Looking for a unique experience? How about diving into the retro vibes of 1990s Korea?
A one-of-a-kind place where you can enjoy fusion Western cuisine infused with Korean ingredients!
Adress >> 25, Tongil-ro 39na-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Chowon Pastown (Chowon Pasta Town)
Business Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday: 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Break Time: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
This food journey is accompanied by our new family member, Cheerful Spoon! This place is a bit off the beaten path from Seoul's popular tourist spots. It's also a bit of a distance from Gyeongbokgung Palace. However, this place is small but incredibly charming. It may not showcase traditional Korean aesthetics, but it's a unique spot where you can feel the nostalgic vibes of Korea in the 1990s. With Y2K and retro trends making a comeback, this is a restaurant that's definitely worth a visit!
Starting with the exterior, you'll notice there are a lot of potted plants in front of the store. That's because "Chowon" means "a grassy field." The signboard is huge and rustic, reflecting the design commonly used by laundromats, hair salons, and coffee shops in the 1990s. You can really feel that even the exterior design was crafted with care to capture the retro vibe.
The interior of this place is not spacious but cozy, giving off a simple and warm atmosphere. The bar and tables are all set with utensils ready for guests, and the walls are adorned with 1990s memorabilia. You'll find flip phones, old posters, vintage clocks, and more displayed throughout the space. There's a special area in this place. Do you see the small room with towels hanging in the farthest corner of the photo above? It's a room you can explore before heading to the restroom. To reach the restroom, you'll need to go through that room and then open another door to the left.
Ta-da! Let me show you the desk inside the small room. The first thing that catches your eye is the stack of magazines featuring popular Korean celebrities from the 1990s. You'll also notice a pile of CDs, which are hard to find these days. There's also a chunky black telephone that looks really old, along with an old-fashioned pencil sharpener that used to shave pencils down to stubs. Nowadays, it's hard to find retro items like these, even if you want to. They evoke a sense of nostalgia from childhood, making them feel even more precious. The attention to detail in decorating even the hallway to the restroom with Y2K aesthetics really adds a thoughtful touch, making the experience even more enjoyable!
Let me show you the menu. There isn't an English menu available here, which suggests that this spot is much more popular with local customers. The dishes highlighted with a yellow border are the ones I ordered! The items marked with a navy heart are the most popular dishes. The red chili pepper icon below the heart indicates that the dish is spicy. Ah! The menu items listed under "Dinner" are available for order after 5 PM. Since this place also serves alcohol, these dishes are designed to pair well with drinks. Personally, I recommend the "Tteokkochi" located at the bottom right of the menu. This was a favorite snack for kids in the 90s. It's sweet, tangy, and chewy, making it a nostalgic treat that many adults now enjoy as a side dish with drinks.
Here’s the basic table setting and side dishes. The setting includes a cute plate with a tree design and two simple side dishes. And one of my all-time favorite snacks has arrived—Rainbow Puffed corn snack! That’s a snack you’ll commonly find in Korea, though it’s not available in convenience stores or supermarkets. It’s usually sold in large quantities, so you’ll often see it served as a complimentary snack in Korean bars that sell soju and beer.
It’s made from cornmeal with a hint of color, and each color has a slightly different taste. It’s sweet, slightly tangy, and has a nutty flavor that makes it hard to stop once you start eating. Though crispy at first, it quickly melts in your mouth, which is why some people buy it in large quantities to snack on while watching TV at home.
The first dish to arrive was the Burrata Salad. A large ball of cheese sits in the center, surrounded by a generous serving of fresh vegetables around the edges. This salad is dressed with two types of sauces: a basil wasabi sauce and a yuzu sauce. The combination of tangy and sweet flavors, along with the rich creaminess of the cheese, made this dish the perfect appetizer to heighten anticipation for the pasta to come!
Next up is the Seasonal Greens and Beef Pasta. In Korea, there's a cultural belief that eating seasonal vegetables is the healthiest way to consume them. This restaurant embraces that concept by incorporating seasonal vegetables into their pasta dishes. The pasta flavor remains consistent, but the vegetables may vary depending on the season, so keep that in mind!
Remember the two chili icons on the menu? That's why, even though it's an oil-based pasta, it has a spicy kick. The heat builds up as you eat, so if you're sensitive to spice, consider asking the staff to adjust the spiciness for you. Thin slices of seared beef are mixed in, adding a savory and chewy texture to the dish. Since it's an oil-based pasta, it could become a bit heavy, but the spiciness balances it out, making it easy to enjoy every bite until the end. Be sure to enjoy the seasonal vegetables with the pasta noodles. Their unique, fresh aroma fills your mouth and helps balance out any richness from the oil. Writing about it now makes me want to have it again!
Finally, we have the Chicken Steak. The chicken is marinated in herb oil and then baked in the oven. It’s served with roasted green onions, small baby potatoes, and scallion kimchi on the side. Personally, the chicken was incredibly tender and juicy. Although it was a bone-in thigh, which made it a bit tricky to eat, I managed to enjoy nearly every bit of meat, getting it almost entirely off the bone. Oh, and be sure to try it with the scallion kimchi on the side. Pairing the mild and nutty chicken with the spicy and aromatic scallion kimchi gives you a feeling as if you're enjoying a Korean meal.
Oh, let me share something special. Do you see the can next to the steak? It's a Korean drink called McCol. It’s a non-alcoholic drink that tastes like a mix of beer and cola. So there's no need to worry about alcohol content. In fact, this drink has its own dedicated fan base! The taste is intriguingly balanced, with a perfect 50:50 blend of beer and cola flavors. It's a drink that's not widely known abroad. It's not common, but if you ever come across McCol elsewhere, definitely give it a try. It will be a unique experience!
Today, I introduced a restaurant with a 90s retro and Y2K vibe. If you're curious about not just traditional Korean settings or old-fashioned eateries but also the modernized aspects of Seoul, this place would have been quite intriguing. I’ll continue to bring you recommendations for great restaurants in the future!