Shrimp oil pasta twice at Ciment, a Gung-dong pasta place in Daejeon

While looking for a good pasta place near Chungnam National University in Daejeon, I ended up at Ciment Chungnam National University Branch in Gung-dong!

Why Ciment in Gung-dong, near Chungnam National University

Gung-dong is right next to Chungnam National University, so a lot of students hang out here. There are plenty of good restaurants with nice vibes, and while I was looking for somewhere to eat in Gung-dong, I ended up at Ciment.

Ciment

After eating here, I really felt like I could recommend this place as a genuine Gung-dong pasta spot, haha.

What we ordered at Ciment: two shrimp oil pastas and a bacon cream cheese risotto

We ordered two shrimp oil pastas and one bacon cream cheese risotto. To cut to the conclusion — that combo worked way better together than I expected!

We ordered the shrimp oil pasta twice and one bacon cream cheese risotto. You can probably tell how good it was just from the fact that we ordered the same dish twice, lol. At first I thought about trying a bunch of different menu items, but the shrimp oil pasta was so good I just ordered another one.

How does the shrimp oil pasta at Ciment taste?

The dish I most want to recommend is the shrimp oil pasta at Ciment Chungnam National University Branch. You could really taste that clean but savory quality typical of oil pasta, and eating it with the shrimp made it even better. I worried oil pasta might feel greasy, but it wasn't heavy at all.

The sauce coated the noodles well, so twirling up a bite gave you both the shrimp flavor and the aroma of the oil together. I usually love cream pasta too, but for some reason that day I kept reaching for the shrimp oil pasta, haha.

So we ended up ordering two, and I don't regret it at all. I'd actually recommend first-timers try the shrimp oil pasta. I enjoyed it so much I think I'd order it again next time I visit.

Eating the shrimp oil pasta alongside the bacon cream cheese risotto

The bacon cream cheese risotto we ordered alongside it was also good. It had a totally different feel from the oil pasta, so ordering both together made for a great combo. The shrimp oil pasta was clean and nutty, while the bacon cream cheese risotto had a soft, rich cream cheese flavor.

Because the two dishes went in different flavor directions, switching between them kept things from getting repetitive. The bacon added a nice savory note too, and I liked the risotto's signature soft texture. Rather than just ordering one pasta, getting a risotto to share alongside it is a good combo, I think.

If you're visiting with several people like we did, I'd recommend ordering pasta and risotto together and sharing bites. Ciment Chungnam National University Branch was a good spot when looking for somewhere to eat near Chungnam National University — good location, varied menu. There are several pasta places in Gung-dong, but if you want to eat comfortably with friends and enjoy pasta and risotto together, Ciment is worth a visit.

What kind of restaurant is Ciment?

Ciment opened in 2018 with the goal of taking care of Chungnam National University students' meals. Starting from the Hannam University Ciment flagship branch, it's been running for a long time, building good food and a comfortable space. Maybe that's why the Gung-dong branch also felt like a relaxed place for students and friends to eat together.

Dishes like pasta and risotto here aren't too heavy, so it seems like a good spot for a date, or for catching up with a friend over good food. Most of all, being near Chungnam National University makes it easy to access for students, and it also works well for anyone looking for a place to eat in Gung-dong.

Who is Ciment Gung-dong best for?

Even though we ordered the shrimp oil pasta twice that day, we left really satisfied, haha. My friend who came along said it was delicious too, so I felt good about the menu choice. If you like oil pasta, I hope you get to try it.

I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a good pasta spot in Gung-dong, a restaurant for a date near Chungnam National University, or somewhere relaxed to eat with friends. Next time I need to eat in Gung-dong, I think I'll come back to Ciment. And I'll probably order the shrimp oil pasta first again, lol.

If you're craving pasta in Daejeon, especially near Chungnam National University, give Ciment Chungnam National University Branch a try :) You might end up falling for the shrimp oil pasta just like I did, haha.