Mapo restaurant chef's choice lunch course, ₩38,000: Noju

On a day when my husband Nampyoni and I both had a weekday off, we made a reservation at a Western-style course restaurant I'd been curious about for a while, ready for a proper date!

It had been a while since I dressed up nicely and put on fresh makeup, so I felt butterflies like back in our dating days~ We rarely get to eat a Western course meal together, so my expectations were sky high >.<!!

In the end, - perfect from start to finish, - even more delicious thanks to generous use of good ingredients! - honestly one of the best dates ever...♥ Let me introduce, "Noju"

5 minutes from Mangwon Station Exit 2, 2nd floor above a makguksu shop

Noju is located within about 5 minutes' walk of Mangwon Station Exit 2.

There's a staircase inside leading up to the 2nd floor above the makguksu (buckwheat noodle) shop.

The weather was so nice that everything came out looking pretty no matter how I shot it~

Climb the stairs to the 2nd floor, open the door, and step inside~

An open kitchen and bar seating set the mood inside

The open kitchen catches your eye first. Two chefs were cooking away, and the overall clean feel had me satisfied from the moment I walked in!

The main hall is tidy and clean with a slightly casual touch.

There's also bar seating right in front of the cooking area, so you can watch the chefs work while you eat.

So many wine glasses... turns out they have a huge wine selection~

There's an indoor restroom, and it's pretty clean, so even women who are particular about restrooms should feel comfortable here!

A busy kitchen inside~ Quite clean and clearly run with its own set of rules!

Basic table setting! The tidy, calm impression from the entrance carries right through.

Lunch course prices: Signature and Chef's Choice

There are two lunch menus: - Signature Lunch (₩55,000) - Chef's Choice Lunch (₩38,000)

We ordered the Chef's Choice Lunch for two.

This place specializes in Western course cuisine, but it also has a really impressive wine selection! For lunch or dinner, it'd make a great pick for a Mangwon course-meal date or a get-together with friends in Mangwon!

What's in the Chef's Choice Lunch course

The dishware was so unique and pretty I had to snap a photo—

Focaccia with yuzu cream cheese

First up, warm focaccia with yuzu cream cheese! The soft, warm bread with the tangy-sweet, smooth cheese really gets your appetite going.

Two beet and endive bites

Two bite-sized dishes built around beet and endive.

One bite and the fresh flavors and aromas rush in. A perfectly balanced salad-like taste! The caviar on top made it extra special.

White ragù arancini

Arancini! Topped with a fluffy sesame oil garnish and served with aioli sauce, the inside was filled with a white ragù that tasted rich and luxurious.

Pomodoro pasta with stracciatella

Next came a pomodoro-based pasta! Served with stracciatella cheese, the cheese and the tomato's acidity blended together into something rich yet delicious~

Truffle potato gnocchi

Potato gnocchi with truffle...! This was seriously so good... my husband was practically scraping the sauce off the plate...haha

The combination of truffle and potato was absolutely fantastic...

It was so good that on the way home I stopped at a hypermarket and bought white truffle oil...haha

Grilled Iberico pork

Grilled Iberico pork with mushroom and jalapeño sauce. Between the well-grilled meat and the sauce, we enjoyed every last bite—light yet filling.

Walnut sherbet for dessert

Dessert was walnut sherbet. It tasted a bit like hodu-maru (walnut confection) but lighter and softer! By the time the Iberico pork came around, we were already pretty full, so we sadly had to leave some of the dessert ㅠㅠ

Her pasta-loving husband already wants to come back

Nampyoni is genuinely into Western food and even makes his own gnocchi from scratch, so he rarely says he wants to revisit a Western or pasta restaurant... but here, he was satisfied enough to ask whether we could come back for dinner on our next anniversary or a special occasion.

The atmosphere is great, and the chefs' service and menu quality are both top-notch, so I'd say picking this place for a Mangwon date is a sure win!! It'd also be a great spot for a group get-together with friends in Mangwon, or even a Mangwon Station company dinner if you book ahead.

If you love pasta or Western food and have been looking for a solid spot in Mangwon, I really recommend 'Noju.'