gopchang (beef gopchang, tripe).

Maybe because of the rib sauce, the kkwari peppers went really well with the pasta! The fresh noodles weren't so much chewy as they were nicely firm with a clean bite. The sauce was so good I thought it would make an amazing risotto too~

Chicken mushroom risotto: ask for it non-spicy

Since I was visiting with my kid, I ordered the chicken mushroom risotto (₩23,000) so we could share it. I asked for it not spicy, and they left out the gochujang-pickled peppers accordingly~ It has neungi mushroom, button mushroom, shiitake, and yeolmu (young radish greens), topped with grilled chicken thigh and whole perilla seeds.

Can you see those big, plump pieces of chicken thigh! And the shiitake mushrooms were sliced super thin — even my daughter, who hates mushrooms, took a bite and gave a thumbs up, so good~ Slicing the mushrooms that thin kept the texture from standing out too much and let it blend right in! The perilla seeds popping with each bite added a nutty flavor and a fun texture too.

My daughter gave endless thumbs up the whole meal ♥ I should come back with my husband next time too. If you're looking for a Yeouido brunch spot for an important gathering or a date, I recommend MOI — the atmosphere is on another level!