Hyehwa omurice restaurant with a Halloween pumpkin rubber duck: Omil

October has begun. On the first day of October, I came to Daehangno with a friend to see a play. "One fine day in October" is today for me. The weather is nice, my own legs can carry me around, and I get to eat good food with an old friend.

Anyway, the show was at 4:30, so we met up and decided to have a late lunch first. The theater is near Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, so we chose lunch near Exit 4 too, and across from the Hyehwa CGV in Daehangno we found a very cute restaurant. Omil (Oh! Meal) looked great for dates and gatherings, and kids would love it too. Eat, Smile, Love! Off we go~

Where is Omil Hyehwa Daehangno, and is there parking?

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno (오밀) is a 2–3 minute walk from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station, on the 2nd floor of the building across from CGV Daehangno. There is a standing sign at the entrance, so don't walk past it. There is no parking lot.

Come up to the 2nd floor and you'll meet an entrance like this. It's already adorable. The name "Omil" has a kind of "Oh! It's a meal!" vibe, doesn't it?

Inside Omil Daehangno: atmosphere and seating

The inside of Omil is bright and compact, with 2-person and 4-person tables plus window seats. There is lettering all over the walls. The phrases are all positive, so give them a read while you wait for your food.

The interior is bright, compact and comfortable. It has 2-person and 4-person tables, and window seats too. Basic tableware was already set out. Since this is Daehangno, there were lots of couples on dates.

It's also a great place to come with a child. Baby chairs are available, the mood is cute, and the food isn't harsh or heavily seasoned but tasty, so I figured kids would like it.

What's at the self-bar?

The Omil self-bar has phone chargers, paper cups, tissues, wet wipes, pickles, small plates and more, and you can get water there too.

Aprons are set out on the right side of the self-bar. Baby chairs are kept here too, so use them freely.

How do you order at Omil? QR ordering

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno takes orders through a QR code at each table, with no kiosk. Kiosk ordering is the norm almost everywhere these days, but Omil doesn't have one. The menu names were so funny that I wanted to try every single one. There's a wide choice, and set menus too.

There's also a receipt review event, so I recommend joining in.

Today's order and prices

• Halloween! Rubber Duck Omurice ₩16,900
• Gochujang Butter Pasta ₩18,900
• Oh! Pineapple Ade ₩6,900
• Orange juice ₩3,500

Pineapple ade in a pineapple-shaped cup

Omil's signature pineapple ade is made with pineapple syrup (cheong) and comes in a pineapple-shaped cup. The drinks were served first, along with a refreshing orange juice. And what do you know, the pineapple ade really did arrive in a pineapple-shaped cup.

If you use the metal straw, the fruit pieces from the pineapple syrup tend to clog it, so you have to blow into the straw once in a while. You'll see what I mean when you try it.

What is the Halloween Rubber Duck Omurice like?

Omil's Halloween Rubber Duck Omurice (₩16,900) comes with a rubber duck enjoying Halloween and a fluffy swirled omurice (rice omelet), and the rubber duck toy is free. If you come with a kid, I bet they'll squeal with delight.

Little quail egg chicks huddle in a swirled egg nest~ How many eggs did they use? The portion is big. Which is why I like it.

You know October 31 is Halloween every year, right? That must be why they prepared a Halloween pumpkin. A little extra fun +1~ Open the Halloween pumpkin and there's a rubber duck inside. It suddenly reminded me of ordering Happy Meals just to get the toy.

Is the Gochujang Butter Pasta spicy?

Omil's Gochujang Butter Pasta (K-Butter Pasta, ₩18,900) keeps the flavor of gochujang (Korean chili paste), but the butter tones down the heat, so even people who can't handle spice can eat it comfortably. It's a thick, rich pasta combining gochujang's savory depth, buttery richness and sous vide pork neck.

It came out with a flag stuck in it, as if declaring "I'm the K-Butter Pasta around here." I wondered if the gochujang would make it spicy, but people who are bad with spice needn't worry. The gochujang flavor is there, but the heat is neutralized by the butter, which is actually nice.

The sous vide pork neck was tender and generously cut, a joy to eat. I guess I'm a fan of thick, rich sauces. And the pasta sauce, how good was it? After one bite, my friend and I said "This is good!" at the exact same time.

Cabbage and cucumber pickles

I refilled the cabbage and cucumber pickles from the Omil self-bar several times.

Is Omil Hyehwa Daehangno worth going back to?

Apparently Omil is a hot spot in Seongsu-dong. Only later did I learn that in Daehangno it's a newly opened restaurant in Hyehwa, and I nodded to myself.

Omil delighted my eyes with over-the-limit cuteness, then delighted my mouth and belly again with classy flavors and hearty portions. The menu is varied too, and I'll have to come back to try the iron-plate cheese katsu and the buckwheat soba maki. I highly recommend it for anyone on a lunch date.