Banwoldang pasta spot, Daegu: a regular's first perilla gnocchi, Dana

Today's story is about Dana Dongseong-ro Main Branch (다나 동성로본점), where I went because I hadn't had good Western food in Dongseong-ro in a while. Dana has been a steady favorite in Dongseong-ro for years, and I've been here with my mom, my friends and my husband. You can get everything from pasta to risotto, steak and gnocchi, so it's good for a meal and, with its atmosphere, I'd also recommend it as a Dongseong-ro date spot. This time I ordered my usual signature menu plus the perilla cream gnocchi I'd never tried, and I loved it, so let me give you a quick intro☆

How to get to Dana Dongseong-ro Main Branch, and parking

Come out of Banwoldang Station Exit 10, walk into the Tongsin alley (통신골목), then turn into the corner alley where Donggyeong Sanbo (동경산보) is, and Dana is on the 2nd floor inside that alley. It's in the heart of Dongseong-ro, so access is good, and both Dongseong-ro and Banwoldang are close, which makes it easy to drop in for a meal while shopping or wandering around.

The restaurant has no parking lot of its own, so if you're driving, I'd suggest checking nearby lots such as the Metro Center parking lot. For a stress-free visit, public transport is best. If you want to take care of a meal and a date in one go while looking for a Dongseong-ro restaurant, give it a try!

Inside Dana Dongseong-ro Main Branch: atmosphere and seating

The inside is made up of a 1st-floor space and a loft above it, and big glass windows let in natural light, so the whole place feels warm and comfortable. Go up the stairs and the first thing you see is that sunlit wall of windows. As a restaurant that has held its place in Dongseong-ro for a long time, it keeps the upscale feel it has always had, yet it's casual too, not stiff at all, so you can eat comfortably. It has a different charm from the flashy interiors that are trendy these days.

From the 1st floor up to the loft there's a decent variety of tables, so there isn't much of a wait, and it works for meeting a friend over good food as well as for a relaxed meal with a partner. If you don't want to miss out on either atmosphere or food, keep it in mind as a candidate for a Dongseong-ro pasta restaurant.

Dana's menu: what can you order?

The menu is more varied than you'd expect: set menus good for 2-3 people, pasta, special steaks, gnocchi and pilaf. And we can't skip Dana's signature baked risotto!! Everything from the cooking method to the texture is different from ordinary risotto, so if you visit Dana, I really, really recommend trying it at least once.

If you want to taste a few things, a set menu is a good way to go. You get pasta and baked risotto together, so it's nice for two people to try a variety. They also have drinks like coffee and ade, so you can relax in one spot after the meal without going to a separate café. Getting your meal and coffee done in one place is another of Dana's charms!

Beet pickles and blueberry ade

The side dish that comes to every table at Dana Dongseong-ro Main Branch is house-made pickles made with beets. The beets give them a pretty color, so they look appetizing, and they're sweet and sour, which cleanses the palate and goes well when you're eating pasta or cream dishes.

For drinks, I had the Zero Cider (zero-sugar soda) that comes with the set, plus a blueberry ade I added separately! The Zero Cider was an easy match for the food, and the blueberry ade was sweet and tangy, fresh and cool with the meal. Since I ordered two cream-based dishes this time, sipping a drink in between made everything even better.

What's in Dana's ₩28,500 signature set?

Dana's signature set is ₩28,500 and includes one pasta, a baked risotto and one drink. You can pick any pasta on Dana's menu; I chose the shrimp amatriciana and, for the drink, the Zero Cider. Let me start with Dana's signature, the baked risotto.

Baked risotto: crispy outside, spicy cream inside

Dana's baked risotto is risotto simmered in a spicy cream sauce, topped with cheese, wrapped in a tortilla and baked in the oven for over 10 minutes. Moisture is cooked off, so the outside stays crispy and dry, which is what defines this signature dish. Its shape and texture differ from regular risotto, so the first time it may remind you of a burrito or a chimichanga. It's crispy outside with the flavor of the cream sauce alive inside, a unique combination.

Honestly, I always order the baked risotto whenever I come to Dana. You'd think a cream base might get heavy, but the spiciness keeps it from getting tiresome, and I really like that. I'm satisfied every time, so calling it Dana's bestseller totally fits!

Shrimp amatriciana: a tomato pasta to alternate with the cream risotto

And the shrimp amatriciana I ordered with it! Since the baked risotto is cream-based, I picked a tomato-sauce pasta. The savory tomato sauce with plump shrimp had great depth of flavor, and eating it alternately with the spicy, nutty cream risotto was a really good match!

One side gives you rich cream, the other the fresh taste of tomato sauce, and I was glad I ordered a variety. If you're looking for a Dongseong-ro pasta restaurant and one pasta feels like not enough, I recommend getting the set menu so you can enjoy the signature dish too!

What does Dana's perilla cream gnocchi (₩16,000) taste like?

Dana's perilla cream gnocchi is a ₩16,000 special menu item: oksimi-shaped gnocchi (like the chewy rice-flour dumplings) pan-fried in butter, served with a nutty cream sauce made with perilla seeds, and topped with mozzarella and Grana Padano cheese. I added it to the set this time as a new challenge. At first I wondered how perilla and cream would go together, but after tasting it I understood why it's a special menu.

First, the gnocchi texture was really appealing! Chewy, with a nutty flavor on the surface, and with the perilla cream sauce the mouth fills with something soft and rich. The perilla's natural nuttiness blends well with the cream sauce, so the flavor was deep and charming♡ The cheese on top makes the nuttiness even stronger!

Honestly, since I'd never tried it, I ordered without big expectations, but I personally really loved it. The baked risotto I always get was good too, but this time the perilla cream gnocchi was so satisfying that it stuck in my memory. If you usually like cream pasta or gnocchi, please try it. It's what I'd recommend when you want a nutty flavor a little different from ordinary tomato or rosé dishes, and it was so good I'd order it again next time I visit Dana!

Who is Dana Dongseong-ro Main Branch for?

Dana Dongseong-ro Main Branch is a Western restaurant in Dongseong-ro, Daegu, where both the long-loved signature dish and the newly tasted special menu were satisfying. You can enjoy a variety of Western dishes in one place, and the atmosphere is charming, so I'd recommend it for meeting friends and also as a Dongseong-ro date course with a partner.

If you're looking for a place in Dongseong-ro, Daegu, to enjoy pasta, risotto and gnocchi, visit Dana Dongseong-ro Main Branch! I'd recommend it to people who love baked risotto like me, and also to anyone who wants to try something new.

• Location: 2nd floor, 12-24 Dongseong-ro 2-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu
• Hours: 11:30-22:00
• Break time: 15:30-17:00
• Last order: 21:00