Truffle gnocchi solo lunch in Baekhyeon-dong, Pangyo: Raon Sik Tak

Cycling alone to Raon Sik Tak Pangyo Branch on Baekhyeon-dong café street

Raon Sik Tak Pangyo Branch is a Western restaurant on Baekhyeon-dong café street (26, 1F, Pangyoyeok-ro 10beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea). I had errands nearby in the morning and needed to sort out lunch alone, so I headed there. I didn't want anything heavy, so I steered toward Baekhyeon-dong café street.

I rode over by bike from Sunae, and it took way less time than I expected. If you're driving, I heard you have to park at the public parking lot near Baekhyeon-dong café street. But if you're coming by bike or on foot, this neighborhood is basically no hassle at all. The café street itself is pretty flat, and the sidewalk in front of the restaurant was fairly wide.

Eating solo: one plate of gnocchi instead of a whole pizza

It was a solo visit for me, and I came by bike. I wanted to order pizza, but I didn't have the confidence to finish a whole pie by myself, so I went with a single order of gnocchi instead.

Raon Sik Tak Pangyo Branch has quite a lineup beyond pizza — salad, gnocchi, pasta, risotto, all kinds of things. Next time I come with my husband, I think a set menu could be nice, ordering a set to try a variety of dishes. Or it could work as a brunch-style spot to order around with friends!

Is solo dining awkward at Raon Sik Tak Pangyo Branch?

The tables at Raon Sik Tak Pangyo Branch aren't packed close together, so sitting alone didn't feel awkward, and conversations from neighboring tables didn't carry over. Maybe because it's mostly frequented by people who live in Pangyo, the atmosphere felt different from the start.

What was on the tables wasn't fake flowers — it was real, fresh flowers. That's a choice that takes a fair amount of upkeep, so I always wonder how long details like this last. More people pulled out their phones first than sat down right away. There was barely any of that new-material smell you get at freshly opened restaurants. You could tell they'd been ventilating consistently.

Truffle potato gnocchi: a plate that arrived in 5 minutes

The single order of gnocchi arrived less than 5 minutes after I ordered. It looked like the gnocchi had been pre-cooked in advance and just topped with cream when served.

Thanks to that, the outside didn't soften easily even after sitting in cream. Even scooped through the cream left on the bottom of the plate, the gnocchi held its shape all the way through. Not going mushy to the last bite means the dough wasn't loosely made.

How strong is the truffle aroma?

With the first bite of the gnocchi at Raon Sik Tak Pangyo Branch, the potato aroma came through gently before the truffle. The scent didn't hit my nose first — it rose slowly up the back of my throat after chewing.

Truffle wasn't out front, it was supporting from behind, so even people who find strong aromas overwhelming should be fine here. Places that use truffle oil too heavily hit you with the scent hard on the first bite and you get tired of it by the third — here, it stayed the same intensity all the way to the last piece.

Since it was a solo-sized portion, I cut each piece in half to make it last. Cutting it open, the cross-section was densely packed with no hollow center — that's what a dough with a high potato ratio looks like. The cream wasn't watery or too thick either, slowly dripping off the fork when I scooped it up.

Who Raon Sik Tak suits for a solo meal in Baekhyeon-dong

Sitting alone, slowly working through gnocchi cut in half, made for pretty good time. The morning I spent biking out for one meal didn't feel wasted.

Next time I'm planning to bring company and try the pizza and cotto e ricotta as well. This is a good fit if you want a light meal near Baekhyeon-dong and aren't bothered by dining alone. Even for people who can't handle strong aromas, the truffle gnocchi is worth recommending.