Weekend wait for lobster and vongole pasta in Dunsan-dong: Plate

• Hours: 11:00–21:45
• Parking: Free 2 hours at Rodeo Building underground parking

When you're looking for a nice restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon on the weekend, there aren't actually that many places that satisfy both price and taste. If you want pasta or pizza but hesitate at the price, let me introduce Plate Dunsan Branch today.

Having visited myself, the prices were relatively reasonable, and there were plenty of customers even in the weekend afternoon — you could feel how popular it is.

Plate Dunsan in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon: a wait even on weekends

Plate Dunsan Branch is an Italian restaurant where you can enjoy fresh pasta, handmade pizza and steak all together. They make their own fresh noodles and pizza dough in-store, so I was excited to see what to order.

Even visiting around 2pm on the weekend, there was a wait. I thought since it was a bit past lunchtime I'd be able to eat leisurely, but way more people were there than expected. You could really feel how many people in Daejeon come here looking for pasta or steak.

Despite the wait, the inside was spacious and comfortable. With window seats and roomy tables, it looked great for dates as well as family meals or gatherings with friends.

Where to park at Plate Dunsan

For anyone driving, parking matters too. Plate Dunsan Branch has access to the building's underground parking lot, with 2 hours free — very convenient.

Dunsan-dong is a great area to move on to shopping or other spots after a meal, so parking hassles would have been a shame — I liked that there's parking right in the building. Since there can be a wait on weekends, it's worth giving yourself a little extra time.

What we ordered: lobster pasta and vongole pasta

This time at Plate Dunsan Branch, I ordered the lobster pasta and the vongole pasta (clam and oil pasta). Both are pasta dishes but head in different flavor directions, so they were great to order together and share.

Lobster pasta, 19,900 won

The lobster pasta caught my eye from the name alone. With lobster in it, it felt a bit more special than an ordinary pasta. It's a great choice if you want to enjoy seafood flavor or fancy something different from your usual pasta.

When ordering pasta, the balance of sauce and noodles matters, but there's also the fun of picking something to share. The lobster pasta gave a real sense of satisfaction on its own, and ordering it alongside the vongole pasta made the table feel even more abundant.

Vongole pasta, 14,900 won with soup, salad and bread

This tasted a bit different from the vongole pastas I've had before. Vongole is usually a familiar, light pasta made with clams and oil, but Plate's version had a flavor that stood apart from what I'd tried before.

I ordered expecting the usual vongole, but one bite in, it felt different in a good way. Not so unfamiliar that it was off-putting though — I enjoyed it a lot.

If you're someone who usually likes vongole pasta, it'd be fun to compare it to what you're used to. Even for someone like me who's had pasta at plenty of restaurants, this felt like a new flavor to enjoy.

Ordering both pastas together was great because I could compare each one's charm while eating. The lobster pasta felt like enjoying something special, while the vongole pasta had the joy of discovering a new taste in a familiar dish.

Why the prices made the meal even better

Plate Dunsan Branch is a place where you can enjoy pasta, steak and pizza together. Considering that menu lineup, the prices were relatively affordable, making it easy to visit without much worry.

Italian restaurants can sometimes feel like a hassle to visit often because of price, even with a nice atmosphere, but Plate had a wide menu selection and seemed good for ordering several dishes to share among a group.

Especially compared to eating just one plate of pasta, ordering pizza or steak alongside lets you enjoy a wider variety — that's a real strength. This time I ordered two pastas, but next time I'd love to try other menu items too.

Worth noting: there was a wait visiting on a weekend afternoon, but that also shows how many people seek this place out. Between the atmosphere, parking, and price, it was an overall solid and satisfying meal.

Looking for pasta in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon?

Plate Dunsan Branch is an Italian restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, where you can enjoy fresh pasta, handmade pizza and steak together.