Ilsan Lafesta steak and pane pasta set for two: Garlic Cook & Story

Looking for a pasta restaurant in Ilsan's Lafesta district

Garlic Cook & Story is a Western-style restaurant in the Lafesta and Western Dome shopping district of Ilsan, known for its pane cream pasta and beef steak in the low ₩20,000s. I ended up here because my partner wouldn't stop singing about wanting pasta.

My partner has been craving good Western food lately. There wasn't a place near home that really grabbed me, so when I heard about a great pasta spot in Ilsan's Lafesta with a solid dessert place nearby too, I rushed over and put together this review!

Spoiler up front: the prices are super nice and the pasta is genuinely delicious, so anyone in Ilsan or Paju should definitely check it out!

Garlic Cook & Story hours and parking in Western Dome

• 11:00 – 21:00
• Last order 20:20
• No break time, drop by anytime
• Parking available
• Groups welcome
• Reservations available (via Naver)

Parking is generous too, so no worries about driving here!

What to order at Garlic Cook & Story

My picks at this Lafesta favorite, Garlic Cook & Story

Garlic Best Set for two, ₩39,000 (steak + pane pasta)

My recommended menu items

• Beef Steak ₩22,900
• Cream Cheese Shrimp Doria ₩11,900
• Pane Cream Pasta ₩15,900

It was so good I came back to try other dishes too — definitely order the steak, and the cream cheese shrimp doria (risotto) is also cheap yet tastes upscale, so I recommend trying it whenever you visit this Ilsan Lafesta favorite!

Self-bar pickles and the free multivitamin

Garlic Cook & Story has a self-serve corner where you can help yourself to as many pickles as you like. Not having to ask a staff member for every little thing makes me feel so much more at ease.

When you order, they give each person a multivitamin to take after the meal! A place that thinks about your health while serving you great food — one worth coming back to.

What does the signature pane cream pasta taste like?

Garlic Cook & Story's pane cream pasta (₩15,900) is made with a house-made cream sauce, not a store-bought one. Here comes the signature cream pane pasta! It arrives looking even better than the menu photo, stealing the show — tastier and more addictive than expected, and mild enough that kids can enjoy it too!

The loaded pane visual is insane~ The portion is genuinely huge, so I'd recommend adding extra sauce — you'll dip bread into it and finish it all in no time. The nutty, savory cream sauce is so good that my partner practically buried their face in it. They now bring up craving this pasta at least once a week!

While eating, I noticed people waiting outside the restaurant. A place that's both affordable and delicious naturally draws a crowd~

The cream pasta is thick and rich through and through. Adding extra sauce makes it even more filling, though the standard portion is generous enough on its own — really just a matter of preference.

Beef steak for ₩22,900, grilled shrimp included

Garlic Cook & Story's beef steak is ₩22,900 and comes with grilled shrimp on the side. Such a nice price for a steak that tastes this good! The shrimp adds even more flavor depth.

If ordering a steak at a regular Western restaurant usually means easily crossing ₩30,000–40,000 and straining your wallet, definitely try the steak at this Ilsan Lafesta spot! The portion is generous too — there's a reason it's the star of the couple set.

It cuts smoothly and comes cooked just right. Having it pre-sliced makes it even easier to eat. This does not taste like a ₩20,000-range steak! Great value and great taste — no wonder this Ilsan Lafesta spot draws such crowds.

A bite of tender meat, a bite of shrimp, wow. Alternating between the two, the plate empties before you know it. Great for chatting over, but when the food is this good, you end up just devouring it — and this place is exactly that kind. Patted my full belly, satisfied through and through.

Ate well and properly again today! There are so many menu options, I'll have to try more of them. Might just need to come back once a week.

Final verdict: great value and the flavour to match

Why this Ilsan Lafesta spot works

• Convenient parking
• Genuinely cheap prices — steak in the ₩20,000s, pasta in the low ₩10,000s
• Flavor that doesn't feel cheap, it feels upscale
• Wide variety of menu options
• A self-bar is available
• Even the pickles are tasty!

Both times I visited, the place was packed with people. Good and affordable places really do get popular. If you're tired of pasta made with store-bought sauce, I highly recommend giving this one a try!

For anyone wanting great-value pasta, tired of store-bought cream pasta sauce, or looking for a good restaurant in Ilsan's Lafesta district — I strongly recommend Garlic Cook & Story.