Mangwon Station fine dining by car on a Sunday: lagarto steak, Noju

This is my review of the Noju lunch course, a great-value course meal that's perfect for a date near Mangwon Station.

If you're looking for affordable fine dining in Mangwon, this is the one I'd recommend. Noju is a restaurant that serves an 8-course menu, and the biggest plus was being able to enjoy a course meal in Seoul for a very reasonable ₩55,000!

How do you book a table at Noju?

I booked Noju through Catchtable, and Naver Reservation is also available. The booking process was simple, and you can request a lettering service if you're visiting for an anniversary! I requested it too, and I was happy with how carefully they prepared it.

Where is Noju, and where to park when driving on a weekend

Noju is a 2-minute walk from Exit 2 of Mangwon Station, so access is excellent. It's right near the station as soon as you come out, so I'd recommend taking public transport!

• No parking at Noju itself
• Use nearby public parking lots

Noju has no parking lot of its own, so you'll need to use a public lot nearby! There's a paid lot right next door, but the parking fee is a bit pricey!

So I'd recommend the Mangwon public parking lot or the Mangwon street public parking lot, both a 5-minute walk away! I visited by car on a Sunday and used the Mangwon public parking lot next to Mangwon Traditional Market. I reached the lot entrance at 11:30 and was able to park after waiting about 10 minutes, so it wasn't too hard.

Noju interior and seating: window seats, bar and group tables

Noju is on the 2nd floor, and the floor-to-ceiling windows make it feel open and airy.

The overall feel is clean and stylish, which suits a blind date, a date or an anniversary meal! The window seats especially have a great mood, so I think you'd enjoy them even more at dinner time.

There's also bar seating inside, with 6 seats in total for 1 to 6 guests.

I liked that you can chat with the chef up close while you eat! They also have group seating for 6 or more, so it works for group gatherings and family events too.

Noju lunch menu and wine corkage rules

What I ordered that day was the Noju lunch chef's choice course. One thing to note: they say substituting ingredients because of allergies is difficult. You can also have wine with your meal!

Noju's wine corkage is ₩20,000 per bottle, up to 1 bottle. They also had a nice variety of reasonably priced wines! If you revisit within 3 months, you get one corkage-free bottle for 2 guests, so wine lovers may want to keep that in mind.

Also, Noju is a no-kids zone, so minors can't dine here. For adults who want a quiet, calm meal, that might actually feel like a plus.

What's in Noju's 8-course lunch chef's choice?

Course 1: focaccia with yuja ricotta cheese

Noju's focaccia was crisp outside and moist inside, and the yuja (citron) ricotta cheese served with it went so well with the bread! The richness of the ricotta and the freshness of the yuja blended nicely, which made it a very satisfying starter bread. I love bread, so I wanted another piece, but I held back thinking of the whole course, haha (it gets quite filling toward the end).

Course 2: bite-sized beet tart and endive

I don't usually enjoy beets, but I could eat the beet tart without any trouble.

The nutty flavor came through, and the characteristic beet smell wasn't strong. The endive felt like a fresh salad and was great for whetting the appetite.

Course 3: sesame oil arancini

The arancini (fried rice ball) was personally the most unusual dish of the day! It uses rice from Popo Farm, topped with sesame oil powder and set on a sesame oil sauce, and at first I thought it was a rather unfamiliar combination. But after one bite, the nuttiness of the sesame oil went really well with the arancini. It was so good I scraped up every bit of the sauce!

Course 4: zucchini-wrapped jambon with Emmental cheese sauce

This was jambon (ham) wrapped in zucchini, served with an Emmental cheese sauce. It had a rich cheese aroma and a nutty flavor, and cheese lovers in particular will be satisfied. However, because of the cheese-based sauce, people who dislike richness may find it a bit heavy.

Course 5: anchovy pasta

I don't usually enjoy anchovies, so I was a little worried when I saw the menu, but the anchovy pasta wasn't fishy or overwhelming at all. The tomato-based sauce made with cherry tomatoes was clean, and the noodles were cooked pleasantly chewy, so the texture was great.

Course 6: Noju's signature truffle gnocchi

Noju's signature gnocchi, which came next, was the best dish of the day. I'd recommend it as a top truffle gnocchi spot in Mangwon! Potato gnocchi piled with truffle, crisp outside and chewy inside! The thick truffle cream sauce had a deep flavor and went really well with the gnocchi. If you like truffle or gnocchi, you'll love this one!! I finished every bit of the sauce!

Course 7: Iberico steak main

The main dish was an Iberico steak. They explained it uses the lagarto (Iberian pork loin-end) cut, and it had just the right amount of fat, a chewy bite and tenderness all at once. The mashed potatoes and jalapeño served with it brought out the flavor of the meat even more.

Course 8: lemon sherbet

The lemon sherbet served last was a perfect finish to the course. After all the different dishes, it cleansed the palate nicely.

Is the Noju lunch course worth going back for?

Overall, I was satisfied with Noju's food quality, atmosphere and service. I think the biggest plus is being able to enjoy a course of this caliber for ₩55,000 in the middle of Seoul. I'd recommend Noju to anyone looking for a Mangwon restaurant, a pasta spot near Mangwon Station or affordable fine dining! It's also a great place for a date, an anniversary or a blind date in Mangwon! It's a restaurant I'd happily revisit myself!