Gochujang squid risotto and half pizza in Gomo-ri, Pocheon: From Italy

I went out for some fresh air on the weekend and ended up at From Italy, a Gomo-ri restaurant packed with hot menu items — pasta, pizza, risotto. ✨ It was distinctive enough that people travel from far away just to eat here. I'm curious about the other dishes too, so I might be back again soon… 😊 Anyway, let me show you around!

Location and hours at From Italy

• Address: 669 Jukyeopsan-ro, Sohol-eup, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
• Hours: 11:30–20:40 / last order 20:00
• Break time 15:30–17:00
• Saturday, Sunday 11:00–20:40 / last order 20:00 (no weekend break time)
• Closed every Tuesday
• ⭕ Parking ⭕

A fusion restaurant by a chef from a five-star hotel

From Italy is a fusion restaurant full of menu items developed personally by a chef who worked at a five-star hotel in Seoul. Apparently this chef has 26 years of experience in Italian dining! No wonder it was seriously impressive. 💗 The food is so good that it's been a genuine Blue Ribbon-rated restaurant for six years running. It's out on the outskirts, but it turns out to be a date spot people never miss when they're out for a drive. Knowing it would be busy, I booked a 2pm reservation — and wow, even then the place was nearly full, so I really felt how popular it is.

This is a place that's been featured on Morning Wide and Live Today, and also appeared on Jangdo Baribari and the aespa Karina episode. I didn't try the steak this time, but the jewel-box steak seems popular too!

1st and 2nd floors, an outdoor garden, and an antique atmosphere

There's a 1st floor, a 2nd floor, and an outdoor garden. Dining is available on the 1st and 2nd floors, while drinks and tea can be enjoyed outdoors too. The interior has an antique, medieval feel, so it's pretty and the atmosphere is elegant and unusual for a date spot. The staff were also very kind.

The staircase up to the 2nd floor was pretty, and the mood upstairs was lovely too. Sunlight slipping in through the curtains made the atmosphere even better. There were various tables — for 2, 4, and 6 people. Reservations are available for parties up to 9.

The outdoor garden mood is also great. 🍃 Sipping coffee outside slowly and chatting after a meal seems like it would be really healing.

Pasta and risotto menu and prices at From Italy

Pasta

• Gebawi ₩29,000 / Zuca Dolce ₩37,000 / Wansuk Gratin ₩30,000
• Yaki Oil ₩28,000 / Salmon Doenjang ₩29,000 / Shanghai ₩28,000
• Dolsot Latte ₩29,000 / Pane ₩28,000

Risotto

• Whole Squid Gochujang ₩29,000 / Scallop Basil ₩28,000
• Shanghai ₩28,000 / Pungi Tomato ₩27,000 / Scallop Basil ₩28,000 and more…

* The menu is quite varied. Visiting on a weekday for lunch gets you more benefits.

Receipt review giveaway and ades

If you join the receipt review event, you get one entry into a nostalgic lucky draw. Prizes range from a bottle of wine for 1st place, chop steak for 2nd, a basic salad for 3rd, a glass of wine for 4th, to coffee, tea, or a drink for 5th — worth giving it a try!

I ordered two drinks — lemon ade and green grape ade — and both were delicious. 💗 This is a place that clearly puts as much care into its drinks as its food. The lemon one especially was totally my taste… highly recommend.

16-hour fermented bread before the meal

The bread served before the meal is fermented in-house for 16 hours, apparently. Maybe that's why the texture was so good! The texture reminded me of ciabatta, maybe? Since it was just the two of us, we only ordered two dishes. Portions here are on the generous side. Whole squid gochujang risotto and a half-and-half pizza (Hawaiian and arugula smoked salmon).

How the whole squid gochujang risotto tastes

You can choose whole squid gochujang as pasta or risotto — both are priced the same at ₩29,000. The whole squid comes in and it's topped with cheese and finely chopped perilla leaf. I cut the squid into bite-sized pieces and mixed in the cheese and perilla leaf — so good ✨

It must have tomato and gochujang sauce mixed in, and the balance was amazing? The sauce wasn't thin — it was thick and rich, soaking deeply into every single grain of rice. It took a little while for the food to come out, but it seemed like it was made with real care. The spicy-tangy flavor was deep and rich, blending beautifully with the perilla leaf aroma. And on top of that, the tender texture and flavor of the whole squid! Wow, there's no way a Korean person wouldn't love this! Zero greasiness, so I just kept eating.

Hawaiian and arugula smoked salmon half-and-half pizza

The half-and-half pizza had more options than I expected, which was a nice surprise. I picked pineapple and smoked salmon, two flavors each with their own charm, so it was great being able to enjoy both.

I wondered if it had been baked directly in a wood-fired oven. The dough is very thin like a thin-crust pizza, but the texture is chewy, which makes it even better. Since the dough is thin, rolling it up and eating it by hand is even tastier and more convenient. The bread was delicious here too. And the toppings were piled almost all the way to the edge of the crust — such a visual. The freshness of the vegetables on top and the rich aroma and flavor of the ingredients ✨

Portions here are generous, so we ate until we were completely full. It's magic how you keep eating even when full, just because it's so good ✨ This is a Gomo-ri restaurant I'd love to try other menu items at next time. I really want to come back! Unforgettable… 😋