Pasta restaurant in Suwan, Gwangju: cuttlefish dinner, Suwanjigu Form

:: Suwanjigu Form restaurant, a pasta spot for anniversaries ::

A cozy, calm restaurant in the Suwan district serving pasta made from seasonal ingredients carefully selected each dawn, aiming to sell out the same day: Suwanjigu Form

We're the Raon couple. Not long ago we went to Gwangju and made a reservation at a restaurant I'd wanted to visit for a long time, then had dinner with my husband. Since it's in the area packed with Suwan district restaurants, I expected it to sit on a busy commercial strip, but surprisingly it was tucked into a quiet residential area, so we started and finished the meal without any hassle. Here's my honest review of this cozy spot, good for a meaningful meal together.

Where is Suwanjigu Form? Hours and parking

• Address: 94 Suwan-ro 10beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, 1st floor
• Hours: Mon–Sat 12:00–22:00 (Break time 15:00–17:30 / Last order 14:00, 21:00)
• Closed every Sunday
• Parking: 2–3 spots in front of or right beside the store, or use the public parking lot in front of Mapo Seonjang Suwan branch, 2 minutes on foot

Rather than sitting among a cluster of busy eateries, this place sits on the ground floor of a quiet residential building. The floor-to-ceiling window was covered inside with tangerine-colored curtains, and along the bottom of that window stood a row of empty wine bottles — even someone who had no idea what this place was could glance in passing and tell it takes wine seriously.

Inside Suwanjigu Form: cobalt walls and low lighting

Inside, Suwanjigu Form is a long rectangular space. The cobalt walls felt like a warm embrace, and while the interior isn't exactly spacious, I thought that concept actually works well for focusing on the person across from you while eating and talking.

Overall it was dimly lit rather than bright, so even if you'd been buzzing with energy outside, once you stepped in and sat down you naturally settled into a calmer, and somehow slightly thrilling, mood. I was just having a meal with my husband while traveling, but I thought this place would be perfect for a Suwan district blind date, a date night dinner, or a wine-pairing restaurant.

We took a seat at a table for two, and staff handed us a fabric basket to set our belongings in, so I could tuck away my heavy bundle of a bag.

Summer seasonal menu and what the couple ordered

First, the summer season menu on the table caught our eye!! Korean beef tartare, cuttlefish, and pork tenderloin were all available except for anything already sold out. Now that summer's ending, a new fall menu will probably debut soon. Beyond that, there were salads, pasta, small dishes, various steaks, and a range of wines.

Here's what we ordered.

• Cuttlefish dish 28,000 won
• Cream pasta 22,000 won

Cream pasta, 22,000 won

Topped with gorgonzola, reggiano, mushrooms, asparagus, walnuts, and potato crumble, this cream pasta seemed ordinary but wasn't. The ingredients inside were unusual to begin with. My first impression was that they'd used fresh ingredients, and that the combination worked really well — rich but not greasy, with a clean depth. It seems like the same old cream pasta, but the ingredients and the chef's skill can make the taste this different! There really are so many places in this world that cook well, haha. And the fun of seeking them out is pretty great too!

The pasta was cooked just right — mixed together with the sauce and ingredients, it gave a rich, full mouthfeel with a flavor that immediately made me think of wine!

Whole cuttlefish dish, 28,000 won

The cuttlefish dish, served with fresh tomato sauce, minari (water celery), and anchovy breadcrumbs, had an overwhelming visual presence that immediately grabbed attention. It's called a cuttlefish dish, but since it's such a precious and expensive ingredient, I figured we'd just get a small piece of cuttlefish leg peeking out from the side of the plate somewhere.

But what the mini tongs lifted up was a thick, plump whole piece of cuttlefish. I even muttered to my husband across the table, just loud enough for him to hear, "Wait, they're really giving us the whole thing?" It had a much richer, more tender, cleaner texture than regular squid, and I must have thought about 500 times over the meal how glad I was that we ordered this dish.

You just cut it into bite-sized pieces yourself, and if you look closely, the tomato-red sauce came in two different tones — they told us it was made separately with cherry tomatoes and regular tomatoes so you could taste two styles specifically. (The staff explained the menu kindly and courteously.)

Anyone could see, and taste, that this dish pairs perfectly with wine. Ah, if we hadn't had to drive home, it would have been so nice to enjoy it with wine... I really felt that regret. There wasn't a hint of overly salty, sour, or sweet flavors — just the fresh, deep taste of the ingredients themselves on the plate, making it a dish that never felt heavy. I ended up spooning up the sauce like soup, haha.

House-made pickles and complimentary melon sherbet

Suwanjigu Form's house-made pickles had a refreshing quality compared to other places — the food wasn't particularly heavy to begin with, but each pickle still felt like it refreshed the palate. Then the complimentary melon sherbet gave a bright, clean finish, and we left talking about coming back together for our anniversary.

Is Suwanjigu Form right for an anniversary or a first date?

A place with a clear identity all its own! Great for wine lovers, people just getting into wine, blind dates, catching up after a long time, or an anniversary dinner!

A bit of a side note, but we also spent some time at U-Square in Gwangju, browsing Youngpoong Bookstore. I only meant to glance around casually at first, but I picked up one book and, haha, ended up reading the whole thing. Eyes that read books, a heart that reads books. That was exactly my season, right here!