Gangnam blind-date Italian restaurant, wide pappardelle: Mano di Chef

How was it as a blind-date spot in Gangnam?

When you're looking for a blind-date spot in Gangnam, there's a surprising amount to fuss over, right? Somewhere too loud makes conversation hard, but somewhere too formal can feel like a lot of pressure for a first meeting.

Mano di Chef Gangnam (마노디셰프 강남점), where I went this time, was good on both atmosphere and food, so it's a place I wanted to recommend as a blind-date spot in Gangnam. It's near Gangnam Station and Yeoksam Station, so access is decent, and it's an Italian restaurant also known as a Blue Ribbon (Korea's restaurant guide) pick in Gangnam. It comes up a lot when you search for bisque pasta in Gangnam, which had made me curious about it, and when I actually visited, the menu turned out to be quite varied.

Basic info and location

Interior and atmosphere

Walking in, the interior was bigger than I expected.

The window side in particular gets sunlight streaming right in, so the atmosphere is really pretty if you visit during the day. There's a fair amount of space between tables too, so it's not the kind of room where the next table is constantly on your mind, and I thought it would work well as a blind-date spot in Gangnam. We were shown to a seat a little further inside that day and had a comfortable meal.

High chairs for toddlers are on hand as well, so it looked fine not just for dates but for a family meal out with kids too. If you're after a Gangnam Station restaurant with a nice atmosphere, it's one to put on the shortlist!

What we ordered and the set-menu tip

• Amatriciana pappardelle pasta
• Octopus gnocchi
• Blueberry & arugula pizza
• 3 drinks

What struck me as thoughtful on the staff's part: when we ordered 3 drinks + 3 dishes, a server came over separately to ask whether they could bundle it as a set menu, since the set works out cheaper. They didn't have to mention it at all, so I was grateful.

How the amatriciana pappardelle pasta tasted

This was one of the dishes I enjoyed most that day. It's a tomato-sauce base, but it uses pappardelle, which is far wider and thicker than regular spaghetti, and I loved the way the sauce clung to the noodles. In the mouth, the rich tomato flavor comes first, then the nutty, salty taste of the cheese joins in, and I just kept reaching for more.

Tomato pasta can easily feel ordinary, but maybe because the noodles themselves were different, this felt a bit more like eating at a proper Italian restaurant. The place is famous for bisque pasta in Gangnam, but if you like tomato pasta, I'd recommend this dish too.

What does the octopus gnocchi taste like?

This was honestly a flavor I was trying for the first time in my life. From the very first bite I thought, 'this tastes like something from a high-end Italian restaurant' — that kind of dish!

The gnocchi were soft yet kept a slightly chewy bite, and with the distinctive seafood flavor of the octopus added on top, the combination went together far better than I expected. It's a completely different feel from the pasta or pizza I usually eat, so if you go to Mano di Chef, I recommend ordering one to go with the rest. Personally, it was the most memorable dish of the day.

The blueberry & arugula pizza combination

At first I wondered what on earth blueberries on a pizza could taste like, but this combination turned out to be really delicious too. The tangy, sweet blueberries are joined by the fresh, bright taste of arugula, and nutty pieces of nuts crunch here and there, so you get sweet and nutty at the same time.

Especially after the rich pasta and gnocchi, a slice of this felt like it refreshed the palate, so the three dishes balanced each other well. Overall the plating was pretty and the atmosphere was clean, making it a good place for anything from a first meeting to a date or an anniversary.

Why I recommend it for a blind-date meal in Gangnam

For a blind date in Gangnam especially, the food matters, but an atmosphere that's easy to talk in matters quite a lot too, right? In that respect, Mano di Chef was just right: neither too casual nor too intimidating. If you're looking for a Blue Ribbon restaurant in Gangnam or Yeoksam, or a bisque pasta spot in Gangnam that also has a good atmosphere, recommended! If a friend asks me for a blind-date spot in Gangnam next time, I think I'll be mentioning this place too. :)