Cheonan Italian restaurant lunch: basil scallop risotto, Napoli Shinbu

What is Napoli Shinbu in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan like?

Napoli Shinbu (나폴리신부) is an Italian restaurant tucked into a side street in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, with a wide menu from wood-fired pizza to pasta and risotto. I was looking for a lunch spot in Sinbu-dong and ended up here because the name stuck in my head, haha

With such a varied menu, it looked like a decent pick for anyone hunting for a good meal in Sinbu-dong, lol. It's also not far from Cheonan Terminal and Shinsegae Department Store, so it's easy to eat and then wander around the area.

Napoli Shinbu exterior and interior

The exterior blends in nicely with the Sinbu-dong alley, and once I stepped inside it felt cozier than I expected, haha. White walls with wood-toned tables and chairs made it feel clean yet warm.

Ordering and menu prices at Napoli Shinbu

Every seat has a tablet, so you can browse the menu at your own pace and order right there, which was convenient, lol. Wood-fired pizza is the signature item, but the pasta and risotto lineup is pretty varied too.

I wanted to try something a little different that day, so I ordered the scallop risotto for ₩18,500, haha. For drinks I got an iced Americano (₩4,000) and a San Pellegrino Blood Orange (₩3,500). The total came to ₩26,000, lol.

• Scallop risotto ₩18,500
• Iced Americano ₩4,000
• San Pellegrino Blood Orange ₩3,500
• Total ₩26,000

The pickles that came as a default side had cucumber and red onion, and their tang went quite well with the cream risotto.

How does the scallop risotto at Napoli Shinbu taste?

The scallop risotto is a pale green basil cream risotto topped with prosciutto, dried tomatoes, cheese and herbs. It arrived generously portioned on a big plate, and it already looked very appetizing, haha.

The colors were so pretty that I took photos the moment it arrived, lol. The risotto was creamy with a subtle basil aroma spreading through it. The sauce soaked softly between the grains, so the whole dish felt moist and rich, haha.

The salty prosciutto and the sweet-and-sour dried tomatoes cut through the heaviness that cream usually has. The scallops were tender with a slightly springy bite, so they really held their own alongside the rice, lol.

The best way to eat the scallop risotto

Personally, my favorite bite was a spoonful of risotto with a little prosciutto and dried tomato piled on top. You get nuttiness, saltiness and the tomato's acidity all at once, so I kept going back for more, haha.

What drink goes with cream risotto?

The San Pellegrino Blood Orange (₩3,500) I ordered also paired well with the scallop risotto. Its fresh orange aroma and fizz cleaned up my mouth whenever I took a sip between bites of the cream risotto, lol.

It was served to pour into a chilled copper-colored cup, which added a bit of atmosphere. I finished with the iced Americano, and after such a rich risotto, a cup of coffee made the meal end nice and clean, haha.

Is Napoli Shinbu good for a date or lunch?

It isn't overly formal, yet it's a bit calmer than an ordinary pizza place, so it felt good for a date or a casual meal. This time I had the scallop risotto, but I saw people around me ordering wood-fired pizza, so next time I'd like to try pizza and pasta together, lol.

If you're looking for an Italian place in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, where you can enjoy wood-fired pizza, pasta and risotto together, Napoli Shinbu is worth a visit. And if you like cream risotto and basil, keep an eye on the scallop risotto, haha