Yeonnam-dong date dinner sharing pasta and duck risotto: Hey Joji

When you're on a date around Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong, you end up looking for a restaurant with both good vibes and good food!

This time I visited Hey Joji, a restaurant tucked in a Yeonnam-dong alley near Hongdae. Yeonnam-dong has so many pretty cafés and good restaurants that it's hard to decide where to go, but Hey Joji is known as a great spot for a date over Western dishes like pasta and risotto, so I gave it a try!

The interior really did feel cozy and cute, so it seemed good for eating with friends as well as for a date with a partner 👍🏻

On this visit I ordered the bocconcini tomato pasta and the duck truffle cream risotto, and since the two dishes had such different flavors and vibes, they were great to order together and share!

Where is Hey Joji in Yeonnam-dong, and what is the room like?

Hey Joji is located at 42-24 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul! You can find it by walking from Hongik University Station toward Yeonnam-dong, and it's in a great spot for soaking up the neighborhood's distinct alley atmosphere along the way :) Even from the outside it feels a bit more emotive than a typical restaurant, with a cute vibe that fits right in with the Yeonnam-dong alley!!

The interior is also centered around warm wood tones, giving the whole space a comfortable, cozy feeling 🤍 There are tables ranging from two-tops to larger group seating, so it seems good not just for dates but also for meeting friends or dining with a bigger group! Group use is possible, and Naver Reservation is available too, so if you're planning a visit it might be a good idea to book ahead haha.

They're open daily from 12:00 to 21:00, with last order at 20:00! Since you can visit anytime from lunch through dinner, it's also great for planning a date course with a café stop in Yeonnam-dong, nice nice!!

How does the bocconcini tomato pasta at Hey Joji taste?

The first dish we ordered was the bocconcini tomato pasta! I like tomato sauce so I had high hopes, and eating it, I could really taste how rich the tomato sauce was!!

It wasn't just a light, tomato-scented sauce — the sauce itself felt thick and deep, and with plenty of cheese piled on, it added a soft, mellow taste too!!

The tanginess of the tomato and the nutty, soft flavor of the cheese came together better than I expected haha.

The noodles had absorbed plenty of sauce, so each bite delivered the full flavor of the tomato sauce, and with the cheese added the overall taste became softer~

Tomato pasta can sometimes end up too tangy or with a sauce that's too light, but Hey Joji's bocconcini tomato pasta had a rich sauce, so I got to enjoy it without any of that issue!!

Is the duck truffle cream risotto too rich?

And the dish I personally enjoyed the most on this visit was the duck truffle cream risotto! It's a cream risotto with duck meat and truffle, but being a cream risotto didn't automatically mean it was overly heavy!

If anything, there was a pleasant saltiness added that kept me coming back for more bites~ The soft cream sauce paired well with the duck, and with the subtle truffle aroma layered in, it had a somewhat different flavor from a typical cream risotto!!

The cream sauce was soft and nutty but seasoned just right, so it didn't feel too rich~ That's why alternating with the tomato pasta was even better, letting me enjoy two different flavors haha.

Since it's a risotto made with duck meat, I thought it would be great to order when you want something a bit special. If you're someone who usually likes cream risotto, I think you'll be quite satisfied!

Why Hey Joji works for a Yeonnam-dong date dinner

What I liked about Hey Joji is that you get to enjoy the atmosphere of the place along with the food! On dates in Yeonnam-dong, people often go with a meal-then-café course, but Hey Joji has a vibe that's great for taking your time over the meal itself and chatting, so it suited a date spot really well!! In particular, since there are so many pasta and risotto options, I'd recommend ordering about two dishes and sharing rather than sticking to just one ☺️

The bocconcini tomato pasta I had that day stood out for its rich, smooth tomato sauce, and the duck truffle cream risotto was great for the combination of duck, truffle, and cream! Both dishes had such a clear identity of their own that ordering them together kept things interesting and delicious~

Final verdict on Hey Joji in Yeonnam-dong

This Hongdae-area Hey Joji visit is one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a nice-vibe Western restaurant in Yeonnam-dong! It's a solid choice especially if you're looking for a Yeonnam-dong date restaurant or a spot near Hongdae where you can enjoy pasta and risotto together ⭐️ The bocconcini tomato pasta I tried was soft and delicious thanks to the rich tomato sauce and generous cheese, and the duck truffle cream risotto was especially satisfying with its soft cream sauce plus duck and truffle flavor 💕

If you're looking for a restaurant for a date in Yeonnam-dong, I'd recommend Hey Joji, where you can enjoy both the taste and the atmosphere together!! Next time I'm back in Yeonnam-dong, I want to try some of the other pasta and risotto dishes too haha.

Hey Joji hours, address and reservations

• 📍 42-24 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• ⏰ Daily 12:00-21:00
• 🕐 Last order 20:00
• 👥 Group use available
• 📱 Naver Reservation available