Hapjeong Italian restaurant: basil risotto and green grape ade, Riike

Where is Riike near Hapjeong Station, and what is the vibe?

Riike is an Italian pasta restaurant that takes less than 5 minutes to reach from Exit 8 of Hapjeong Station. I was craving pasta near Hapjeong Station, so I booked ahead on Naver and went. Even from far away it looked like a lovely spot with wine bottles stacked up.

Riike

You can check the menu from outside, and they also sell wines to go with the pasta.

It has floor-to-ceiling windows, so I imagine the mood is even better at night.

Is the seating at Riike mostly tables for two?

There are square tables too, but since most guests are couples or pairs, the seating is mostly for two. Still, I think you could push several tables together for a group.

Further inside there's this moody interior, and it's full of cute little touches~

Can you order wine by the glass at Riike?

Wine at Riike comes by the glass or by the bottle! The bottle prices aren't steep either, so it seems easy to enjoy casually.

Once you sit down, they bring pickles first like this, and they'll refill them any time you need.

What's on the Riike menu, and how do you order?

You order by scanning the QR code on the table and using Toss Order! The menu covers starters and salads, oil, tomato and cream pastas, gnocchi, lasagna, risotto, ades and wine.

The starters and salads were varied too, and the polpo (octopus) looked good for its low price. The salads ranged from jambon Caesar to burrata cheese to salmon with chamnamul (aromatic greens). Some places charge pasta prices for a salad, haha, but Riike's prices seem reasonable!

The pastas come with oil, tomato or cream bases, and there's gnocchi too, so you can really pick to your taste. There's lasagna, and the risottos, including mentaiko (pollock roe) cream, mushroom and rib-meat basil, are all cream-based. Besides ades they also have wine, so it'd be nice to pair a light white wine with a meal.

How is the truffle bread spread (₩7,000) at Riike?

First, the bread spread, ₩7,000. Well-toasted rye bread comes with a spread of truffle mixed with ricotta cheese, and the truffle-scented spread went really well on the warm, crispy bread.

Spreading on that thick spread, chop chop

The crunchy texture and the thick spread were a great match, and it felt far too fancy to call it a pre-meal bread! I'd love to try recreating this truffle spread at home.

How was the rib-meat basil risotto (₩19,000) at Riike?

Next, the rib-meat basil risotto, ₩19,000. The rib meat was grilled to just the right doneness, and the risotto was the very definition of thick and rich. The basil aroma drifted up, and it was so moist!

The ribs were seasoned just enough and the risotto was on the salty side, so it's a can't-go-wrong combo~~ My friend said this rib-meat basil risotto is their absolute favorite too, haha.

Is the gamtae vongole pasta (₩17,000) at Riike fishy?

Last, the gamtae (seaweed) vongole pasta, ₩17,000. It's a vongole made with gamtae pesto and clams, with plenty of clams inside and a good amount of gamtae on top, so it smelled of the sea.

The portion was generous and the plating was so pretty that I felt proud every time I took a photo.

With a creamy aroma wafting up and a look that makes you want to dig in right away, this had to be filmed on video. The lighting was also the kind that makes food photos look good.

Green grape ade, ₩6,000. It was moderately sweet and went well with the food.

Mixing it well so the oil coats everything

Neither the gamtae nor the clams were fishy; it was a clean, mild oil pasta. I cleaned the bowl out completely! Nothing was overdone, and it was a really satisfying meal.

Do I recommend Riike for a date in Hapjeong?

The staff at Riike were so, so kind and the mood was lovely, so it was just right for a date. There are also good cafés nearby for a second stop, so I'm very happy with the location of this Hapjeong Station pasta restaurant! Next time I could come back for it with wine, haha.