Magok Italian restaurant: balsamic salmon steak and mugwort tiramisu

There's an Italian restaurant called Romaok in LG Arts Center Seoul in Magok that's listed in the Blue Ribbon Survey 2026 Seoul restaurant guide, so I went to check it out.

Where is Romaok Magok, and where do you park?

Romaok Magok is on the 3rd floor of LG Arts Center Seoul, at 136 Magokjungang-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:30, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00, and last order is at 14:00 and 20:30. You can use the in-building parking lot — 2 hours free with a purchase at Romaok, and 50% off for each additional hour.

This was my first time visiting LG Arts Center too. Maybe because so many people come for musicals and performances, the parking lot was really well set up, which I liked.

Romaok is on the 3rd floor, so we took the elevator up from the parking lot. It's also very close to Magongnaru Station, so it's easy to reach by public transit too. There was a menu board set up by the entrance so you could browse before going in 👍

Weekday lunch reservation and the window seats at Romaok Magok

We made a reservation for weekday lunch and were seated right away when we arrived on time. We were shown to a window seat — the weather was a bit cloudy that day, but I think it'd be great to dine looking out the window on a nicer day.

The interior was clean and clearly well thought out. The table settings were nicely arranged too.

You order via a tablet at the table, and the staff kindly gave us a brief introduction and explained how to order, which was a nice touch.

Asking for light seasoning: mains take 30 minutes sous vide

They said all of Romaok's dishes are built around pairing with wine, so the seasoning tends to be on the stronger side. Not every dish allows it, but some let you choose a mild seasoning option, so we went with mild wherever possible. They also told us main dishes like the steak are sous vide cooked and take about 30 minutes — they gave us a heads-up on the timing again after we ordered.

⭐️ What we ordered ⭐️

• Kelp-aged halibut carpaccio
• Abalone gejang pasta
• Seaweed scallop risotto
• Balsamic salmon steak

Bread before the meal and kelp-aged halibut carpaccio, 18,000 won

Right after ordering, the pre-meal bread and kelp-aged halibut carpaccio arrived quickly.

The pre-meal bread comes out portioned per person to start, and extra pieces are ₩1,000 each.

We dipped the bread in oil — crisp outside, moist and chewy inside, really good. It was the kind of bread worth paying extra for 👍

Kelp-aged halibut carpaccio, ₩18,000. It's carpaccio made with halibut (flatfish) aged with kelp, with citrus and wasabi cream, so I ordered it for something a bit different.

The dish came out beautifully plated too, great for photos, and tasting it, the wasabi cream wasn't too strong and paired with the refreshing grapefruit for a clean flavor that was perfect for starting the meal 😋

Coffee and blackberry blood orange ade at Romaok Magok

We also ordered coffee and a blackberry blood ade. Americano ₩5,000, blackberry blood ade ₩8,000. The coffee was better than expected and felt generously poured. For the ade, you mix in the syrup that comes alongside — we only added about half and it was just right. Worth adjusting to your taste as you drink it.

Maesaengi seaweed and scallop risotto, 26,000 won

Next came the abalone gejang pasta and seaweed scallop risotto 😋

Seaweed scallop risotto, ₩26,000. Romaok's signature risotto with a uniquely textured barley and perilla oil, combining scallop and fine seaweed (maesaengi) for a rich ocean fragrance.

The barley had an unusual texture, and the seaweed and scallop gave it a strong seafood aroma without any fishiness — a delicious risotto. The scallop and shrimp were also grilled really well.

Abalone innards pasta, 26,000 won

Abalone gejang pasta, ₩26,000. A signature pasta combining tender abalone steamed in kelp with gejang sauce (made from abalone innards).

The abalone was really tender and generously sized, and the noodles were cooked just right too. I worried the gejang sauce might taste fishy, but as befits a signature pasta, it was delicious.

Balsamic glaze salmon steak, 38,000 won

Just as we'd nearly finished the other dishes, the balsamic glaze salmon steak, ₩38,000, arrived. A moist salmon steak where balsamic and deep soybean paste flavor harmonize with the nuttiness of whole barley for a savory, umami-packed dish.

By this point I noticed every dish had clearly had thought put into its plating and looked great, which made it all the more enjoyable to eat. I was curious whether a balsamic soybean paste sauce would really work, but it paired well with the salmon and was delicious 😋

Maybe because it was sous vide, the salmon was incredibly tender and delicious. There was also salad underneath and potatoes on the side, perfect to pair with the salmon steak.

Tiramissuk mugwort tiramisu, 10,000 won: dessert without changing cafés

Mugwort tiramisu, ₩10,000. Originally I'd planned to just eat and then move to another café for coffee, but once I tried the coffee during the meal, it turned out to be pretty good, so instead of going anywhere else, and since I heard many people order dessert at Romaok, I ordered one along with an extra coffee.

It's Romaok's signature dessert, a reinterpretation of tiramisu using domestic mugwort. The mugwort flavor was strong, and the soybean powder and sorghum topping on top added a nice texture — really tasty 😋👍

Is Romaok Magok worth it near Magok and Magongnaru?

Overall the atmosphere was great, and both the visuals and taste of the food made it a really satisfying meal. Rather than ordinary Italian dishes, several menu items had a fusion feel with Korean ingredients woven in, which felt fresh and enjoyable. Since it's located inside LG Arts Center Seoul, it's also great for a meal before or after a show, and it's easy to get to from Magok or Magongnaru. I'd recommend Romaok as a great restaurant to try in Magok or Magongnaru 🤗