Ansan Italian restaurant anniversary dinner: octopus gratin

It was our anniversary, so off we went to properly set the mood! Hand in hand with my other half, we arrived at That Man's Italian Restaurant & Lounge, near Jungang Station in Jungang-dong, Ansan!

Right at the entrance to Jungang-dong, on the top floor of the Crocs building—Dongwon Building rooftop garden.

I did my homework before visiting, and I was already full of anticipation!

Soft music and gentle lighting welcome you into this cozy space, where it is totally possible to have an intimate little moment just for two. I heard it is run directly by an owner-chef with 20 years of experience, including at high-end restaurants in Cheongdam-dong. They cook with fresh ingredients selected every morning.

Ordering the French rack lamb and risotto

We were still deciding what else to choose, but the French rack lamb—made with lamb under 12 months old, so it is lean, tender, and free of any gamey smell—was an absolute fixed pick!

The squid ink risotto, topped with a whole squid from Ulleungdo and promising deep savory flavor, was also a signature dish, so hmm, hmm. After thinking it over, we ordered that too! And honestly, everything looked delicious! The top-grade AA9+ wagyu steak was tempting too, but since we had chosen lamb, we went for something else. Decision made—these were our orders!

What we ordered today

• Squid ink risotto: ₩23,900
• Lamb rack steak (medium well): ₩43,900
• Wild Tongyeong octopus ratatouille gratin: ₩22,900
• Coca-Cola: ₩3,900

How was the squid ink risotto?

Squid ink risotto: ₩23,900

The dark ink sauce had soaked deeply into every grain of rice, and the moment it hit the mouth, its creamy texture and rich umami were so appealing! This was my wife’s favorite dish—and she normally does not eat squid ink pasta or risotto!

The whole squid, browned on the outside and grilled with plenty of smoky flavor, was wonderfully springy! The fun of snipping it with scissors, and that tender, mouthwatering bite!

My top pick: French rack lamb steak

French rack lamb steak: ₩43,900

My top pick. It was medium well, but the heft was on another level, with juices held beautifully inside. Maybe because it was lamb under 12 months old, there was no gaminess at all. If you like that distinctive lamb flavor, get this one! At first, I ate it elegantly with a knife... later, it was so good I wanted to pick it up and tear into it with my hands!

The garnishes were exactly my style, too. Their flavors, soft enough to seem to melt as you chew, still come to mind even as I write this!

Octopus ratatouille gratin

Wild Tongyeong octopus ratatouille gratin: ₩22,900

Fresh wild octopus from Tongyeong came in big slices, making this a dish with a lovely chewy, bouncy texture with every bite. Just right with a beer. Dip plenty of bread into the ratatouille sauce and golden cheese, and it is so good as a starter!

Once we had finished everything, we wanted to try the other dishes too. We munched away on the Häagen-Dazs dessert from the review event and decided we would come back next time!

Parking information

If you are driving, you can park at one of five locations, including the Dongwon Building public parking lot in front of the restaurant or the area in front of Geumsan Building. Register your vehicle number for one hour of free parking! Or, if you use the underground parking at Lotte Cinema Central Rock, you can get ₩2,000 off your meal, so just use whichever is most convenient!