Daegu Italian restaurant for garlic gambas: Etrenne Jukjeon Branch

I finally visited Etrenne, a place near Jukjeon Station that I’d wanted to try for ages. I’d seen so much on social media about it being opened by executive chefs with Outback experience, so I went in with sky-high expectations. It’s already well known for steak and lasagna near Jukjeon Station, and it has also become a word-of-mouth Daegu date spot—but the food, atmosphere, and incredibly kind owner all delivered. I was sooo satisfied ♥

Etrenne Jukjeon Branch, close to Jukjeon Station

Etrenne is only a five-minute walk from Jukjeon Station, so getting there is super easy. It’s on the first floor of the Daewoo Worldmark shopping complex.

The 10th and 20th of every month are Etrenne Pasta Days, when any pasta is ₩10,000 regardless of type. Takeout isn’t available.

The dining room isn’t huge, but I loved its cozy, comfortable feel. The tables are reasonably well spaced, too, so chatting was no problem. There may be a wait on weekends, so I recommend booking through Naver Reservation before you go!

A wide-ranging menu, from lasagna to pasta

Here’s Etrenne’s menu. There were so many options: salads, gambas, steak, lasagna, risotto, rice dishes, pasta, and more. There are especially lots of pasta choices, so everyone can pick to their taste. They also have steak set meals, and the weekday lunch sets looked like great value because they include salad and coffee.

• Half-and-half lasagna ₩22,000
• Toowoomba pasta ₩16,000
• Gambas ₩15,000
• House wine ₩6,000, 2 glasses

First up, the pre-meal bread! It was garlic baguette, and I think it had honey brushed over it because it was wonderfully sweet and delicious. It was so good I wanted to buy the bread on its own... 🫨

Half-and-half lasagna with potato and classic fillings

Half-and-half lasagna, ₩22,000. This is Etrenne’s best-selling half-and-half lasagna ♥ I’d heard so much that this was the place for lasagna near Jukjeon Station that I came in thinking, I absolutely have to order it!

Etrenne’s lasagna has fillings wrapped up in lasagna sheets, then baked until crisp. The moment I saw it, I immediately understood why it has such a reputation for lasagna near Jukjeon Station. It looked so pretty and appetizing.

The half-and-half lasagna lets you enjoy both the potato version, filled with cheese and mashed potato, and classic lasagna loaded with ragù sauce and minced meat. The potato lasagna was nutty and soft with plenty of cheese and mash, while the classic one was overflowing with ragù and packed an amazing savory punch. The lasagna sheets were crisp and chewy, too—seriously delicious.

Cut it in half and eat it with the tomato sauce. The sauce wasn’t overly sharp, so it paired beautifully with the lasagna—especially the potato one! The combination of nutty cheese and potato with sweet-tangy, savory tomato sauce was the best.

It was crisp yet chewy outside and generously filled inside, and I really enjoyed it. I think it’s the kind of dish anyone would like, with no polarizing flavors.

Generous gambas full of garlic aroma

Gambas, ₩15,000. The smell was unreal from the moment it arrived. The intense aroma of garlic and olive oil had my mouth watering like crazy... 🤤

It comes with baguette, and the bowl is truly packed to the brim with ingredients.

There were large shrimp, of course, plus generous amounts of tomato, garlic, zucchini, onion, bell pepper, and other vegetables. This much food and quality for ₩15,000... 👍🏻👍🏻

The baguette was nicely toasted and so tasty. Top it with shrimp, give it a good dip in the olive oil, and your mouth fills with flavor. The shrimp were plump, and the seasoning had soaked in so well.

The vegetables were also beautifully seasoned, so they were seriously delicious even on their own. They were cooked perfectly, with a little gentle heat from the chili, too... This gambas was perfect, without a single thing missing!!!

Rich, gently spicy Outback-style Toowoomba pasta

Toowoomba pasta, ₩16,000. Outback-style Toowoomba pasta! The sauce was incredibly thick and rich, and that’s exactly why it was so delicious. It was loaded with ingredients, too. It can be surprisingly hard to find a place that makes great Toowoomba pasta, but perhaps because Etrenne’s chefs have Outback experience, I was satisfied enough to say I’d definitely come back.

The pairing of chewy noodles and the thick, creamy, intense sauce was impressive. It wasn’t cloying at all; it was deeply nutty with a gentle kick, so I enjoyed every bite. The Toowoomba also came with plenty of plump shrimp, and taking a big bite with the pasta was just 👍🏻👍🏻🤤

It was absolutely perfect with the house wine. I liked that the wine wasn’t overly bitter.

Etrenne near Jukjeon Station satisfied me completely in every way: food, atmosphere, and service. I recommend it as a Daegu date spot, and it’s also a lovely Italian restaurant in Daegu to bring your parents to. 10,000% planning to revisit!!!!