Daehangno pasta restaurant with spicy cod roe oil pasta: Omil Hyehwa

I watched a play in Daehangno, Hyehwa, and stopped by Omil, a well-known Daehangno restaurant!

There's a Seongsu branch and a Hongdae branch too, but I visited the Hyehwa Daehangno location!

How long was the wait at Omil Hyehwa Daehangno after the play?

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is already famous as a Hyehwa pasta spot, so I had high expectations going in — and once I got there, I understood why there's a wait.

I went after watching a play, put my name down for the wait beforehand, walked around the area, and got in once I got the call. It was much less of a wait than I expected, so I got in easily.

Is the window seat at Omil a good Hyehwa pasta date spot?

The moment I walked into Omil Hyehwa Daehangno, the clean interior caught my eye. I sat by the window, which was nice because I could look outside while eating.

Thanks to the soft lighting and cozy vibe, it works well as a Hyehwa pasta date spot, and I also saw families with kids, so it seemed fine to visit with children too. Being right in Daehangno, close to the theaters, is another plus for a post-play meal.

What we ordered at Omil Hyehwa Daehangno

This time we ordered

• ✅ Salmon steak gnocchi
• ✅ Spicy cod roe oil pasta
• ✅ Buckwheat soba maki
• ✅ Tomato basil ade
• ✅ Cherry ade

That's what we went with.

Buckwheat soba maki that pairs well with wasabi

The buckwheat soba maki (gimbap made with buckwheat noodles) we tried first exceeded expectations.

Since it's gimbap made with buckwheat noodles, it felt like a different kind of dish, and adding a bit of wasabi on top made for a really good combination. It's easy to eat without feeling heavy, so people who like lighter dishes would enjoy it too.

The texture was great and it felt clean and light, so I'd recommend ordering it as a side dish.

Salmon steak gnocchi with adjustable spice level

Omil's salmon steak gnocchi caught my eye from the moment it looked visually.

There was a plump piece of salmon on top, and the gnocchi had a satisfying, chewy texture.

This dish lets you adjust the spice level, and I went with spicy.

It's cream-based but wasn't heavy at all, and the added spicy sauce meant I could enjoy it deliciously all the way to the last bite. The combination of salmon and gnocchi worked really well too.

The standout dish: spicy cod roe oil pasta

Personally, the dish I enjoyed the most was the spicy cod roe oil pasta.

Even though it's an oil-based pasta, it wasn't heavy, and you could really taste the umami from the cod roe.

It was loaded with cod roe, and the moderate spiciness added to it made for a clean, enjoyable flavor, and the noodles were cooked just right too.

If you like oil-based pastas, this is a dish worth trying at least once.

Tomato basil ade and cherry ade at Omil

The drinks we ordered, tomato basil ade and cherry ade, were impressive too.

They're not drinks I usually see around, so I was curious and ordered them, and they paired well with the food.

The tomato basil ade was refreshing and fragrant, while the cherry ade was sweet with a clean finish.

Ordering these along with the food should make for an even more satisfying meal.

Next visit: the rubber duck omurice

While eating, I saw the rubber duck omurice (fried rice omelette) at another table, and it was really cute. They even give you a duck plushie as a freebie!!

Exactly like the picture!!!! It's shaped like a duck, so it seemed popular with families visiting with kids too. The look of it caught my eye, and I definitely want to order it next time I visit.

How the review event and free ade work

Omil was running a review event. If you participate, you get a free ade, so if you visit, it might be worth joining in too.

Why Omil Hyehwa Daehangno suits a post-theater dinner

This visit to Omil satisfied me on both taste and atmosphere.

I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good Hyehwa pasta spot, a Hyehwa pasta date spot, or a place to eat after watching a play.

Next time, I'm planning to go back and try that rubber duck omurice too.