Hyehwa newly opened pasta spot with free soba maki: Omil Daehangno

I visited Omil's Hyehwa branch, which just opened in Daehangno. It opened fresh in mid-August, so this is a brand-new spot. It's already become famous as another franchise location!! Known for its omurice, but the pasta is also magically delicious~

Why it's good for a meal with kids

This place is also just right for bringing kids along. The seasoning isn't overpowering and doesn't taste too much of MSG, so it's a healthy yet delicious omurice spot that tastes like something you'd make at home.

When we went, an elementary schooler and their mom were sitting by the window, eating happily together. They must have ordered the rubber-duck omurice, because the kid was so delighted about how cute it was — even before the dishes arrived, we were already looking forward to it too.

Self-bar and the restaurant's vibe

There's a self-bar set up so you can help yourself to water or pickles freely. Overall the interior is really clean and tidy. It's exactly the style I like. It's not big and grand — it's more of a cute, fun, tasty, adorable kind of place.

There are also plenty of these small seats set up to make solo dining easy. On the wall, cute little items are displayed like this. It's a place where your eyes won't get bored while you wait for your food to arrive.

The uniform interior, the neatly arranged tables and chairs, and the cutlery already set out — these are the things that caught my eye first.

The complimentary soba maki

This is the soba maki (buckwheat noodle roll) we got as a complimentary starter. I'd had this style of maki once before, and back then it was just so-so. But here, it wasn't sweet and had a nice chewy texture — it was so good! I thought next time I'll order this as an appetizer.

The rubber-duck omurice

This is the rubber-duck omurice my friend ordered. Doesn't it look so adorable? The staff member brought it out, noticed a quail egg had fallen off, and took it back to redo the decoration — that was so cute. Not just the food but the staff too are cute at this place!! haha

They said this cute little tube rubber duck that came as a freebie is ours to take home. We each ate one whole big soba maki and, honestly, we felt full even before the main dishes arrived. We walked in on a whim because it looked like it might be good, and I think we chose really well with this place!!

What does the gochujang butter pasta taste like?

This is the gochujang butter pasta I ordered. You mix in the round pat of butter on top before the pasta cools. I tried a little bit of the butter on its own — what is this nuttiness?! It melts in your mouth and brings such a savory depth, pairing so well with the pasta.

Both dishes arrived. The words on the plate thanking us for coming were so heartwarming...

The meat piled on top was quite generous in portion. It was fresh and had a nice chewy texture. There was more than I expected, so on this day it kept me full from lunch all the way through the evening.

Maybe because of the gochujang (fermented chili paste), there was almost no greasiness, but also no spiciness. The noodles themselves weren't in a huge portion, but with all that meat, you end up feeling really full by the end.

Good for a Daehangno date or a meal with kids

If you're looking for a Daehangno date spot or a non-spicy restaurant to eat at with kids, why not check out Omil? It's a cute kind of place that both kids and moms are likely to love.

This little item caught my eye right before we left after finishing our meal. Oh, owner's got some taste, doesn't she?

A tasty Daehangno date spot we ate with our eyes and our mouths — this is Omil Hyehwa. It's a great place to visit for all kinds of reasons, whether you're a student, an office worker nearby, or a mom meeting up with friends and kids. Be sure to stop by!