Changwon Gwisan-dong restaurant with mentaiko shrimp pasta: Haedeun

A weekend evening visit with my husband to Haedeun, a Western-style restaurant in Gwisan, Changwon. The moment we finished eating and turned to leave, "I want to eat this again" just slipped out — that's how addictive it was. This is seriously the Gwisan restaurant I'm determined to keep coming back to until I've tried the whole menu! ^^

Haedeun hours, parking and how to book

• Hours: 11:30–20:20 (break time 3–5pm)
• Parking: Private parking lot available

Finding Haedeun: wooden gate and private parking lot

Haedeun is a Western restaurant located in Gwisan-dong, Changwon. I'd always visited during the day, so this was my first time coming around sunset — the roads were quiet, making the drive feel much more relaxed. ^^

Haedeun, a well-known restaurant in Gwisan-dong, has its own private parking lot right next to the building, so parking is easy and convenient.

Inside Haedeun: six tables and a big shared center table

A cozy interior with about six tables. Since there can be a wait, it seems best to book ahead on Naver. Large plants, warm-toned lighting, and an interior mixing wood tones with white come together for a bright yet cozy, warm feel!

Haedeun also has a spacious large table right in the middle of the restaurant, so it works fine for group gatherings too!

What we ordered, and the tangerine juice served while we waited

• Mentaiko Shrimp Aglio Olio ₩16,800
• Beef Tomato Risotto ₩18,500

We went on a weekend evening during peak hours, so there was a bit of a wait — and the owner brought out complimentary tangerine juice. We hadn't even waited that long, so I was really touched by the thoughtfulness ~~^^ Also, wait, did they seriously just give us an entire 1.5-liter bottle of tangerine juice...? A gorgeous glass bottle filled with a mas-sive amount of juice. ㅎ_ㅎ

Mentaiko shrimp aglio olio: how salty is the mentaiko?

First out was the mentaiko shrimp pasta. The noodles are a bit flatter and thinner than usual pasta, more like kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), which goes really well with the oil-based sauce.

The real kick of this mentaiko shrimp pasta is, of course, the mentaiko (seasoned pollock roe) itself! The popping texture and salty umami take the pasta's flavor to a whole other deep level. I love mentaiko, so I always order it whenever it's on a menu — but it's been a real while since I've had mentaiko with such perfectly balanced saltiness! Genuinely, so, so good. ^^

The shrimp aren't skimped on either — plenty of them, and each one is big enough to give a really satisfying bite. I like oil pastas, but this is the first time I think I've ever spooned up the leftover sauce. lol Ah, I genuinely wanted to take this oil sauce home with me. TT

Beef tomato risotto: big beef chunks and a bigger portion than expected

Our second order was the beef tomato risotto. First I was shocked by the portion size, then I was floored by the flavor. ㅎ_ㅎ

We're the type who basically never order risotto at Western restaurants, but somehow we ordered this one like we were under a spell. Ah, I really did just meet my all-time favorite risotto here. So many places put "beef" in the menu name and you wonder if there's actually any beef in there — but here, they're genuinely generous with big chunks of beef. And the beef itself is so moist and tender, it just melts away. TT

The creamy sauce and the plump, well-cooked rice come together so that every bite genuinely feels like a dopamine hit. ㅎ_ㅎ The tomato's tang and a faint hint of butter aroma blend together so harmoniously. I keep wondering why I never used to eat risotto... thinking about it, it was probably that mid-meal heaviness that used to get to me — but Haedeun's beef tomato risotto has a bit of spice added, so there was zero heaviness even down to the last spoonful, and I scraped up every single grain of rice. After eating this risotto, I feel like I could even try a cream risotto here next time. ㅎ_ㅎ

It's been a while since I've had the experience of feeling sad every time the portion got smaller. ^^

A cozy, warm interior, friendly service, and above all, that addictive flavor that makes you a regular after just one visit! Such a happy weekend evening spent at Haedeun, the go-to Western restaurant in Gwisan, Changwon.