Two-friend lunch with halibut carpaccio near Magok Naru: Romaok Magok

Today I met up with my senior Jeon for lunch after a long time, and we went to Romaok Magok. I was looking for an Italian restaurant close to Magok Naru Station with good access, and Romaok is located inside LG Arts Center, so it seemed perfect for a meal before or after a show. The atmosphere was also great for two women dining together — a good Magok Naru restaurant for a relaxed catch-up over food.

Romaok Magok location and hours

• 🍚 Name: Romaok Magok
• 📍 Location: Romaok, 3F LG Arts Center Seoul, 136 Magok-jungang-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
• 3-minute walk from Magok Naru Station (AREX) Exit 4
• ⏰ Hours — Daily 11:00–21:30
• ✔️ Break time 15:00–17:00
• ✔️ Last order 14:00, 20:30
• 🚘 2 hours free parking at LG Arts Center lot

How to get there from Magok Naru Station

The nice thing is you can walk straight from the subway to LG Arts Center!

Heading toward Exit 4 from Magok Naru Station, it's connected underground to the arts center,

and you'll spot a signboard. It's located on the 3rd floor of the arts center〰️

A Colosseum-inspired interior

The first thing that caught my eye when I walked in was the unique atmosphere of the space. Romaok is an Italian restaurant created by a chef who trained at Madonnina del Pescatore, a Michelin two-star restaurant in Italy, apparently.

Maybe that's why, but with the Colosseum-inspired interior, it felt like being in a European plaza. Very different from a typical Italian restaurant. The space was also spacious and comfortable, making for a relaxed meal.

With the rooftop view, this LG Arts Center restaurant seems great for a date or an anniversary..🤍 There's also a spot where you can feel the sunlight, so at lunch it's a relaxed brunch vibe, and in the evening it's perfect for a meal with wine.

What we ordered and the salt-level option

• Abalone gyeu pasta (₩26,000)
• Eclipse squid ink risotto (₩25,000)
• Kelp-aged halibut carpaccio (₩18,000)

I was surprised there was a salt-level option when ordering. The food tends to run on the salty side, so anyone who prefers milder flavors should adjust it.

The menu is rooted in traditional Italian cooking but also features dishes that incorporate Korean ingredients, so it was hard to decide what to order — but we both went with the signature dishes〰️ Each dish that arrived was plated cleanly and thoughtfully, making it great for photos too. For two women dining, two main dishes are plenty.

Pre-meal bread

We started with the pre-meal bread! Bread like this is usually dry, but this was completely soft, moist, and genuinely delicious.

You can dip it all in the olive oil, but I'd recommend saving a bit to eat with the salad or pasta‼️

Kelp-aged halibut carpaccio

The halibut carpaccio passed the visual test right away. Being kelp-aged halibut, it was nicely salty, and paired with fruit and caviar it felt like a truly upscale dish.

Abalone gyeu pasta

After thoroughly enjoying the appetizers, we started the real meal. In abalone gyeu pasta, 'gyeu' is a Jeju dialect word for innards, apparently. I had no idea and was thinking, is it crab and uni or something?

The staff told us to mix it well with the sauce, so here's my senior stirring it up. It was a pasta with a strong nutty flavor, and felt like it was made by finely blending abalone porridge.

And above all, the cooked abalone on top was chewy and delicious.

Eclipse squid ink risotto

The eclipse squid ink risotto had a striking look. I can say for certain it's the blackest squid ink dish I've ever eaten. If this is for a blind date, you might want to order something else. After eating it, my lips turned slightly purple...

Still, once I took a spoonful, I liked the thick texture and the combination of squid ink and seafood. This dish was a bit on the salty side, so I thought it would've been good to order it with a lighter salt setting.

We visited for lunch so it was just a meal, but I imagine pairing it with wine would've made for a refreshing finish — a solid Magok Naru restaurant.

Who would I recommend this to

This restaurant has even received a Blue Ribbon, so you can trust both the taste and the atmosphere.

• ✔️ Close to Magok Naru Station with good access
• ✔️ Located on the 3rd floor of LG Arts Center, so it's recommended for anyone looking for a meal before or after a show!

Especially if you're looking for a restaurant near Seoul Botanic Park, this is worth a visit. If you want to enjoy Italian food on a special occasion like a date or anniversary, I'd recommend having a relaxed meal at Romaok Magok.