Seongsu popup-day restaurant for puttanesca pasta: Billadeubeulleu

🍝 Billadeubeulleu Seongsu — a taste of the Mediterranean by Seoul Forest

Where is Billadeubeulleu Seongsu? Right by the Seoul Forest entrance

Billadeubeulleu Seongsu sits right near the entrance to Seoul Forest, so it's an easy add-on to a Seongsu-dong popup outing or a stroll through the park. I hadn't been to Seongsu in a while, and after checking out some popups there I wanted a bit more of a relaxed meal instead of fighting the crowds on the main Seongsu strip, so I headed toward Seoul Forest instead. That's how I ended up here. I'd actually been looking up Seoul Forest pasta restaurants around that time, and this place caught my eye for its unusual menu and its atmosphere, so I was pretty excited going in.

There are terrace seats right by the entrance too. On a day that's neither too hot nor too cold, sitting out here for a meal would be lovely. There were quite a few people seated outside already, so on a nice-weather day, I imagine the terrace fills up fast.

Inside Billadeubeulleu Seongsu: a Mediterranean mood in blue and white

The interior is done mainly in blue and white, and it's got that cooling effect just from looking at it — like stepping into some Mediterranean resort 🌊 The tables aren't crammed together either, so it seemed like a good spot for a date or a meal with friends where you actually want a bit of atmosphere.

During the day especially, the natural light pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows made the space feel even brighter. Food photos come out well here too, so it's a great choice for a day when you want both good vibes and good food.

Aligot cheese lasagna and its tableside cheese pour

First up was Billadeubeulleu's signature dish, the aligot cheese lasagna. It's striking the moment it hits the table. Instead of just cheese scattered on top of a regular lasagna, there's a whole blanket of aligot — mashed potato mixed with mozzarella — draped over it like a duvet. And there's a little performance where they pour the hot aligot cheese over the top right in front of you, which was fun to watch on top of everything else. The moment the cheese starts stretching, it already looks delicious 😋

Tasting it, the nutty richness of the mozzarella combines with the plain, clean flavor of the potato, so it's less heavy than I expected. Eaten together with the rich ragù sauce underneath, the aligot softens out the saltiness nicely — a good combination.

What does the Sicilian puttanesca pasta taste like?

Next was the Sicilian puttanesca pasta. This southern Italian oil pasta uses tomato and anchovy, and since it's not something you run into often, I was curious. It's a bit different from the clean, mild oil pastas most of us usually picture.

One bite and you get a solid hit of tomato acidity along with the salty umami from the anchovy. Even though it's an oil pasta, it's not bland at all — there's an edge to it. So among Seoul Forest pasta restaurants, if you want something a bit different from a standard oil pasta, this one's pretty appealing.

The side dish: gnocchi fritti

The gnocchi fritti we ordered last turned out to be the dark horse of the meal. It's gnocchi that's been deep-fried, crispy on the outside and fluffy inside — kind of like eating freshly fried potatoes. Dip it in the thick, slightly tangy Greek yogurt-based sauce and you can't stop reaching for more.

It was great to pick at while waiting for the mains, so it made a perfect side order. I'd definitely order this again on a return visit.

Would I go back to Billadeubeulleu Seongsu? Yes

Overall, Billadeubeulleu Seongsu satisfied on both counts — an uncommon menu and a space with real atmosphere. The aligot cheese lasagna in particular impressed not just visually but in flavor too, and it was nice to try something like the Sicilian puttanesca that I hadn't really seen elsewhere. On a nice-weather day I'd love to eat on the terrace, so yes, I'd go back!

If you're looking for a good-atmosphere Seoul Forest pasta restaurant to pair with a Seongsu-dong popup outing or a walk through Seoul Forest, Billadeubeulleu Seongsu is worth a stop. The lineup from pasta to lasagna to sides worked well together 🙂