Yeonnam-dong pasta spot, basil cream penne & bread: Hôtel de Couture

Today I'm writing about Hôtel de Couture (오뗄드꾸뜨), a Yeonnam-dong restaurant with great pasta. I was searching for a place in Yeonnam-dong, really wanted pasta, and picked somewhere pretty. It turned out to be a hit, even better than I expected.

What are the opening hours at Hôtel de Couture?

Hôtel de Couture is open every day from 11 AM to 8 PM, and last order is at 7 PM.

Location and exterior of Hôtel de Couture in Yeonnam-dong

Hôtel de Couture, which is also a good Yeonnam-dong date spot, is on the second floor of a building on the main street of the Yeonnam-dong district. The flashy exterior catches your eye right away, so it wasn't hard to find. Looking at the facade, my friend and I joked that the name sounds like "Hotel de good" read in a slightly French way.

Interior vibe: good for a blind date or a date?

Inside, the European-style decor and antique mood blend nicely, so I think it's a perfect spot if you're looking for a blind date or date place in Yeonnam-dong. We went on a weekday after 5 PM. The tables weren't packed, but people were already coming in to eat even that early, which shows how well known Hôtel de Couture is for pasta in Yeonnam-dong.

The window tables are decorated beautifully too, so I'd really recommend Hôtel de Couture if you like that moody Yeonnam-dong atmosphere.

How to order at Hôtel de Couture and what we picked

You scan the QR code on the table to see the menu and order. As you'd expect from a restaurant famous for pasta in Yeonnam-dong, the Western menu is full of unusual dishes. There were two of us, my friend and me, and this is what we ordered!

• Pea basil shrimp cream pasta
• Jambon (Korean-style ham) truffle cream risotto
• Extra bread

After a short wait, everything we ordered came out at once.

My friend took the photo like this in an MZ-style shot (a trendy, casual angle), so I copied her and tried it myself. But she clearly has the better eye, because the photo she posted on Instagram looks prettier, haha.

How does the jambon truffle cream risotto taste?

The jambon truffle cream risotto was a dish I'd had my eye on even before visiting Hôtel de Couture. The creamy risotto is topped with jambon and thin arugula, and on top of the grated Parmesan sits an egg yolk.

I broke the yolk, mixed it in well and took a bite, and the cream and truffle went together beautifully. The cheese melted slightly in the heat of the risotto without overpowering the truffle and cream aromas, so I was really, really happy with it. Hôtel de Couture is known for pasta, but please do try the jambon truffle cream risotto.

Pea basil shrimp cream pasta: fine even if you dislike beans?

And then the pea basil shrimp cream pasta! It's a really long name, but I have a bias that green pasta usually works out. So when my friend was torn between this and aglio e olio (garlic and oil pasta), I just chose it myself.

The pea basil shrimp cream pasta uses penne. Honestly, neither my friend nor I are big on beans, but the peas had a firmer, crunchier texture rather than that mushy bean feel, so they went well with the dish and tasted good. The basil cream especially looked so delicious that I ordered extra bread, and I was really glad I did.

No side dishes at Hôtel de Couture, so add bread

It struck me that Hôtel de Couture has no separate side dishes. When two of us go out, I always order two mains and one side. This time I trusted that the pea basil shrimp cream pasta sauce would be good and ordered only bread on top, and honestly that was a stroke of genius. The bread was baked a little crisp and sprinkled with grated cheese.

Everything was delicious at Hôtel de Couture, a Yeonnam-dong pasta restaurant. I'd love to come back and try other dishes too!