Tanbang-dong Daejeon restaurant free lemonade receipt event: THE MUA

Hi guys, it's me! It was my mom's birthday so I made a trip to Daejeon, and while I was at it I had a proper date with my fiancé haha. Back when I lived in Daejeon we used to bus around together on dates all the time, so it felt so good to do that kind of nice-vibes date again after so long. Nice-vibes date = pasta, no need to say more, right. This time we went to THE MUA, a pasta restaurant in Tanbang-dong.

THE MUA hours, break time and parking

THE MUA is located at 35 Munjeong-ro 122beon-gil, 1st floor, unit 101, Seo-gu, Daejeon, in the Tanbang-dong restaurant alley. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:00 and has a break time, so it's good to check before you go.

• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 20:20
• Address: 35 Munjeong-ro 122beon-gil, 1st floor, unit 101, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea
• Parking: Available
• Transit: Near Munjeong-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon; accessible by public transit or car

Tanbang-dong is known for having a lot of art students in Daejeon (there are many art college prep academies there), so there are hidden gems all over the area — and this is right in the middle of the restaurant alley!!

We parked nearby without any trouble and went straight in haha.

What is the atmosphere like at THE MUA, and can it host group gatherings?

The inside of THE MUA is spacious, so it seemed like it would be great for group gatherings too. Even though we came at a pretty awkward time, there were quite a few customers already — seems like it's already gotten a reputation as a Tanbang-dong hotspot. The atmosphere is just so nice... coming at night must be something else.

How the receipt review event gets you a free lemonade

At THE MUA, if you do a receipt review event, you can get an ade or Americano for free. We joined right away and got a lemonade. It's really delicious, so everyone should write a review and try it too.

Since we were hungry, we had to order first haha. We had gone way overboard skipping lunch that day... so we were pretty starving while picking the menu. We ended up ordering the jambon cream pasta, lobster croquettes, and saffron salmon risotto haha. Since it was our first visit, we mostly picked the signature dishes.

The lemonade and house-made pickles came out first. The lemonade was sweet and refreshing, so good, and aren't the pickles pretty too? Pretty and homemade, wow. The tangy pickles were delicious from the first bite and really got our appetite going.

How were the lobster croquettes at THE MUA?

THE MUA's lobster croquettes came out first, so I took a bite haha. The lobster meat was so plump and firm, with zero seafood fishiness — just pure lobster flavor packed in there... paired with the tartar sauce, how good could that possibly be... haha, so good.

After finishing the lobster croquettes, our ordered saffron salmon risotto and jambon cream pasta arrived.

Is this visual for real ;;;;

Handmade jambon cream pasta: the top pick for both of us

THE MUA's jambon cream pasta was the dish both my fiancé and I picked as our top choice that day. Since we were starving, we quickly dug into the jambon first. Wait, this jambon is house-made?! You could sell this on its own...

The jambon was seriously so good. It could be sold on its own as jambon-beurre — not too salty, seasoned just right!! It paired amazingly with the cream pasta. It was my fiancé's top pick... and also mine...

Saffron salmon risotto with a squeeze of lemon

Next up, a bite of the saffron salmon risotto haha. I squeezed the lemon that came with it on top and took a bite — the nutty flavor of the salmon, the creaminess of the risotto, plus the tartness of the lemon, the balance was insane.

There were plump shrimp pieces in there too. What was especially a treat was that the salmon skin was completely crispy on the outside — I honestly just wanted to eat the skin alone haha.

Is THE MUA worth a return visit, and who is it for?

Overall, you could feel the care put into every dish, and with the great atmosphere, it was the perfect place for a relaxed meal. As a Tanbang-dong pasta recommendation, the jambon cream pasta was so good I think I'd order it again next time haha. Also, next time I want to try the smoky mare pasta haha.

For anyone in Daejeon looking for a restaurant with great atmosphere, or somewhere for a special date, I'd recommend THE MUA✨ Next time I'll have to come back and try the other menu items one by one 🥰