Songdo Italian couple's lunch: Jeju pork tomahawk & gnocchi, Cenacolo

It had been a while since my husband and I carved out time for a weekend lunch date in Songdo. Eating out as just the two of us, without the kids, made it extra exciting. I couldn't decide where to go, then heard the atmosphere and food were both good, so we went to Cenacolo Artfore (체나콜로 아트포레).

Where is Cenacolo Artfore, and how does parking work?

Cenacolo is on the 2nd floor of the Artfore building in Songdo. Park in the Artfore car park and register your car after your meal, and parking is free. It's near Central Park, so it works well as a date course with a walk first. Parking inside the building was easy, and the free parking was a quietly nice bonus.

The sign isn't very big, so we walked right past it, hahaha. The restaurant itself feels totally European, haha. It made me think back to Italy... sniff, I want to go again.

Is Cenacolo Artfore a good spot for a date?

With wood-toned interiors, soft lighting and big windows full of natural light, Cenacolo Artfore has a calm, European-restaurant feel that suits dates and anniversaries. The moment we walked in, it felt exactly like a European restaurant, hahaha. With the natural light added, the whole place felt calm yet classy. It isn't flashy, which made it more comfortable to eat in, and I think it would suit an important meeting or an anniversary too. (Looking around while we ate, many of the other guests seemed to be office workers or foreigners.)

Book ahead for weekend lunch at Cenacolo Artfore

We booked ahead and were shown to a window seat, and I was really glad we did. It was empty at first, but filled up quickly around lunchtime. Weekends are fairly busy, so I'd recommend a reservation if you want to eat in peace.

Cenacolo Artfore menu: what we ordered

Cenacolo Artfore's main dishes are pasta, risotto and steak. That day we ordered the mushroom cream gnocchi and the Jeju black pork tomahawk steak. Honestly, I'd been really looking forward to the onion soup, sniff, but it's a winter-season menu item and couldn't be ordered that day, which was a little disappointing. I'll have to try it next time.

There's also a receipt review event! You can get an ade or the soup of the day, so keep it in mind if you're going.

Date vibes all over the place, haha. If you're looking for steak or pasta for a Songdo date, the atmosphere here will satisfy you.

Complimentary bread, olives and pickles

Bread, olives and pickles come as standard at Cenacolo Artfore, haha.

The olives were weirdly addictive, so we paid ₩1,000 extra for more.

How is the mushroom cream gnocchi at Cenacolo?

The mushroom cream gnocchi at Cenacolo Artfore has a strong but not overpowering truffle aroma, with gnocchi that's springy outside and soft inside, plus plenty of mushrooms. It came out first, and the look of it raised my expectations right away. The truffle scent was quite strong, yet it spread in a refined way rather than overwhelming. (Honestly I rarely eat gnocchi, so it was just delicious to me... haha.)

The texture of the gnocchi was really good too. Slightly springy outside and melting soft inside, it went so well with the cream sauce. With plenty of mushrooms, the flavor kept coming back with every bite.

Cream plus potato could easily be heavy, but strangely I kept reaching for more.

How was the Jeju black pork tomahawk steak?

The main, the Jeju black pork tomahawk steak at Cenacolo Artfore, was very tender and juicy, and its mildly spicy sauce cut the richness of the cream gnocchi perfectly. It had real presence from the moment it arrived. Best of all was the sauce.

Why the gnocchi and pork tomahawk pair so well

The mushroom cream gnocchi and the tomahawk really went well together. A bite of creamy gnocchi, then a slice of tomahawk, and your mouth feels neatly reset, so we never got tired of it right to the end.

The chewy figs were unique and delicious, haha (I'm a total fig fanatic).

It also came with blanched spinach, I think? Nice to get some vegetables too. A bite with the potato~ mmm.

Is it enough food for two?

Two dishes, the mushroom cream gnocchi and the tomahawk, was quite generous for two people. I thought the gnocchi would be too rich to eat much of, but it just kept going down, hahaha. We could enjoy it at leisure, chatting and eating slowly the whole meal. Eating in this kind of atmosphere probably made the food taste even better too.

Cenacolo Artfore in a nutshell

Cenacolo Artfore is a Songdo Italian restaurant that has earned both a Blue Ribbon and a Red Ribbon, haha. To sum up:

• A Songdo date spot with a great atmosphere
• A must-order if you like gnocchi
• The pairing with the steak was truly excellent
• I'll be back for the onion soup next time, haha (around winter...)

Having a relaxed meal with my husband after so long made it a happy time that I'll remember. If you're looking for an Italian restaurant with a good atmosphere in Songdo, Cenacolo Artfore is worth a visit.