Gwangjin pasta restaurant with wood-fired pizza: Osteria Hyeon

How was the atmosphere for a date meal near Children’s Grand Park?

I visited Osteria Hyeon (오스테리아 현) for a Friday date with my husband. It is on the first floor at 237 Neungdong-ro in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. I liked both the terrace seating and the indoor atmosphere, and thought it would be nice to visit when the evening breeze is cool.

Since we had reserved in advance, we were shown to a seat we liked. There was also a varied selection of wines to have with the food, but I ordered grapefruit ade instead of wine that day.

What did we order, and what came before the meal?

We ordered the basil pesto buffalo mozzarella salad, prosciutto cotto pasta, and Korean beef tenderloin gorgonzola pizza. The pizza was baked in a wood-fired oven, and I could watch a staff member making it.

Bread and olives were served before the meal with the grapefruit ade.

The olives were not salty, so they were easy to eat. The warm bread had a pleasantly chewy texture, and it could also be ordered separately. The olives made me think of having a glass of wine.

What did the basil pesto buffalo mozzarella salad taste like?

The salad arrived before the main dishes. I also liked the plate it was served on.

It combined buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil pesto, and balsamic sauce. I mixed in the basil pesto, and the cheese’s chewy texture went well with the fresh-tasting flavors. It was a good dish to start the meal with.

Which ordered dish did I enjoy most?

The prosciutto cotto pasta was my favorite. It contained black pork prosciutto cotto and butter, and I chose it because I wanted to try a pasta I do not usually eat.

The prosciutto cotto was mild and tender. The pieces of bacon throughout added savoriness. My husband, who was not particularly interested in this dish at first, enjoyed it too, and I thought it would be nice with wine.

How was the Korean beef tenderloin gorgonzola wood-fired pizza?

Because I like meat, I chose the Korean beef tenderloin gorgonzola pizza.

The center of the pizza was topped with buffalo mozzarella, and it also contained Reggiano cheese. The Korean beef tenderloin also felt generous.

It came with spicy oil, basil pesto, and cheese to have with the pizza. The Korean beef tenderloin was tender rather than tough.

The dough stayed with me as much as the toppings. I liked its chewy texture, and it also went well with basil pesto.

For this meal, I especially liked the pasta’s mild flavor and the pizza dough’s texture. The atmosphere was pleasant too, making it a place I would think of for a date meal alongside an outing to Children’s Grand Park.