Hyehwa lunch with an old coworker, gnocchi and gochujang pasta: Omil

I met up with an old coworker for lunch in Hyehwa Daehangno after not seeing each other in a while. Funny how when you're working together you see someone all the time, but once you leave the job it gets weirdly hard to meet up again haha. Since it had been so long, I wanted somewhere we could talk comfortably over a meal, so we went to Omil Hyehwa Daehangno.

The dishes we actually tried this time were salmon steak gnocchi, gochujang butter pasta, and pineapple ade. To cut to the chase — I was worried that eating two creamy dishes back to back would feel heavy, but the gochujang butter pasta kept balancing things out along the way, so I ended up eating more comfortably than expected.

Location and hours of Omil Hyehwa Daehangno

• 📍 35 Daemyeong-gil, 2nd floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ⏰ Daily 11:30–21:15
• ⏰ Weekday break time 15:15–16:30
• ⏰ Last order 20:30
• 🚗 No on-site parking — use nearby paid or public parking lots

I'd recommend double-checking the hours or any closures before you go. It's an easy walk from Hyehwa Station Exit 4, so it also seemed convenient for anyone planning a meal before or after catching a show or play in Daehangno.

What the 2nd-floor space felt like

Omil is on the 2nd floor of the building. If it's your first time visiting, you might walk right past it while looking only at the ground floor, so it's worth checking the sign carefully.

Once inside, the space felt bright and clean overall, with little decorative touches scattered around — more of a relaxed spot for chatting over a meal than a stiff formal restaurant. Since it was a reunion with an old coworker with tons of catching up to do haha, it suited the day well.

What we ordered for two

Omil isn't a pasta-only spot — the menu ranges from omurice to gnocchi, risotto, steak, and sides, so there's a fair amount to choose from. After going back and forth for a while, we ordered

• ✔ Salmon steak gnocchi
• ✔ Gochujang butter pasta
• ✔ Pineapple ade

We each picked a different style of dish and decided to share.

Salmon steak gnocchi

First, the salmon steak gnocchi. Gnocchi alone can feel a bit heavy, but with salmon on the plate, the whole dish felt more substantial than expected. There was fun in alternating between the soft, chewy texture of the gnocchi and the salmon. Dishes like this can get greasy fast because of the sauce, right? I was glad that eating through it, it didn't feel as heavy as I'd thought it would.

If you're visiting with two people, ordering a different flavor pasta alongside the gnocchi to share, rather than sticking to just gnocchi, worked well.

Gochujang butter pasta

Then there was the gochujang butter pasta, which personally stuck with me. Just reading the name, I wondered whether gochujang (Korean chili paste) and butter would really go together in a pasta. But once I tried it, the nutty richness of the butter combined with gochujang's distinct flavor made it feel clearly different from a regular cream pasta. What I especially liked was that it felt less greasy.

Taking a bite of the gochujang butter pasta while working through the salmon steak gnocchi shifted the whole flavor mood, so alternating between the two dishes worked really well. If you usually find cream-based pastas a bit much after a few bites, this kind of combo might be worth ordering.

Pineapple ade

For a drink, I picked the pineapple ade.

Pairing a refreshing ade with relatively heavier dishes like pasta and gnocchi worked well. Taking a sip every so often felt like it reset my palate. Since we were eating slowly while talking, I was glad we ordered a drink too.

A recommended combination for two

Based on what I actually tried that day, the combination of salmon steak gnocchi + gochujang butter pasta + pineapple ade worked quite well for two people. The soft flavor of the gnocchi and salmon versus the richer flavor of the gochujang butter pasta were different enough that it was easier to eat without getting tired of it, compared to ordering just one dish. Above all, I was satisfied that neither dish felt as greasy as I'd worried.

Checklist before you visit

• Head out from Hyehwa Station Exit 4 — it's an easy walk from the station, so the route is simple.
• Remember it's on the 2nd floor — first-timers might walk past it, so check the sign.
• Check the weekday break time — there's a break from 15:15 to 16:30, so plan ahead for a late lunch.
• Check the last order time — if visiting late in the evening, keep the 20:30 last order in mind.
• Look up parking in advance if driving — there's no on-site parking, so it helps to know nearby lots.
• If there are two of you, order different styles of dishes — the flavors won't overlap, making it easy to share several.
• Try ordering gnocchi and pasta together — the different textures and flavors make alternating fun.
• Pair heavier dishes with a refreshing drink — it was good for resetting the palate mid-meal.
• Leave extra time if you have a show to catch — factor in travel time for a pre-theater meal in Daehangno.
• Double-check the menu on the day of your visit — prices and offerings can change, so the in-store menu is most accurate.

5 things worth knowing beforehand

• 1. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor. Check the building sign rather than just following a map.
• 2. There's a weekday break time. If visiting during an awkward afternoon window, check the hours first.
• 3. There's no on-site parking. If driving, it's best to find a nearby public or paid parking lot in advance.
• 4. The menu is varied, so it helps to narrow down candidates beforehand — otherwise you'll end up wanting to try everything on the spot.
• 5. If there are two of you, pick different styles rather than similar dishes. Splitting gnocchi and gochujang butter pasta like we did gave enough variety to keep eating comfortably.

Wrapping up

When you meet an old coworker after a long time, the conversation usually ends up being the main event over the food, right? Haha. We talked the whole time that day too, and the relaxed atmosphere plus the varied menu made for a satisfying meal. I especially liked that the salmon steak gnocchi and gochujang butter pasta weren't as greasy as I'd expected.

If you're craving pasta or gnocchi in Hyehwa, or looking for somewhere to eat with friends or coworkers in Daehangno, this is worth adding to the list. On the other hand, if you need to park right in front of the restaurant, it's worth factoring in that there's no on-site parking. Next time, I'd like to try the omurice or another pasta I didn't get to this time.