Bisque linguine and octopus gnocchi at Mano di Chef near Coex, Seoul

I recently visited a place with such a great atmosphere for year-end or anniversary visits, and where you can enjoy really special Western food, haha. It's Mano di Chef Samsung Branch, a bisque pasta spot near Coex. This place is famous for its Blue Ribbon rating, so let me share my review ♥

Finding it from Samseong Station Exit 5

Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM / Address: 21 Teheran-ro 87-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

It's located right next to the Coex building — go straight from Samseong Station Exit 5, cross the street once, turn right, and you'll quickly reach the building. Since it's on basement level 1, it might be a little confusing to find at first, but just look for a building shaped like this :)

Once you head down to basement level 1, you'll see the Mano di Chef sign like this! The atmosphere feels warm from the entrance already, and seeing all those Blue Ribbon marks got me excited already haha.

What's the atmosphere like inside?

The moment I stepped inside, my eyes went wide and 'so pretty' just came out of my mouth haha. It was already full of a moody, romantic vibe, gorgeous yet cozy, like it was Christmas season already ♥

Apparently this place has appeared in movies and dramas quite a bit, and the interior really is that classy and polished. The interior felt elegant, refined, and clean, making it feel perfect for an anniversary date, a blind date, or even a family meeting before marriage, haha.

There were so many different kinds of spaces inside, and the atmosphere was the absolute best no matter where you looked!!

The three dishes I ordered

Here are the three menu items I ordered this time!

• Steak & carrot hummus plate
• Red shrimp bisque linguine
• Carrot puree & octopus gnocchi

Not long after ordering, all three dishes came out right away! They arrived almost simultaneously, so it was super convenient to eat, and honestly the visuals were... the absolute best... ♥

Steak & carrot hummus plate

The steak & carrot hummus plate! It looks kind of like a salad on the surface, but the quality is basically steak itself! The meat quality was so good it melted in my mouth, tasting like premium marinated galbi (short ribs) — sweet, savory, and deeply rich all at once. Even the plating was as neat as a fine dining restaurant, a treat for both the eyes and the mouth ♥

Carrot puree & octopus gnocchi

The carrot puree & octopus gnocchi! It was my first time ever trying this combination of carrot puree and gnocchi, and I really, really recommend it...!!! First, the carrot puree was so, so smooth, melting in my mouth ♥ The plating is beautiful, but it actually tastes even better than it looks. The sweet, nutty carrot puree, the chewy octopus, and the soft gnocchi all bring their own texture and deep flavor together! It's really amazing~~!

Red shrimp bisque linguine

The red shrimp bisque linguine, haha. I feel like I keep saying everything's delicious, but this dish was also shockingly fresh and delicious...!! I heard it's pasta made by deeply reducing shrimp heads, and it truly had that rich, concentrated shrimp flavor through and through! I realized that all the shrimp pastas I'd eaten before hadn't actually tasted like shrimp, haha. If you love shrimp pasta, you absolutely have to try this one too ><

A Blue Ribbon restaurant — what kind of day is it good for?

Trying it myself, I understood exactly why this place keeps earning its Blue Ribbon rating, haha. The quality of the food went beyond a regular restaurant, reaching fine-dining level, and of course the plating was flawless too. Combined with the great interior and atmosphere, I felt happy the entire time I was there!

If you're looking for a date spot near Coex, want to make a special memory for an upcoming anniversary, or have an important blind date or family meeting ahead of marriage coming up... if you want to eat the best Western food you won't regret, I sincerely recommend Mano di Chef Samsung Branch, haha. I definitely want to come back again for another anniversary or special day ♥