Italian restaurant in Yeonsu, Incheon: Cenacolo Artfore pasta

While my husband and I were on a date at Songdo Central Park, we went to Cenacolo Artfore (체나콜로 아트포레) for pasta. The rich sauce of the shrimp rosé pasta and the texture of the sweet shrimp risotto were especially memorable.

Where is it near Central Park, and is parking available?

Cenacolo Artfore is on the second floor of Artfore Building C, near Incheon Art Center and the start of Songdo Central Park. We could use the commercial building's B1 parking lot, which made it convenient to drive.

The Artfore street felt a little like walking through a European street. Three Blue Ribbon badges and a Red Ribbon were displayed by the entrance, which raised my expectations before the meal.

Is the atmosphere good for a date or gathering?

There are outdoor tables, and I thought it would suit a meal under the soft lights around sunset.

Inside, the plaster-finish interior had the atmosphere of a European restaurant. There were many tables for two to four people as well as a group table for six, so it looked suitable for dinner as a pair or a larger gathering.

Even during our visit, several tables were having gatherings over wine. I thought it would also suit an invitation gathering, a blind date, or a year-end get-together.

What did we order for two, and how were the prices?

The menu included Italian dishes such as salads, pasta, and steak. The prices felt somewhat high, so I thought it would be a good place for a special occasion. The two of us ordered the soup of the day, Caprese salad, shrimp rosé pasta, and sweet shrimp risotto.

We chose the soup of the day because it was said to be discounted every day. We picked the sweet shrimp risotto after seeing it praised in other visitors' reviews, and I was pleased with it after trying it myself.

How were the bread and soup of the day?

After we ordered, the bread arrived first. It was tasty even dipped only in olive oil, so we ordered an extra serving.

We were told that the soup of the day changes daily, and it was sweet potato soup on the day we visited. My husband, who usually likes sweet potatoes, said he wanted to keep dipping the bread in it. I enjoyed it too, so the meal was already enjoyable before the mains arrived.

What did the Caprese salad taste like?

The Caprese salad had a refreshing sauce full of basil aroma. It was a fruit-forward salad with green grapes and tomatoes, so even my husband, who does not particularly like vegetables, ate it well.

What stood out most about the shrimp rosé pasta?

The shrimp rosé pasta was my husband's favorite dish of the day. He said it was as good as the pasta he usually enjoys, and that he could understand why it was a little expensive.

What I remembered was the sauce's deep shrimp flavor. It was so flavorful that it seemed as if shrimp heads had been blended into it. The pasta was cooked well, and we dipped the extra bread into the remaining sauce.

How was the sweet shrimp risotto different from the pasta?

It was my first time having sweet shrimp risotto here. To my taste, the seasoning was well balanced, without leaning too salty, sweet, or spicy. While the pasta kept drawing me back for another bite, I found myself savoring the risotto slowly, one bite at a time.

I mixed the mashed sweet shrimp into the rice. The grains were slightly firm, making them pleasant to chew, and they went well with the distinctive nutty flavor of sweet shrimp. It remained one of the dishes I would want to eat again from this meal.

Would I return despite the prices?

The prices were somewhat high, but I enjoyed everything from the bread to the pasta and risotto. This time I came on a date with my husband, but I saved it as a place I would also like to return to with friends for wine and conversation.