Post-theater couple dinner with gochujang butter pasta: Omil Hyehwa

A cute date recap after catching a show in Hyehwa — Omil Hyehwa Daehangno.

Heading to Omil Hyehwa Daehangno after the show

The cuteness starts from the very first photo today. I'd wanted to visit Omil Hyehwa Daehangno for ages because of its famous rubber duck omurice photos. We went there on a date with my husband after watching a show in Hyehwa, our first time there in a while.

How does the signature gochujang butter pasta taste?

Omil's signature dish, gochujang butter pasta (K-butter pasta)

A thick, addictive pasta where the savory depth of gochujang (Korean red chili paste), the nutty richness of butter, and sous-vide pork shoulder all come together.

They mix the scoop of butter on top into the pasta without holding back

Pick up a piece of sous-vide pork shoulder and — yum

That thick, sweet-ish sauce is a flavor no woman could possibly dislike.

It kind of reminds me of rosé tteokbokki (spicy-creamy rice cake)

The gochujang butter flavor lifts up that rich savoriness, and it's a taste you keep thinking about. It'd also be a hit if you're eating with a kid.

Rubber duck omurice, with a free duck included

Ahhh~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ this is it, this is the one ㅠㅠㅠ the dish that made Omil so famous — the rubber duck omurice!

A cute little rubber duck sits atop a fluffy swirl of omurice (omelet rice), with salmon fried rice underneath. Quail eggs, black sesame, and cheese send the cuteness over the top.

The little rubber duck that comes with it is free to take home. So cute. (But I think I left mine behind ㅠㅠㅠ Sorry, owner ㅠㅠ I'd even packed an umbrella just to bring it home safely...)

The salmon fried rice is fluffy, the sauce is tangy, and the egg is soft.

These quail eggs are such a cute and delicious touch. Kids would absolutely love this. Omil Hyehwa Daehangno was cute in flavor, cute in plating, and cute as a space.

But since we weren't there with a kid, just my husband and me, haha, we exercised our grown-up privilege and each enjoyed a glass of Hoegaarden too. The perfect way to close out a date.

The interior and seating

Omil Hyehwa Daehangno turned out to be a bigger space than I expected.

There was a variety of seating — 2-tops, 4-tops, group tables, and even window couple seats. They also have baby chairs and kids' tableware, so it looked great for family dinners too.

You can have a delicious time whether you come for lunch or dinner

And like us, stopping by for dinner after a show also makes for such a fun time.

In one corner of the restaurant, there's a self-service bar with water, pickles, wet wipes, and tissues, plus phone charging.

Ordering is done via table tags

At Omil Hyehwa Daehangno, you order using the tag on your table. There's also a menu ready for foreign visitors. Don't forget to check their review event~ apparently the ades are good too. Just in case, I captured the menu I pulled up on my phone, so use it as a price reference~

Getting there from Hyehwa Station

You can reach Omil Hyehwa Daehangno with about a 2-minute walk from Exit 4 of Hyehwa Station. It's on the 2nd floor, so keep an eye out!

Climb the stairs and you'll see Omil's cute menu items displayed, then just open the even cuter door and step in.

Overall, the vibe was cute, the prices reasonable, and the dishes distinctive, making it a great fit for a date like ours, for a lunch or dinner, for a family meal with kids, or for a get-together with friends. Most of the customers there were women, which tells you how much this cute, charming Omil Hyehwa Daehangno appeals to them. That's the end of our cute date review~

Visit info

• Address: 서울 종로구 대명길 35 2층 (35 Daemyeong-gil, 2nd floor, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
• Hours: Daily 11:30–21:15
• Parking: No parking at the restaurant
• Capacity: Fits groups up to 20; roomier than expected, suitable for gatherings of various sizes