Sangsu outdoor bar for cuttlefish ragu linguine and jamón: Rosetta

Where is Rosetta and why did we go?

Rosetta is a cocktail bar right in the middle of Hongdae, Hapjeong and Sangsu. The real middle, I mean it, haha. We got off at Sangsu Station and walked, but I think the walk takes about the same from Hapjeong Station or Hongik Univ. Station haha.

Personally, I'm a bit reluctant to go to the totally packed Hongdae (old-person issue ☺️), but Rosetta is close to the relatively quiet Hapjeong and Sangsu food alley, so the location was perfect for me too 👀

The reason we went to Rosetta was the outdoor seating, which has such a great vibe! The indoors was gorgeous too, of course, but with this weather, drinking cocktails outside would be sooo good.. so we went without hesitating!!

What are Rosetta's interior and seating like?

Rosetta feels so European from the entrance and it was so, so pretty!!! I went in with big expectations, and wow, the inside was even more grand.

Bottles of liquor were lined up far into the distance, and there's a nicely done bar area where you can have a drink at the bar, like at a proper cocktail bar.

There were guests at the indoor seats so I couldn't photograph everything, but each table has its own lamp, so romantic-style. And there was a private space like this too. Close the curtain and it's totally our own space, so good 🌝 The other indoor tables were for 2 to 6 people, and I think there were about 7 to 10 of them.

Is Rosetta's restroom indoors?

Rosetta has a restroom inside! It's separated for men and women, and even the restroom is decorated in a classic, antique style haha. It was clean and really nice.

Rosetta's outdoor seating and menu

But we're outdoor-seat lovers, so we sat at the outdoor seats outside Rosetta haha.

Snacks and water were set out as a palate cleanser, and even the menu was so pretty. The food menu wasn't huge, but they had everything we wanted to eat haha.

We ordered these three.

• Butter-roasted baby potatoes with jamón
• Rosé mac and cheese
• Cuttlefish ragu linguine

The drink menu was comparatively s-o-o varied and long. Cocktails, whisky, beer, wine and so on.. One whole menu was nothing but drinks, so choosing took forever 🥲 After ordering, we were so excited, hehe.

Cuttlefish ragu linguine at Rosetta, the best dish

The first dish to come out was the cuttlefish ragu linguine.

Spoiler: the cuttlefish ragu linguine was the best! It tasted kind of familiar yet fresh.. not greasy, great texture, and the chef really seasoned it right.. We scraped the plate clean haha.

How much is the Water Lily Pond cocktail and what does it taste like?

Then my cocktail, "Water Lily Pond," arrived. It has a sherry wine base with herbs and fruit added, and it cost ₩21,000.

It said 8% alcohol, but at first it felt like a sweet drink and went down so easily haha. But as I kept drinking, I could feel the alcohol. When serving, they also sprayed herb oil on it, which was neat haha. The taste was worth the price.

Rosé mac and cheese: fine even if you hate rich food?

The second dish was the rosé mac and cheese.

I have a total middle-aged-man palate, so I rarely eat rich food like this, you know? But Rosetta's rosé mac and cheese, wow, wasn't greasy at all, and I finished every bite. It had a slightly spicy note while being nutty. Sweet and salty in good balance.. and there's a slightly spicy crispy chip on the middle, and eating that together added a savory depth.

How do the butter-roasted baby potatoes with jamón taste?

The third dish was baby potatoes meeting jamón.

The potatoes were lightly fried and there's something honey-like spread on the bottom as a base, and this was also, no lie, violently delicious 👍👍👍👍👍 It's like eating a mouthful of fries, and then imagine an amazing sauce reduced into them. Yes.. recommended.

Delicious food deserves a delicious response. We cleaned this one out too :) hahaha.

Ending the night at Rosetta with Wild Turkey 8 Year

We were so happy with the food that we ordered one more glass of Wild Turkey 8 Year and finished the night happily haha.

Aaah, as it got dark, Rosetta's space looked even prettier~ the food was good~ the drinks were good~ 😍 It was a very satisfying meal 🙏🏻 If you're ever in Sangsu, Hongdae or Hapjeong, it seems like an awesome spot for a date, a get-together with friends, or a blind date 🤍 Rosetta, I'll be back~~