Seafood tomato pasta in Gangseo, Seoul: Romaok Magok

I had a meal at Romaok Magok, a great restaurant near Magoknaru. It is an Italian restaurant selected for the Blue Ribbon Survey, and I am introducing Romaok, which is well known as a Seoul Botanic Park date-course stop!

Romaok Magok, between LG Arts Center and Seoul Botanic Park

Romaok Magok, which I visited this time, is an Italian restaurant inside LG Arts Center Seoul. Magoknaru Station is connected indoors to LG Arts Center, so it was not difficult to find.

It is also close to Seoul Botanic Park, making it easy to head over for a meal after looking around the gardens. I could see why it is famous as a recommended date-course spot.

You can try Italian dishes by a chef who built experience at a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Italy.

I also noticed that it is a Magok restaurant listed in the 2025 Blue Ribbon Survey.

High ceilings and Roman-inspired seating

The high ceiling was the first thing I noticed when I entered.

With the high ceiling, the room felt refreshingly open all the way in. Arched structures, human-form sculptures, candlesticks, and objects were placed throughout, creating an atmosphere that made me feel as though I had come to Rome, Italy.

The seating was divided into regular tables, signature round seating, and outdoor terrace seating.

The central round seating had the feel of a photogenic restaurant that suited the European-style atmosphere. There was an outdoor terrace as well, and I think it would feel lovely to eat outside in sunny spring weather or the cool days of autumn.

We ate at a regular table, and the generous spacing between tables made it nice for conversation. For anyone planning a Seoul Botanic Park date and looking for an atmospheric Magok restaurant, there is a reason this is such a fitting date-course stop.

Napoli Mare Pomodoro and squid ink risotto

Here is what we ordered at Romaok Magok that day.

• Napoli Mare Pomodoro Pasta — ₩27,000
• Eclipse Squid Ink Risotto — ₩25,000

I chose Romaok Magok's signature squid ink risotto and a pasta made with tomato sauce and seafood.

While waiting for the mains, the table bread arrived first. One bite of the warm, fluffy bread brought a subtle sweetness, followed by a slight aroma of green onion.

It was tasty on its own, but dipping it in olive oil added fragrance and nuttiness to the mild bread. The table bread was so good that I almost wanted to order more.

Tomato-sauce pasta loaded with seafood

When the Napoli Mare Pomodoro pasta arrived, my eyes went first to the large shrimp.

With plump shrimp, clams, and cuttlefish all included, the plate looked quite generous!

The savory, clean taste drawn from the different seafoods blended into the tomato sauce, leaving a neat, umami-rich finish after each bite. There was a slight spicy note at the end too, so I did not tire of it. It was even better eating the seafood one piece at a time. I started with the springy shrimp, then alternated between chewy cuttlefish and clams, so the textures kept changing within one plate. I recommend it to anyone looking for tomato pasta with seafood at Romaok, a restaurant near Magoknaru Station.

Squid ink risotto with cuttlefish and tomato

The Eclipse squid ink risotto came with a tube-shaped piece made from white sauce on top of the pitch-black risotto. I tried a spoonful of the risotto on its own first, and the nutty, salty flavor of the squid ink lingered gently while the sauce kept the rice grains moist.

Eating it with the grilled cuttlefish added a chewy texture among the risotto, while the tomato brought a sweet-tart flavor.

A bite of risotto on its own, a bite with cuttlefish, and then a bite with tomato too—the flavors shifted little by little.

• People looking for a restaurant near Seoul Botanic Park
• People curious about a Magok Blue Ribbon restaurant
• People looking for an atmospheric Italian restaurant in Magok
• People needing somewhere to eat before or after an LG Arts Center performance
• People craving Italian food such as pasta and risotto
• People planning Seoul Botanic Park and a meal as one course

A meal that pairs well with a Seoul Botanic Park date

Romaok Magok is a great restaurant near Magoknaru where I could enjoy Italian food in a space that brought Rome to mind. The Napoli Mare Pomodoro was easy to enjoy thanks to the clean umami from the seafood, while the Eclipse squid ink risotto was nutty and salty enough to keep me reaching for another spoonful. It paired even better with the cuttlefish and tomato. Above all, its location makes it ideal for a date or a meal on a performance day, since Seoul Botanic Park and LG Arts Center are both nearby. How about an atmospheric meal on the terrace on a nice day at Romaok Magok?