Magok pork omakase birthday dinner for four, 58,000 won: Don Tamguso

I've heard of sushi or hanwoo (Korean beef) omakase before, but 'pork omakase' is a bit unusual, right? I heard there was a Magok date spot that isn't just a grill-your-own-meat place, but reinvents pork as soup, lasagna, and steak, so I went to check it out 🤍

Where Don Tamguso is and what the courses cost

Don Tamguso is located at 서울 강서구 마곡중앙6로 11 보타닉파크타워3 1층 128호 (11 Magokjungang 6-ro, Botanic Park Tower 3, 1F #128, Gangseo-gu, Seoul), about a 5-minute walk from Magok Station on Line 5. The course prices are ₩26,000 per person for lunch and ₩58,000 per person for dinner.

• Hours: weekdays 11:30–21:00 / weekends 15:00–21:00
• Reservations: booking via Naver or CatchTable recommended
• Parking: basement parking available in the building, 2 hours supported at time of visit

For parking, you can use the basement parking at Botanic Park Tower 3!

I visited with my family for my birthday, and having my name written out like this made me so happy..💖

The food comes out as a course! We booked the dinner omakase in advance. At the time of booking, a ₩25,000 deposit per person is required, but this amount is fully refunded when you pay at the end!

Inside Don Tamguso: atmosphere and seating

Don Tamguso has everything from bar-style seating to group tables inside. While waiting for the course and looking around, I saw the space was decorated in a cute, cozy yet upscale way. So glad I came here for my birthday ✨

Dinner course starters: velouté soup and seasonal fruit caprese

The first item on Don Tamguso's dinner course was a chestnut and mushroom velouté soup 🍄 As soon as it arrived, my family inhaled it in 5 seconds flat... it was that good hahaha. It tasted like the mushroom soup with a spoonful of soft, sweet chestnut tiramisu mixed in.

Next came the seasonal fruit caprese, made with seasonal fruits like orange, apple, pear, and dried persimmon, paired with prosciutto, basil, and house-made honey ricotta cheese — I was so surprised at how tangy it was‼️ Perfect appetizer to whet the appetite.

Next up was shiitake mushroom lasagna. Instead of regular lasagna noodles, it uses shiitake mushrooms, filled with a white ragu with truffle, mozzarella cheese, and tomato — I'm not usually a mushroom person but I ate this happily haha.

The signature shio koji-aged roast pork tenderloin

And now the meat I'd been waiting for! 🥩 Don Tamguso's signature dish, the shio koji-aged pork tenderloin. Shio koji is a Japanese fermented seasoning made from fermented rice malt and salt, and using it to age meat is said to add umami and tenderness.

Pork tenderloin can easily turn dry, so I was most curious about the texture — but even though it was thick, the inside was moist and tender. My dad said it was delicious, so this dutiful daughter gave up a piece for him haha.

Next came the spice-rubbed oven-roasted pork belly, and wow — this was basically bacon! Hahaha. Next to it was a cilantro(?) salad, a combo that couldn't possibly taste bad.

Choice of main: abalone risotto or house-made jambon burger

Don Tamguso's dinner course includes a choice between abalone risotto and a house-made jambon burger. Since I was curious about both, we ordered 2 risottos and 2 burgers.

The abalone risotto was genuinely creamy risotto topped with fried glasswort — honestly, as someone who prefers rice over noodles, this hit exactly my taste 🫢🎀

The house-made jambon burger had a genuinely thick, flavor-packed jambon (ham) inside. Not sure if the bun was brioche, but it was so moist and soft. The carrot slaw inside cut through any greasiness with its tang.

Dessert to finish: panna cotta

The final dessert was panna cotta, topped with what I think was ripe persimmon jam — genuinely sweet, and the milk panna cotta was seriously delicious... my mom's top pick! Hahaha.

Is the Don Tamguso dinner course enough food?

These days a lot of dinner omakase or course restaurants easily go over ₩100,000 per person, so Don Tamguso's ₩58,000 dinner course is great value in this high-inflation era 👍🏻 (Lunch is even cheaper at ₩26,000, whoa.)

The course was substantial and generous, and my mom and I ate until we were completely full, but my dad and sister said they were a bit hungry afterward. Just something to keep in mind!! Haha.

For anyone looking for a good-value omakase spot for dates or anniversaries, I hope this review helps 🙏🏻🤍