Lasagna and pumpkin soup at a Gwangju Suwan pasta spot: Bueokgan

I was really craving good Western food one weekend, so while looking for a pasta restaurant in the Suwan district I ended up at Bueokgan Suwan Branch.

Where do you park at Bueokgan Suwan Branch?

The exterior alone gives off a European vibe. Visiting on a cool evening, the calm atmosphere looked even prettier. Parking in the Suwan district is genuinely a mystery — why hasn't anyone built a public lot here? At least Bueokgan sits near the entrance of an alley in the upper part of Suwan, so there's somewhere to leave a car. You can just park in the nearby alley.

Inside Bueokgan Suwan Branch: interior and atmosphere

An atmospheric interior right from the entrance

The place is clean, cute, and calm in color with just the right accent points — it puts you in a good mood. Lots of the things I love: lighting, coat racks, plants. There's a full window wall next to a park outside, so you get a lovely green view. The interior, atmosphere, and cleanliness all make it a great Western restaurant in Suwan for a blind date. There were plenty of families too, and customers kept coming in even late in the evening.

A neat cutlery setup. Interestingly, the knife's handle is designed perpendicular to the blade, so it stands up on its own even set on the table! So neat.

Bueokgan Suwan Branch menu and what comes in Couple Set A

They have a wide range of mains and drinks — salads, soups, pasta, pizza, ade, coffee, wine. Wine comes in red, white, and sparkling, and there's even sangria by the glass. Corkage is free!

We ordered Couple Set A, a two-person set that includes soup, pasta plus rice, and two drinks. There were so many things I wanted to try that after much deliberation we chose lasagna and kung pao chicken pilaf as mains, and apple earl grey ade and a single orange for drinks. I really wanted the sweet potato fritters too, but they were sold out — so disappointing. Next time I'm ordering those for sure.

• Couple Set A
• Pumpkin soup
• Lasagna / Kung pao chicken pilaf
• Apple earl grey ade / Single orange

Our two-person set arrived. It's served in the order of drinks, then soup, then mains.

Apple earl grey ade at Bueokgan Suwan Branch

You really have to try the apple earl grey ade — this combination is the best. There are actual apple chunks in it too, which makes it even better. I already love apple drinks and coffees, and apple with earl grey... amazing.

Pumpkin soup, the starter in Couple Set A

Reviews said the soup was really delicious, so I had high expectations.

!! And yes, it was really delicious... blended so finely that there's no lumpy texture, with a sweetness that's not overdone, topped with fragrant pistachio. Even as I'm writing this post I'm craving that pumpkin soup again. The little bowl next to it is a soup side plate, haha, it's cute but it holds quite a lot.

Lasagna at Bueokgan Suwan Branch

I've never seen a place give this much lasagna. Lasagna is my favorite pasta, but other places always charge a lot for a tiny piece, which makes me sad — a Western restaurant in Gwangju is different starting with the portion size. Loaded with meat and cheese on top of ragu sauce, it was a hearty meal. You could also taste the freshness of the tomato sauce.

The lasagna comes straight out of the oven, so the plate is hot!! You must hold it by the underplate when moving it. Just cut it with the knife that comes along.

Kung Pao chicken pilaf at Bueokgan Suwan Branch

Kung pao chicken pilaf! It sounded like a name you wouldn't expect at a pasta place, so I ordered it thinking it might be a miss. But it was wonderfully balanced — big chunks of chicken thigh cooked low and slow, combined with a kung pao sauce-based fried rice. It's even better eaten with the garlic. They also gave us small tongs for handling the chicken thigh, which made it easy to pick the meat off the bone.

The house-made pickles were also great.

Verdict: is Bueokgan Suwan Branch worth it for pasta in Suwan?

If you're looking for a pasta restaurant in the Suwan district, Bueokgan is one you should visit at least once. The mains are delicious, but I can't forget that pumpkin soup... definitely order the soup!! With a great atmosphere and great food, it's a date course you can't go wrong with.

Bueokgan Suwan Branch hours, parking and amenities

• Daily 11:30–21:00
• Break time 15:00–17:00
• Last order lunch 14:30 / dinner 20:20
• High chair / separate men's and women's restrooms / free corkage / reservations available