Pasta restaurant near National Library of Sejong: vongole, Olibus

Sejong restaurant pick: Olibus Italian Restaurant in Eojin-dong. A tidy pasta and risotto spot I'd happily come back to.

What is Olibus in Eojin-dong, Sejong like?

Olibus Italian Restaurant Eojin-dong Flagship (올리부스 이탈리안 레스토랑 어진동 본점) is an Italian restaurant near Lake Park in Eojin-dong, Sejong, where you can enjoy pasta and steak in a cozy setting. I came as a restaurant near the National Library of Sejong, and the clean atmosphere made it perfect for a date or a family meal.

It's near the lake park, the National Library of Sejong and the Courtyard by Marriott Sejong.

Olibus opening hours and parking

Hours are 11:00-20:30, with a break from 15:00 to 17:00 and last order at 14:30. It's closed every Thursday. Park at SBC Center Building B; with parking registration you get 2 hours free.

It's on the 1st floor of SBC Center Building B. Come in through the OLLIBOOTH sign!

Seating and atmosphere at Olibus Eojin-dong

Olibus is a small space with about 4 tables for two and 3 tables for four. Other guests were mid-meal, so I couldn't take many photos, but it's cramped. It felt cozy, haha, and it wasn't noisy, which I actually liked.

What's on the Olibus menu?

The menu is split into pasta, risotto, sides, pizza, and gnocchi & steak. Pretty much everything you'd expect at a Western restaurant is here. I'd never seen pumpkin gnocchi (단호박뇨끼) before, so I'll definitely try it next time.

What we ordered for two, and how much it cost

• Vongole pasta ₩16,900
• Toowoomba fettuccine ₩18,900
• Steak cream risotto ₩18,900
• + Whole fried potato ₩8,900 (reservation event)

How was the free whole fried potato from the reservation event?

Because I booked ahead, I got a whole fried potato (an ₩8,900 menu item) as an event perk. I didn't expect much from a freebie, but wow? Best fries of my life!!

How do they make it so crispy?! It's fried whole, skin and all, yet it isn't greasy. Nicely salty, fluffy inside, really crunchy and delicious. I'm definitely ordering this next time.

Ta-da~ all the dishes together. Plenty for two, right? lol

Is the Olibus Toowoomba fettuccine very spicy?

If you choose the milder option, Olibus's Toowoomba fettuccine (₩18,900) is barely spicy and the creaminess stands out. It has a thick sauce with whole shrimp and tomatoes, plus quite a lot of mushrooms.

The sauce is very thick and not spicy at all. I picked mild, so the creamy flavor was strong, and as someone who loves rich food I enjoyed it so much, haha. The cream isn't watery; it's dense and thick.

The sauce soaks into the noodles, so they're delicious even on their own... There was almost no heat. (Little kids might still find it spicy.)

Vongole pasta packed with clams

Olibus's vongole pasta (₩16,900) is an oil-based pasta full of manila clams and dongjuk clams. I was surprised by how many clams there were! The noodles are generously flecked with parsley, peperoncino and pepper, giving a sharp kick that cuts through any richness.

I've never had a pasta with this many clams! Fair warning: with clams and an oil base it's fairly salty, and the garlic aroma is strong too. I enjoyed it!

Steak cream risotto: steak doneness and portion size

Olibus's steak cream risotto (₩18,900) comes with a medium-well steak on top of thick creamy risotto. A whole scallion sits beside the steak. Isn't that a pretty big steak..?

Look at how thick this is! The rice was soft and well seasoned, so it was so good. And there are really a lot of mushrooms!

The steak comes medium-well. With plenty of mushrooms too, it was a really substantial dish. I'll order it again!

Who is Olibus Eojin-dong best for?

Everything at Olibus Italian Restaurant Eojin-dong Flagship was delicious, and the reservation-event whole fried potato especially moved me, so it was a satisfying meal. It's a bit tight for a blind date, so I highly recommend it for a casual date or a family meal!