Magongnaru Italian restaurant, barley scallop risotto with Mom: Romaok

How do you get to Romaok Magok from Magongnaru Station?

Romaok Magok is connected to LG Arts Center Seoul from the Exit 3 side of Magongnaru Station, so you don't have to go outside at all. That makes it easy even on rainy or hot days!! I went with my mom, who said she wanted some really good pasta!

Take the escalator up to the 3rd floor of LG Arts Center and Romaok is on your right! There are two restaurants facing each other on the 3rd floor, so it's easy to find.

Does Romaok Magok offer a parking discount?

Yes, Romaok Magok offers a parking discount, so check it if you're driving!! We didn't bring a car, but I'm leaving the parking info here for those who will.

What are the interior and seating like at Romaok Magok?

Romaok Magok has high ceilings and a very elegant interior. Maybe because the name has "Roma" in it, it felt a bit like a temple? A museum? Anyway, the whole atmosphere was great. There are plenty of 2- and 4-person tables, and there's a bar table where it looked like you could comfortably eat solo.

The signature lounge table in the middle of Romaok Magok takes walk-ins and same-day reservations too!!

Stronger or milder seasoning at Romaok Magok: which to choose?

Many dishes at Romaok Magok are meant to be eaten with wine, so you get to choose the seasoning level. We weren't having wine, so we chose the stronger one. It didn't taste salty at all; it was just rich and delicious, literally. If you want to taste the natural flavor of the ingredients, like in a tomato pasta, the milder option seems fine too.

Romaok Magok has a wide range of wines, starting with wine by the glass, so it looked like a great date spot in Magok. There are also lots of teas and coffees, so it seemed suitable for group gatherings too.

Romaok Magok booking tip: the late dinner perk

If you book Romaok Magok for a late lunch or late dinner through Naver Reservation, you can get a mini caprese or the dessert of the day. I booked a late dinner and got the dessert of the day too 🍰

Romaok Magok's bread basket: green onion focaccia

The bread at Romaok Magok is green onion focaccia with olive oil. Warm and fluffy, with a touch of sweetness in the bread and a subtle green onion aroma, it was so good.. I could have just kept eating this alone T_T

How does the abalone innards pasta at Romaok Magok taste?

Mom's pick was the abalone innards pasta (₩26,000), and I ordered the seaweed scallop risotto (₩26,000). Once they arrived, everything was so green, it was a green party haha

The abalone innards pasta at Romaok Magok comes with a whole plump smoked abalone..💚 The rich sauce made with abalone innards went so well with the linguine. I love that nutty, deep flavor of abalone innards, and this was exactly what I wanted, with nothing fishy at all.

You bite into garlic scapes here and there for a fun texture, and every so often a piece of chorizo pops up. The nuttiness of the abalone and the salty-ish flavor of the chorizo went so well together that I never got tired of it T_T If we'd been in a private room, I'd probably have buried my face in the plate and licked up the sauce

Maesaengi seaweed and scallop risotto at Romaok Magok: what is barley risotto like?

The seaweed scallop risotto at Romaok Magok has scallops and shrimp, and it's made with barley instead of rice, so the grains pop. It was a style I'd never tried before (I'm a P, so no research beforehand). I was like, why is this rice so bouncy?? It's delicious... and it turned out to be because it's made with barley!!!

The seaweed (maesaengi, a fine green seaweed) flavor isn't overpowering either, so even people who usually don't like it could probably enjoy this. Of course, a maesaengi lover like me went wild for it.. The smoked scallops and shrimp went so well with the risotto, and the overall flavor was really great!!!

Romaok Magok dessert of the day: Italian ice cream cake

The dessert of the day at Romaok Magok, which I got for booking the late dinner, was described as an Italian ice cream cake with sweetly caramelized nuts, berries and melting meringue, so I was curious how it would taste. This was dessert in the truest sense.... It looks so pretty, and there are so many nuts inside that it was super nutty!!! It's not just sugary-sweet, so it was a nice, clean way to end the meal.

What occasions suit Romaok Magok best?

I was really happy with Romaok Magok: the atmosphere is lovely and every dish has its own personality!!! If you're looking for a place in Magok for a special-occasion meal, a date or a blind date, this is a Magongnaru Station restaurant I'd confidently recommend!!! It's also a great LG Arts Center spot before or after a show, and its location makes it easy to pair with Seoul Botanic Park as a course.

I liked both the food quality and the space so much that I've been recommending it to everyone I know since going, haha. Next time I'm planning to have wine and try the main dishes too 🍷