Italian restaurant in Euljiro 3-ga for sisters: mackerel pasta at Pyu

I heard there's a newly rising hot spot in Euljiro with a hip vibe and gorgeous Italian food, so I went with my older sister. It's called Pyu Euljiro (퓨 을지로).

It's stylish and the food is really good, so it's already getting a name by word of mouth as a place for dates, blind dates and get-togethers.

When we visited, it was full of people enjoying the atmosphere, so my expectations were sky-high before we even went in!

How do you get to Pyu Euljiro, and where can you park?

Pyu Euljiro is a 3–4 minute walk from Exit 9 of Euljiro 3-ga Station, on the first floor of a building with tiger and magpie statues, so it was really easy to find.

A rare, comfortable parking setup in hip Euljiro

Isn't it always a headache that there's nowhere to park if you drive to Euljiro? But you can use the building's basement parking at Pyu Euljiro easily, so it seems like a great place to come by car.

An 80-pyeong dining room: how much space between tables?

Pyu Euljiro is a huge 80-pyeong space (about 260 m²), so it didn't feel stuffy at all. The moment we stepped in, the wide, clean interior hit us at once and I couldn't help gasping.

Past the lovely open kitchen, the place turned out to be much bigger than I'd thought, with plenty of seating.

Leafy green wooden objects are placed here and there, adding a cozy feel.

Natural light pours in through the big windows, so the whole space feels airy and really pretty. The tables are spaced very far apart, so my sister and I could chat comfortably without worrying about the people next to us.

A stylish, cozy entrance and warm lighting

Even a glance from outside told me the menu and storefront were something special, and the cozy, tasteful lighting at the entrance got me all excited. The interior of Pyu Euljiro is both stylish and snug, perfect for setting a mood on a special day or getting that perfect photo.

Book ahead for a welcome sign with your name on it

I'd booked ahead, and a pretty welcome card with my name on it was waiting on the table. It's a small detail, but it made me feel properly looked after and I was smiling before the meal even started. The neat, pretty water bottle and table setting were so aesthetic that I had to take photos.

What we ordered at Pyu Euljiro

My sister and I ordered Pyu Euljiro's signature recommendations, the mackerel pasta and the garden tomato risotto. Instead of the usual Western dishes, there were lots of unusual ones with the chef's personality, so we happily agonized over the menu together.

Everything looked good and we deliberated for ages before choosing this combo, and it was a huge success.

Is the mackerel pasta at Pyu Euljiro fishy?

Pyu Euljiro's mackerel pasta is an oil-based pasta topped with a whole marinated mackerel, big and moist with no fishy taste. It was the dish I was most looking forward to, and the moment we tasted it, my sister and I made eye contact in amazement!

I'd worried just a little that it might taste fishy since it's fish, but not only was it not fishy, the mackerel was so moist and tender that I was truly surprised.

The mild fish is soaked through with nutty oil sauce, and eaten together with the noodles the match was unreal.

Garden tomato risotto that looks like a garden on a plate

The garden tomato risotto balances the freshness of tomato with the nuttiness of risotto, and its colorful, showy look caught both our eyes right away. True to the name, it looked like a fresh garden had been moved onto the plate. The bright, refreshing flavor of fresh tomatoes and the richness of risotto were in perfect balance.

The rice grains kept a nice texture, and it wasn't heavy at all, so we cleaned the plate down to the last spoonful.

Do you have to order alcohol at dinner at Pyu Euljiro?

Pyu Euljiro is a dining restaurant where ordering alcohol is required at dinner time. But if you can't drink or you came by car, no worries at all, because there are non-alcoholic drinks. During the day, you can order just drinks.

We ordered the non-alcoholic drink Gyullulala (귤루랄라) and a cool lemonade.

Gyullulala, with its fun and cute name, is a tangerine-based non-alcoholic drink bursting with freshness. The sweet, bright juice flavor fills your mouth and really refreshes you. The sweet-and-sour lemonade also cleaned up a palate that could get heavy, and it went wonderfully with the food.

Wine, whiskey, craft beer and corkage at Pyu Euljiro

Pyu Euljiro has a rich lineup of alcohol including wine, whiskey and craft beer. If you want to leisurely enjoy a variety of dishes, the shared set menu with everything from salad and pasta to mains could be a good way to lift the mood.

Corkage is free for one bottle, excluding alcohol sold in the restaurant, so wine lovers could bring a bottle to their own taste. That sounds great to me!