Italian restaurant with Namsan Tower view in Myeongdong: Mano di Chef

Have you all seen the movie The Odyssey? My best friend watched it with her husband and said it was so good she wanted to see it again with me. Her praise was enough — I booked Myeongdong CGV without a second thought, and dinner too.

So today's topic isn't actually The Odyssey haha 😆 — it's an introduction to a gorgeous Italian restaurant with an incredible view in Myeongdong: Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch~

5 minutes from Myeongdong CGV, on the 11th floor of the UNESCO Building

Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch is 5 minutes from Myeongdong CGV. It sits right at the top of the UNESCO Building — the 11th floor.

This is the entrance. It's a long, open straight line so you can see the window view right away.

On both sides there are large room-style spaces. They looked great for family parties and the like.

This is one of the room-style spaces — aren't the displayed bottles pretty? It seems like it'd be great for a small gathering or a year-end party :)

Carrot-dish posters everywhere

Maybe it was carrot week, because posters of carrot dishes were framed and displayed all over the place. The colors were so fresh it lifted the mood.

Of course we couldn't skip the signature dish haha — we ordered the Steak & Carrot Hummus Plate.

A high-ceilinged hall with a window view all the way to Namsan Tower

Past the corridor from earlier, you reach this wide-open space. The ceilings are quite high and the space is really spacious, right? It absolutely has that upscale-restaurant feel hahaha. Places like this have enough distance between tables that you can talk comfortably without rushing.

And the view is just amazing. Being on the 11th floor, how could it not be! Ha. You can even see Namsan Tower way off in the distance. Looking at the blue sky the whole meal really set the mood.

This was our table. Isn't the display cabinet next to it lovely? With thick books like an encyclopedia set lined up, it felt like some European mansion's library.

And here's another display cabinet. With a globe, glassware, and little ornaments, you can really tell this restaurant is serious about its interior design haha.

How was the Steak & Carrot Hummus Plate?

Here's the Steak & Carrot Hummus Plate we saw on the poster earlier. The color harmony is really beautiful! I couldn't help but think the chef must have put real thought into that — such a colorful, appetite-stirring dish.

The steak (150g) couldn't possibly be bad, and the salad, tomatoes, and olives were all so fresh. The salad dressing was a slightly spicy sriracha mayo. The carrot was carotte râpée, the French carrot salad — I once got so hooked on râpée that I ate nothing but carrot râpée for two weeks. Mano di Chef's version was crunchy, tangy and genuinely delicious too.

And above all, the hummus! Out of everything, the hummus was the best. So smooth and nutty. It tasted like something you could scoop endlessly ha. Don't assume the salad portion is small either — it comes out quite generous, and finishing the bowl will fill you right up.

Seaweed Pesto & Seafood Barley Risotto, with generous scallops

This is the Seaweed Pesto & Seafood Barley Risotto. Three very generous sea scallops sat right on top. I personally love scallops, but they're always a bit disappointing when they're too small — here, though, the scallops were nice and big, which I loved!

Using barley instead of rice in the risotto was a stroke of genius. Each grain stayed distinct, giving it a great chewy texture. It's loaded with octopus, shrimp, and plenty of seafood, and the green seaweed pesto brings a rich, distinctive flavor. It was my first visit, and I'd been torn over what to pick from the varied menu, but both dishes turned out to be great choices.

A great table for long conversations, plus complimentary ice cream

Since it had been so long since I'd seen my friend, we ended up talking about everything under the sun and the meal ran long. It was such a comfortable spot for an unhurried chat. The staff were polite and kind, so it really felt like being properly taken care of — and they even gave us ice cream as a service. I chose milk, my friend chose chocolate, and we were both happy with our picks :)

I'd love to come back here again when hosting someone special. Turns out Mano di Chef also has branches in Jamsil, Gangnam, and Samseong — I'll have to check those out when I'm in the area :)

Overall verdict

The best date spot in Myeongdong! Whether it's with a partner, friends, or family, if you want to treat someone right and set the mood, I highly recommend it! The taste, service, and atmosphere were all completely satisfying!

• Taste ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Service ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
• Atmosphere ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️