Western restaurant in Yangjae, Seoul: gorgonzola pizza at Pasta Gram

A friend who lives in Yangjae strongly recommended a restaurant I had to try. She's usually picky about food, so I already had high expectations for her pick. Having tried a spread of dishes — pasta, steak and pizza all in one meal — everything was perfect, and now I'm already planning a return trip to work through more of the menu.

Where is Pasta Gram Yangjae Main Branch, and what does it look like?

Pasta Gram Yangjae Main Branch is located at 59 Mabang-ro 2-gil, 1F, Seocho-gu, Seoul, right near Exit 2 of Yangjae Citizen's Forest Station. Hours are Monday–Friday 11:30–23:30 and Saturday 12:00–21:00, with parking available.

The exterior wasn't flashy but had a warm, subtle lighting that gave off a cozy atmosphere. A clean sign paired with a classic interior was more than enough to catch the eye of passersby.

Inside Pasta Gram: wood-toned room and tablet ordering

Inside, Pasta Gram Yangjae Main Branch is a compact space with wood-tone interiors and soft lighting. Every table has a tablet ordering device, so you can browse menu photos and prices as you order.

Walking inside, the space felt small but warm. The wood-tone interior and soft lighting worked together to create an ideal setting for a date or a small gathering with friends over conversation.

Tables were spaced comfortably without feeling cramped, and each table's tablet ordering device let me check menu photos and prices at my own pace, which I appreciated.

What's on the Pasta Gram menu?

The menu at Pasta Gram Yangjae Main Branch covers special dishes, steaks, pastas, pizzas, salads, tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes), fried items and simple bar snacks, along with wine, highballs and draft beer. It's primarily a pasta place, but the lineup lets you enjoy drinks and snacks too.

Looking through the menu, the range was bigger than I expected — special dishes, steaks, pastas, pizzas, salads, tteokbokki, fried items, simple snacks, and wine, highballs and draft beer, giving plenty of choice.

After some deliberation, we ordered pork neck steak, bolognese pasta, gorgonzola pizza and a zero-sugar cola at this Yangjae pasta spot.

Pork neck steak with rice, fries and salad on one plate

The pork neck steak at Pasta Gram Yangjae Main Branch comes with a thick cut of pork neck topped with a sweet-salty sauce and a soft fried egg, served alongside lettuce salad, french fries and rice all on one plate.

The pork neck steak had a really generous composition. Thick, juicy pork neck came drizzled with a sweet-salty sauce, topped with a pretty soft fried egg.

On the side, a lettuce salad with fresh dressing, crispy fries and savory rice all came together on one plate, perfect from the plating alone. Slicing it up and dipping it in the egg yolk gave it a soft, chewy texture that was excellent.

How does the bolognese pasta taste?

The bolognese pasta features a ragù sauce of minced meat and tomato simmered for a long time, generously topped with grated cheese. It's rich and thick with deep meaty flavor, so it suits anyone who likes a heavy tomato pasta.

The bolognese pasta impressed the moment it arrived with its rich visual. On top of the ragù sauce made from minced meat and tomatoes simmered for a long time, snow-white grated cheese was generously piled on.

Mixing the cheese into the sauce and taking a bite, the thick, rich meaty flavor spread across my mouth. The sauce soaked well into the noodles, so I never got tired of it even down to the last spoonful. A great taste worthy of this pasta spot's reputation in Yangjae.

Gorgonzola pizza and what comes with it

The gorgonzola pizza comes on a thin dough loaded with cheese and served with honey. Handmade pickles and jalapeños come alongside to cut through the richness.

The gorgonzola pizza had crispy, thin dough piled generously with savory cheese.

Dipping it into the sweet honey served alongside brought out a proper sweet-and-salty combination between the cheese and the honey. Adding the crunchy handmade pickles and jalapeños in between bites cut through the richness nicely.

Final verdict: is Pasta Gram a good date spot in Yangjae?

Pasta Gram Yangjae Main Branch, with its cozy and compact atmosphere, is a Western-style restaurant worth recommending for a date near Yangjae-dong and Yangjae Citizen's Forest, or a meal with a small group. It's also been running in the same spot since 2017.

I went to Pasta Gram Yangjae Main Branch expecting good things thanks to my friend's recommendation, and the meal exceeded expectations. In the cozy, compact space, the pasta, steak and pizza we ordered were all delicious, which made for a fully satisfying meal.

It turns out Pasta Gram has been running since 2017. In a time when commercial districts change so often and the economy has been rough for a while, staying in the same spot for almost 10 years says something about how consistent the taste and quality must be. Having eaten here myself, I completely understand why it's been loved for so long.

Looking at the menu at this Yangjae pasta spot, there were plenty of tempting items left — tteokbokki, other kinds of pasta, highballs and wine — so I'm planning to come back soon to work through them one by one. If you're looking for a date course or a good Western-style restaurant near Yangjae-dong or Yangjae Citizen's Forest, I'd definitely recommend a visit.