Dunsan-dong fresh pasta: steak set upgraded to abalone innards, Plate

I finally made it to Plate (PLATE), the famous fresh pasta place in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon! I'd seen so many posts recommending it that my expectations were sky high. Once I actually visited, I understood right away why everyone raves about it.

Where is Plate Dunsan Branch, and what about parking?

Plate Dunsan Branch is at 34 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon, on the 2nd floor of the building right next to Timeworld in Dunsan-dong. You get 1 hour of parking in the building, and they register your license plate when you pay, which is so convenient.

• Name: Plate Dunsan Branch
• Address: 34 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon (near Timeworld in Dunsan-dong, 2nd floor of the next building)
• Features: choose the fresh pasta noodle you like, recommended for group gatherings and dates, baby chairs available

It's close to Timeworld, so access is great, and it fits perfectly into a shopping trip or a date. It's popular, so we did an "open run" (arriving right when the doors open).

Do you need a reservation for the window seats at Plate Dunsan Branch?

The window seats at Plate Dunsan Branch seemed to be reserved often, so if you want one, I'd recommend booking ahead. Thanks to our open run, we were lucky enough to get a bright window seat. The window side has a lovely atmosphere, so I guess that's why it's so popular.

Inside, the interior was clean and stylish. The tables are spaced widely, so you can eat comfortably without feeling cramped. The cutlery was already neatly set at our seats, which made us feel well looked after. There are also high chairs for kids on one side, so families can visit easily.

How do you choose your noodles for the fresh pasta at Plate?

The biggest charm of Plate in Dunsan-dong, above all, is that you can pick the noodle for their handmade fresh pasta to suit your taste. The menu kindly lists the recommended noodle number that goes best with each pasta sauce, so if you're a first-timer like me and can't decide, just go with the recommended noodle and you won't go wrong.

I found it really special that it's based on fresh noodles rather than ordinary dried pasta. The pizza menu is varied too, and I stared at the menu for a long time, but we chose the steak set, which is the best value for tasting a bit of everything.

Plate steak set price and what's included

The steak set at Plate Dunsan Branch starts at ₩37,900. We upgraded the pasta and ordered the combination of abalone innards pasta (jeonbok-gewu pasta) and flat iron steak.

It's a generous set: one pasta, a flat iron steak, plus salad, starter bread and soup.

Starter bread, salad and soup

After you order the steak set, warm starter bread is served first. It looks a lot like the Bushman bread at Outback, and it came fresh from the oven, so warm and fluffy, just perfect. The salad that came with it was fresh and crisp, enough to whet the appetite.

The soup that followed was sweet and creamy. It wasn't overly sweet, and the gentle flavor had real depth, so it went down easily before the meal.

How was the fresh noodle texture of the abalone innards pasta?

Plate's abalone innards pasta (the rich innards, called gewu, of the abalone) has a luscious sauce that soaks deep into the thick fresh noodles, and the flavor was beyond what I imagined. When the main dish finally arrived, the presentation in the bowl already gave off a luxurious aura.

At first the thick noodles made me think of udon for a moment, but the second it hit my mouth, the twist hit too.

That chewy, springy texture unique to fresh noodles, which you can never get from dried pasta, was truly one of a kind.

The rich, nutty abalone innards sauce and the fresh noodles matched perfectly, a taste that made me gasp.

Flat iron steak with cabbage salad

The set's flat iron steak was served at the same time as the abalone innards pasta, and the quality didn't disappoint. The meat was cooked just right, so I could fully enjoy the tender texture and plentiful juices.

Plate serves the steak with a crunchy cabbage salad as garnish, and this pairing is a stroke of genius.

Put a little mashed potato on the steak and drizzle on the special sauce, and tenderness and savory depth burst out at the same time.

Add the cabbage salad and it cuts through anything that might feel heavy, so you can enjoy it to the very last bite.

Promotions to check when paying at Plate Dunsan Branch

At the time of my visit, the register at Plate Dunsan Branch had a notice for an instant ₩1,000 discount for cash payments of ₩30,000 or more. I went to pay after the meal and spotted this handy info.

They also said they give free ice cream if you post a Naver receipt photo review. If you're planning a visit, don't miss these nice perks.

Who is Plate Dunsan Branch recommended for?

Plate in Dunsan-dong, where I went this time, scored very high for both the food and the atmosphere.

There's still a lot I want to try, so I plan to come back soon for other pastas, pizza, and the gnocchi I've been curious about. The place itself is big and spacious, so it's comfortable for a group gathering with friends, and the atmosphere is so romantic and stylish that it's a perfect restaurant for a date.

If you want to experience properly made, special fresh pasta in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon, or enjoy a nice meal with a good-value steak set, I wholeheartedly recommend Plate near Timeworld.