Ansan Italian restaurant, octopus ratatouille for two: That Man's

My partner and I hadn't had a proper romantic date in a good-atmosphere spot in a while, so we headed to Ansan. From the taste to the interior to the outdoor terrace, everything was perfect — here's my visit report on That Man's Italian Restaurant & Lounge in Ansan's Jungang-dong!

What That Man's Italian Restaurant & Lounge in Jungang-dong, Ansan is like

That Man's Italian Restaurant & Lounge is an Italian restaurant on the 6th floor of the Dongwon Building on Gojan 1-gil. Right at the entrance there's an 'Ansan's Best Restaurant' certification mark that instantly builds trust, so my expectations were sky-high before we even walked in.

Stepping inside, the soft, upscale lighting and the crystal mood lamps on every table were just gorgeous. Between the tidy table settings and the atmosphere, I thought there was nowhere better for a course meal on a special occasion or a glass of wine. They were also running a wine promotion, so I'd strongly recommend this place for a date.

Three dishes for two: about ₩80,000 at That Man's

I had garlic oil pasta, octopus ratatouille, and a lamb rack steak — altogether it came to about ₩80,000. I felt bad for my wallet lol, but honestly for a restaurant with this kind of atmosphere, it was such a steal.

As soon as we sat down and ordered, warm bread and balsamic oil arrived first. Crisp outside, chewy inside, dipped lightly in the oil — it was exactly what my empty stomach needed.

Octopus ratatouille baked under a layer of cheese

The cheese oven dish that came next was overwhelming just from looks alone! Rich tomato sauce and plenty of savory cheese piled on top, with umami-packed filling underneath — spread on crispy baguette, it was absolutely fantastic. One bite in and I thought, 'This is 100% a wine snack,' the flavor was that deep and rich.

Just look at that cheese stretch!!

Look at those visuals, I'm crying

French rack lamb steak cooked medium-rare

Finally, today's main dish arrived — the French rack lamb steak. The thick meat on those big bones was grilled to look absolutely mouthwatering. It was plated beautifully with mint jelly, whole grain mustard, and herb salt to mix and match by taste, and there wasn't a hint of gamey smell — the juices burst out with every bite, and both my partner and I were amazed.

Since the doneness was adjustable, we ordered it medium-rare — totally recommend medium-rare!!! Choosing which sauce to eat with each bite was fun too, and even the smell of the lamb felt like part of the dish, haha.

Garlic oil pasta for ₩16,000

The garlic oil pasta we also ordered had oil sauce deeply infused with garlic flavor, topped with salty cheese scattered like snow — the umami was incredible. Loaded with whole garlic cloves and herbs, we scraped the plate clean without a trace of greasiness.

Seriously, this pasta being ₩16,000 doesn't make sense... If they sold it near my office I'd be checking in every single day, haha.

Why you should step out onto the outdoor terrace deck

That Man's Italian Restaurant & Lounge has an outdoor terrace connected to the dining space, and I would've really regretted it if we hadn't gone out there! Following the open wooden deck path decorated with soft lighting and flowers made for such a nice evening walk. Around the round mood lamps on the ground there were cute moss rabbit and ladybug ornaments clustered together — total heart-melting point.

They told us that in a week they'd be adding tables and chairs out here so people could enjoy their food outside too. The weather was so nice that I think I'll be back again soon.

If you want to spend a special time with someone in Ansan, definitely visit That Man's Italian Restaurant & Lounge — it has the taste, the atmosphere, and the friendliness all covered!