Hyehwa pasta restaurant with twin babies in carriers: Omil Daehangno

Why we picked Omil for a weekday dinner in Daehangno with our twins

On a weekday evening, we headed to Daehangno for a rare relaxed dinner with our kids. Daehangno is a popular date spot, but we also take our kids there for walks sometimes. There's a bit of a slope, but Naksan Park is lovely, and if you cut through Seoul National University Hospital you'll find Changgyeonggung Palace too — plenty to see and eat in this neighborhood :)

I'd visited a lot of the places people mention as Hyehwa Station favorites, but hadn't been since Omil opened. Since it kept coming up as a good spot to visit with kids, I decided to check out Omil Hyehwa Daehangno.

Omil's second-floor dining room, with four parties waiting mid-meal

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is on the second floor, so instead of a stroller, the two of us went with the twins in baby carriers. Despite the space being fairly small, it was popular enough that four parties were waiting even while we were eating. Turnover might not be that fast, so I'd recommend going with some time to spare! Honestly, we had somewhere to be afterward, so we were a bit rushed ㅠ-ㅠ

What we ordered at Omil Hyehwa Daehangno

A lot of other tables were eating the rubber duck omurice, known as the signature dish. It seems like a good choice for eating with kids, but since our twins can't eat regular food yet, we picked from the menu below instead.

• Gochujang butter pasta
• Buckwheat soba maki (buckwheat gimbap)
• Spicy skirt steak risotto

Is the gochujang butter pasta at Omil worth ordering?

The gochujang butter pasta was a combination where the distinct spiciness of gochujang (Korean chili paste) and the savory richness of butter both came through clearly. It's a flavor that could go either way depending on your taste, but if you generally like the combo of butter and gochujang, you'll probably enjoy it.

Our favourites: buckwheat soba maki and spicy skirt steak risotto

The buckwheat soba maki and spicy skirt steak risotto suited our taste better. The soba maki kept the distinct aroma of buckwheat while staying light, and the risotto's spicy sauce paired so well with the tender skirt steak that we kept going back for more.

Beyond that, corn fritters, pineapple ade, and cheese katsu on a hot plate looked like other signature items. Things I'd definitely want to try if we come back next time.

🍝 How Omil Hyehwa Daehangno handles babies and baby chairs

This is probably what you're most curious about! Omil Hyehwa Daehangno has baby chairs ready, which made eating with our kid so much easier. Our baby isn't old enough for regular food yet, but just having the chair made things a lot smoother.

I'd found out in advance through searching that baby chairs were available, and in person it really wasn't a no-kids-zone — there was a clear sense of consideration for customers with children. The atmosphere was clean and the plating was pretty, so it felt just as suited to a date as to a family visit. In fact, alongside families, there seemed to be plenty of couples there on dates too.

The manager's service at Omil

And the manager — or maybe it was the store manager? — was genuinely kind. When you're out with kids, you tend to watch your surroundings and stay a bit more alert than when it's just you and your husband, so these small kindnesses make the meal feel relaxed even if it's brief, haha.

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno: the verdict

Great food, generous portions — that's Omil! If you're looking for a Hyehwa pasta spot, Omil Hyehwa Daehangno is worth recommending. From distinctive dishes like the gochujang butter pasta to solidly delicious options like the soba maki and spicy skirt steak risotto, there was plenty of choice, and with baby chairs available, it worked well both for visiting with kids and as a nicely atmospheric date spot.