Deposit and corkage for a pork course near Magok Station: Don Tamguso

If you're looking for somewhere special for a date or birthday instead of the usual grilled-pork place, pay attention here! My husband and I went to Don Tamguso (돈탐구소) near Magok Station to try a 7-course pork tasting menu. We had the 58,000 won dinner 7-course, so here's how it actually tasted and was put together, plus some tips worth knowing before you visit.

Don Tamguso lunch and dinner prices: how much is the deposit?

Don Tamguso's dinner is a 58,000 won 7-course per person, and the deposit is 25,000 won per person for dinner — we paid 50,000 won total upfront. On the day of your visit you can either pay just the remaining balance after the deposit, or cancel the deposit and pay the full amount again all at once. Whichever's easier for you.

Before you go: corkage rates, allergies and birthdays

If you're planning to bring your own alcohol, Don Tamguso does allow corkage. Under 25% ABV is 20,000 won per bottle, 25% ABV or higher is 40,000 won per bottle. Since each dish comes out one at a time as a course, I worried a bit about ingredients we couldn't eat, but luckily neither of us has any specific allergies so we just ate everything as it came. If you do have something you can't eat, make sure to mention it when booking!

If you're visiting for a birthday, tell them in advance! There's an event where they stick a 'Happy Birthday' flag into the burger, which is a nice small way to set the mood.

Course 1: chestnut and button mushroom soup

First up is a warm soup made with chestnut and button mushroom, fitting for autumn. It has fresh cream in it, so it goes down soft and creamy.

Maybe because of the chestnut, there was a subtle sweetness at the end too. The candied walnuts on top were the highlight — every crunchy bite brought out a nutty flavor.

Course 2: fruit salad with a foamy persimmon vinegar sauce

A fruit salad with dried persimmon, orange, and apple, with basil and prosciutto.

The fluffy foam on top was a sauce made from persimmon vinegar and grapefruit(?) — visually it really did look like soap bubbles.

It melts away in your mouth as soon as it hits, leaving only a tangy flavor behind — it felt like it woke up our palates, which had gone slightly sweet from the soup.

The couple's favourite course: shiitake mushroom lasagna

The lasagna my husband and I both voted best of the day! Instead of pasta sheets like a regular lasagna, it's made with mozzarella cheese layered between shiitake mushrooms.

As soon as you bite in, the mushroom aroma rises up subtly, and the shiitake is thick and chewy like meat, so you really get a satisfying chew.

We took one bite and just looked at each other, and we both said 'this is good' at the same time haha.

First main: truffle oil tenderloin

The first main is grilled tenderloin! It's seared with truffle oil made in-house. The truffle aroma rises up subtly with every bite — it stayed in my mouth for quite a while even after eating.

On the side came German-style pickled cabbage, crunchy and tangy, tasting similar to beet pickles.

It was good to nibble between bites of meat as a palate cleanser.

Surprisingly, the standout was the tomato on the side! I usually don't like grilled tomato and expected nothing, but one bite and sweet juice burst out.

Second main: Sichuan pepper and cumin pork belly

The second main is pork belly! It's grilled with spices like sichuan pepper (huajiao) and cumin, and it tasted pretty similar to the cumin dip you get with lamb skewers.

The refreshing minari (water dropwort) salad was a genius move! Mixed with the spices, it gave off a slightly exotic feel that surprisingly worked well.

Rice or bread course: abalone risotto or the signature burger

For the main dish at Don Tamguso, you can choose between a burger or a risotto. Since we were there anyway, we figured we'd try one each — my husband picked the signature burger and I picked the abalone risotto!

The crispy bangpul namul (a wild herb) fritter shattered almost like a crispy cracker. Between the thick creamy sauce, barley grains popped, and the bangpul namul crunched apart crisply.

The burger has jambon, arugula, and carrot rapee inside. I expected it to be greasy and heavy like a regular gourmet burger, but it was the total opposite!

It felt less like eating a burger and more like wrapping a vegetable salad in a tortilla. Even after working through the whole course before it, we finished every bite without feeling bloated afterward.

Last dessert: blueberry milk pudding

Dessert is a milk pudding with blueberries!

Don't stir it, just scoop deep down to the bottom — it's soft and fluffy from the very first spoonful.

It melts away the moment it's in your mouth, no chewing needed! With the tart-sweet blueberry on top, it was a lovely way to close out the 7-course meal.

Is Don Tamguso worth it as a date near Magok Station?

It felt completely different from the usual grilled pork on a tabletop stove, which was exactly what we wanted for a different kind of date. Working through the 7 courses one by one, we kept getting curious about what was coming next — and the lasagna we both loved is still on my mind haha.