Three dishes for two, 38,000 won: Ciment pasta house in Gung-dong

This time I went to Ciment Chungnam National University Branch in Gung-dong! I was craving Western food like pasta or pizza, and the menu turned out to have way more options than I expected, so I had a hard time deciding what to get.

In the end there were only two of us, but... we ordered three things: striploin garlic oil pasta + half-and-half pizza + spicy beef belly pilaf haha. I can't resist what I want to eat.

Where is Ciment Chungnam National University Branch, and where can you park?

Ciment Chungnam National University Branch is in Gung-dong, near Chungnam National University! The address is 131 Daehak-ro, 1st floor, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. I'll let the photo cover the business hours.

There's no dedicated parking space, so if you're driving, keep that in mind! There's a Startup Park parking lot 6 minutes away on foot that's free for 2 hours, so I'd recommend parking there and walking over, or parking in the alley.

From outside, "CEMENT" is written in big letters so it wasn't hard to find, and the red accent made it stand out even from a distance.

And right from the entrance it had a bit of a hip feel...? Posters on the glass door, and the overall red-and-black combo gave it a different vibe from your average pasta place.

Inside Ciment: seating for two to a group, and tablet ordering

Once you step inside, this is the vibe! Gray walls with vintage-style paintings, orange lighting giving off a bit of an American pub feel, and tables ranging from two-person seats to bigger group tables — good for a date, and also good for coming with friends when you're looking for Western food in Gung-dong.

Every table has a tablet for ordering, so you can just order comfortably from your seat!

What two people ordered at Ciment, and what it cost

The menu at Ciment Chungnam National University Branch was pretty varied — pasta, risotto, pizza, fried dishes, and more. The pizza in particular can be ordered half-and-half, which is great if you can't decide on just one! We actually went back and forth too and ended up just getting the half-and-half pizza.

• Striploin garlic oil pasta ₩14,500
• Half-and-half pizza (pepperoni, chipotle shrimp) ₩14,000
• Spicy beef belly pilaf ₩9,500
• Total ₩38,000

Here's the price of what we ordered.

On one side there were pickles, sauces, parmesan cheese, hot sauce, etc. set out so you could take as much as you needed. They're next to the water dispenser, so just bring what you need to your table! Okay, now for the food!

Ta-da. There were only two of us but the table was completely full... Striploin garlic oil pasta, spicy beef belly pilaf, and the half-and-half pizza on top! Each dish had more volume than expected, and once it was all out I thought, can we actually finish all this? Well, I'll show you the result below haha.

Striploin garlic oil pasta, 14,500 won

First up was the striploin garlic oil pasta! Big chunks of striploin sat on top of the oil pasta, along with garlic and cherry tomatoes.

What I liked most was that it wasn't just a few token pieces of meat — there was a solid amount on top. Can you see how well-cooked the meat is,,,, Getting to eat the striploin together with the pasta made it feel a lot more filling than plain oil pasta.

The flavor itself wasn't super bold or unusual — more of a solidly enjoyable, easy-to-eat oil pasta. Which actually made it a good fit for eating alongside other dishes.

Spicy beef belly pilaf, 9,500 won — how spicy is it?

And then the spicy beef belly pilaf! Beef belly and vegetables mixed through the rice, topped off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Piling beef belly, rice, and parmesan cheese onto one spoonful like this was genuinely delicious. With "spicy" in the name I thought it might be really hot, but even I, someone who handles spicy food fine, was like, is there even any spice here...? I'd say it's just slightly spicy. (Though that doesn't mean it's mild enough for a baby to eat.)

Overall it was easy to eat without feeling heavy. If you feel like pasta alone leaves you a bit unsatisfied, ordering a pilaf to share alongside it seems like a good move!

Half-and-half pizza with pepperoni and chipotle shrimp, 14,000 won

And personally, the most visually striking dish was the half-and-half pizza! Getting two flavors on one pizza is perfect for people like me who can't pick just one. One side was piled high with pepperoni, and the other had sauce, shrimp, and garlic chips.

One big shrimp was hidden under the sauce! It was labeled as chipotle flavor, but the chipotle taste wasn't as strong as I expected. The crust wasn't the thick style, so even with pasta and pilaf also on the table, it was easy to grab a slice at a time.

Personally, I think Ciment is best suited to going with a group and ordering pizza + pasta + pilaf together to share in small portions, rather than eating one dish solo.

Can two people finish three dishes at Ciment?

Remember I asked earlier if we could finish it all? This is how much we ate lol I thought I was going to burst........

No single dish stood out as super memorable, but all three were solidly good without any real downsides, and with such a varied menu it was great for ordering a bunch of things to share!

And by the counter there's also a loyalty check-in you can scan with your phone! Dango or Dingo or something... I don't remember exactly, but there's a tag, so if you have the app, scan it on your way out.

If you're near Chungnam National University looking for a place to eat with friends, or hunting for pasta or pizza in Gung-dong, this place is worth a visit haha.

Oh, and the restroom is also inside the restaurant, off to the side! There was very quiet music playing somewhere in the store, so quiet I couldn't tell where it was coming from. Turns out it was coming from the restroom. Is that a courtesy bell or something?

Anyway, we ate every last bite and headed out!

There's also a back door! If you're coming from the main street, use the front door; if you're coming from the alley side, use the back door.

If you're in Gung-dong craving a mix of Western dishes like pasta, pizza, and pilaf, or want a good-value date spot, give Ciment Chungnam National University Branch a try!