Daejeon pasta restaurant with a 45-minute KakaoTalk wait: Plate

+ includes a self-paid visit

Since I was in Daejeon after a while, I wanted to take my mom out for something good and found Plate in Sunhwa-dong, Daejeon. It's famous as a Daejeon pasta restaurant, but I heard it's also a popular Daejeon date spot thanks to the atmosphere. We were curious, so we went to check it out ourselves. This review includes a self-paid visit :)

How long is the wait at Plate Sunhwa? 45 minutes and a KakaoTalk alert

At Plate's Sunhwa branch, you enter your phone number into the waiting machine outside in order of arrival, and when it's your turn, you get an entry notification via KakaoTalk. We waited around 45 minutes that day.

True to its reputation as a hot spot in Sunhwa-dong, Daejeon, there was already a good crowd waiting when we arrived. Guess it really is a popular Sunhwa-dong date spot haha 😂

Important tip here! If you miss the KakaoTalk message, you might have to wait all over again, so keep checking your notifications while you wait.

Once inside, the atmosphere was cozy and pretty nice. It's a good place to eat with your mom, and I could see why it's a popular Daejeon date restaurant.

Choosing your own fresh noodle at Plate, a Daejeon pasta restaurant

At Plate, you can choose not just the pasta dish but the actual pasta noodle. We ordered the steak set, which comes with bread + 2 soups + 2 salads + steak + pasta — a good amount for two people to share.

With so many noodle types, it can be hard to decide, but each dish has a recommended noodle marked, so you don't have to overthink it.

First, the pre-meal bread came out,

then warm soup!

Salad came out together too, good for a light start before digging into the pasta and steak.

Uni & scallop fresh oil pasta on spinach noodles

For pasta, we ordered the uni & scallop fresh oil pasta and chose spinach noodle. The green noodle definitely stands out visually, right?

You can really taste the texture of fresh noodles, and eating it with scallop was fun too. Unlike typical pasta restaurants, being able to choose your noodle to taste seems to be Plate's biggest strength. If you're looking for Daejeon fresh pasta, this place is worth a visit.

Buchatsal (flat iron) steak and asking for extra cooking

For steak, we chose the fanchal (skirt) steak. When it first came out, it was a bit more rare than we usually eat, so we asked them to cook it a little more.

Steak in particular is a dish where doneness preference varies a lot, so if you like your meat more well-done like us, it's good to mention your preferred doneness when ordering. Being able to enjoy it together with the pasta in a set was nice :)

Tips for visiting Plate in Sunhwa-dong, Daejeon

Plate in Sunhwa-dong was where we ended up on a Daejeon outing with my mom after a while. The wait was fairly long, about 45 minutes, but the fact that it's a fresh pasta restaurant where you choose your own noodle made it feel refreshingly different.

• On weekends or meal times, expect a wait, so it's better to visit with some time to spare
• No need to keep standing around outside — you get a KakaoTalk alert for entry, which is convenient
• Make sure to check your KakaoTalk notification while waiting! If you miss it, you may have to wait again
• Mention your preferred steak doneness when ordering

If you're looking for a good Daejeon pasta restaurant, or want to try Daejeon fresh pasta that's a bit different from usual, this place is worth a stop. The atmosphere is nice too, so it should suit those looking for a Daejeon date restaurant. This review includes a visit I paid for myself ♥