Hyehwa restaurant for soba maki and pasta: Omil

I visited Omil, a great pasta spot in Hyehwa, Daehangno! When you think of Hyehwa, essential date stops like theater shows and Naksan Park come to mind, right?! This cute little pasta restaurant, perfect for popping into after a show, newly opened in August >_< Maybe because the weather was so nice, Daehangno was absolutely packed. Even though Omil Hyehwa Daehangno (오밀 혜화 대학로) has not been open long, there were already quite a few diners when I visited at lunchtime 🍀

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno, close to Hyehwa Station

It is on the second floor at 35 Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, just about a two-minute walk from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station! It is also close to the street lined with theaters, so I recommend it for a Hyehwa theater-date food stop too 🤍 I visited on a weekday afternoon.

• Daily 11:30–21:15 (break time 15:15–16:30; last order 20:30)
• No parking
• Easy to drop by for lunch before a performance or dinner afterward, and it looks like a nice place to enjoy with children too.
• Also recommended for lunch near Seoul National University Hospital or Sungkyunkwan University 🍀

Omil is on the second floor, and even the stairs up were so cute, with charming posters, a standing sign, and wallpaper •̀ᴗ•́

Posters practically declaring, “I’m a great pasta restaurant!” 🤍

Cozy window seats and a self-service bar

The interior was also decorated with such a cute, charming vibe! I discreetly snapped each photo when there was a moment without other diners, and around 1 p.m., there were families with babies, couples, and groups—it was bustling. I thought the window seats were especially lovely because you can relax on the second floor and take in Daehangno’s atmosphere, haha. The weather was wonderful and the natural light was no joke, so the mood was really nice.

The overall interior felt warm, and every seat had a cushioned chair, making it comfortable to settle in and enjoy.

At the self-service bar on one side, there was water, napkins, wet wipes, and cabbage pickles, so you could help yourself to what you needed. Disposable aprons were ready too, so there was less worry about spilling, haha. The restroom was inside the restaurant as well, which was convenient and pleasant.

The menu and the pasta and maki I ordered

There was a wide range of pasta, risotto, and gnocchi, plus all the Western-style favorites you might think of: omurice, cheese cutlet, maki, steak, fries, and more. It was easy to choose according to your taste. Most dishes were in the ₩10,000 range, so the prices did not feel burdensome, and there was also a discounted set for two. From basil tomato, cherry, and pineapple ades to highballs and beer, it seems great for both lunch and dinner ✔️

You can order using the QR code on the table!

Being able to choose the pasta spice level was such a thoughtful touch! We ordered the gochujang butter pasta for ₩18,900, spicy pollock roe oil pasta for ₩18,900, and buckwheat soba maki for ₩12,900, for a total of ₩50,700. The signature dish is the Rubber Duck omurice topped with a cute duck-shaped quail egg, but I was really craving pasta that day, so we ordered mostly pasta.

Aren’t Omil’s plates so cute too? Nice to meet you too (•̀ᴗ•́)و

Spicy pollock roe oil pasta

This spicy pollock roe oil pasta has a rich, salty pollock roe base and an umami burst that fills your mouth!

This oil pasta was generously sprinkled with pepper, which really kicked up the heat. You can adjust the spice level, and I ordered medium thinking, “How spicy could it be?!” But for someone with a low spice tolerance... it was pretty spicy, and I drank lots of water, haha. For people who can handle a moderate amount of spice, it would be just right with no complaints 🤍 The noodles had a pleasantly firm bite, and the pollock roe was not overly salty, so I kept eating. Having the well-cooked garlic here and there made the flavor feel even more elevated! There was plenty of sauce too, so it was delicious from beginning to end. If you are ordering with children, I recommend asking for less spice or no spice. It really is quite spicy 🥵

Gochujang butter pasta

This is a thick, rich pasta that brings together the umami of gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste), buttery richness, and sous-vide pork neck. Isn’t a gochujang-based cream sauce a flavor no Korean could dislike, haha? That is why its subtitle was K-pasta >_<

I first mixed in and tried the gochujang butter on top of the sous-vide pork neck, and even though it was pork neck, it was moist rather than dry?! The gochujang butter tasted faintly like ssamjang (savory Korean dipping paste), while its buttery richness paired beautifully with the meatiness of the pork. The cream sauce was salty and spicy—perfect for Korean tastes, yet it did not feel too much like Korean food...! It was incredibly thick, and as the pasta cooled, it soaked up even more sauce and somehow became tastier 🫪 The spicy pollock roe oil pasta actually felt hotter to me. Even for someone with a low spice tolerance, this was just the right level, so I think people who do not like spicy food could enjoy it too (•̀ᴗ•́)و

The downside of cream-based pasta is that it can become cloying the more you eat, but because this one has a gochujang base, it never gets tiresome 👍

Buckwheat soba maki and how to eat it

Omil’s buckwheat soba maki is made by rolling buckwheat noodles, vegetables, and Japanese-style rolled omelet in seaweed with the restaurant’s special sauce!

I really, really love buckwheat gimbap (seaweed rice roll), so there was no way I could skip it as a side.

The >< stamped on the rolled omelet is so cute, right? Haha. It normally comes with cucumber, but you can swap it for another vegetable when ordering! Such a thoughtful touch for cucumber-haters...🤍 I used to be one too, but my tastes changed, and these days I eat it very well 🥒 Sweet, fluffy rolled omelet, refreshing cucumber, salty burdock root, and mild buckwheat noodles came together in a dish that could not possibly taste bad, haha. Every piece was so big and filling that it barely felt like a side dish!

Omil’s secret weapon is its cabbage pickles, haha. Put a little pickle on the buckwheat gimbap and its freshness and sweetness get even brighter, boosting the umami -!!

Another eating tip is to give the buckwheat gimbap a generous dip in the gochujang butter pasta’s cream sauce! The mild gimbap and the salty, slightly punchy gochujang cream sauce become the ultimate delicious combo 😆 Please, please try both of these pairings •̀ᴗ•́

They were offering a free ade through a Naver or Google review event! Not just an ordinary soda, but a free ade 🥹 There is even the trendy basil-and-tomato ade, so if you have been curious, be sure to write a review and claim one, haha.

Recommended for a Daehangno date meal

Omil had such a lovely balance of charming interior details and neatly presented dishes! It suits the Daehangno mood so well, making it a new Hyehwa restaurant I recommend for a Daehangno date or a theater-food itinerary, haha. It is also just right for a Sungkyunkwan University student lunch! On a day when you are enjoying date plans that fit this lovely weather, like Naksan Park or a show, I recommend it if you are looking for delicious pasta and Western food.

Oh! About a two-minute walk from Omil is Sujeong Bungeoppang, famous in Hyehwa, so please stop by for some bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastry) after your meal too, haha. Four mini bungeoppang are ₩1,000, and the crisp outer bits and sweet filling are the best... Both red bean and custard are delicious, but the red bean is really, really good. Red bean!! Red bean!!!! I am already having my first bungeoppang of the year in September ☺️