Seoul Food: Brera Italian Restaurant – The Pasta

Brera
There are a number of places which pop up time and time again on the Seoul Restaurant Buzz Facebook page (*ahem* M n’ M*ahem*).  An Italian restaurant just outside Itaewon near Beotigogae Station seems to get a lot of action, too.  Don’t get me wrong, they’re good.  More often than not I find these places to be quite overrated, however.  The over-saturation and line buying (*cough* BP *cough*) make me feel less inclined to give them a try.  I’ve heard about Brera over and over again.  Having spent a summer in Italy (as well as the following March break) I wasn’t sure I was ready for yet another creamy, soupy, world of disappointment where sausages really mean hot dogs and tomato sauce is just ketchup.  Brera already has plenty of Seoul food blogger love.  I’d be remiss not to have it listed on The Toronto Seoulcialite Food Guide.

Pappardelle alla Boscaiola

KRW 14,900
KOREAN FRIENDLY (Can someone tell me what this means?)
Homemade Italian sausage, green peas, onions, mushrooms, mascarpone cheese and parmigiano cheese.
Boscaiola (Woodcutter’s Wife) sauce is a Tuscan favourite with mushrooms as a key ingredient.  I would normally save this for last, but this Seoulcialite salivates everytime I see this image.  The pappardelle was excessively creamy – just the way I like it.  There were plenty of green peas and mushrooms.  The dish wasn’t heavy on onions (thank goodness).  The sausage had a bit of a kick putting all the pieces into place.  For me, this was absolutely the star of the show.  I know I’ll be back for the Boscaiola!

Gnocchi al Pesto (top right in image)

KRW 14,900
Pine nuts, basil, parmigiano cheese and extra-virgin olive oil.
The gnocchi was pillowy soft, but firm…like I like my pillows.  Making gnocchi from scratch is a labour of love (I did it back in 2012 at Il Fornello in Toronto).  One misstep and you’ve got Papiermâché goop on your hands (and I’m not flattering Gwyneth).  Good pesto is hard to come by, as well.  Everything at Brera is made in house using the freshest ingredients.  If you don’t like it (genuinely), you won’t pay.  It’s listed on their website.  Thankfully, the little potato dumplings were perfection, and the sauce hit the spot, too.

Ravioli Funghi e Robiola

KRW 18,000
SPECIAL ITEM
Mushrooms and robiola.
I haven’t had a butter sage sauce since my days in Vancouver.  Sometimes I think I might try to make it myself.  In my Korean, poor-excuse for a kitchenette I muse to leave it to the professionals.  The ravioli at Brera is available stuffed either with mushroom (as above) or spinach (below).  You may also choose either butter sage sauce (as above) or red (tomato) sauce.  Each combination presents its own luscious flavour.  I think we made the right calls with our stuffed pasta and sauce pairings.  The nutty flavour of the butter sage sauce was light enough not to overpower the mushroom-stuffed ravioli.  The combination of flavours made for a nutty, woodland flavour which was rustic, but elevated.   I personally preferred the mushroom ravioli, but the spinach was the hit of the night with my date.  Which sauce/ stuffing do you prefer?

Ravioli Ricotta e Spinaci

KRW 14,900
Spinach and Ricotta.
Image may contain: people sitting, table and indoor
Hours & Contact

Open: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 AM – 3 AM (Kitchen last order at 9:30 PM)

Contact: (02) 2236-0770 or [email protected].

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brera.kr_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brera-447958158677680/

Location: 서울특별시 중구 신당동 366-44 

366-440 Shingdang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

Directions: We took a taxi to Brera, however you could easily take the subway to Beotigogae Station.  There’s a crosswalk outside of Exit 3 that will take you directly up the short stint of hill you’ll enter.  Brera is not accessible from the main street, so if you take Exit 1 you’ll have to pull a u-turn right away and then look for the Brera sign. Turn right and you’re pretty much in the door!

Instagram Photo

Act quickly!  Brera is having a contest.  5 winners will receive a KRW 50,000 coupon good for use through the end of August 2017.  

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This is not a sponsored post, The Toronto Seoulcialite genuinely enjoyed a whole lotta pasta last Saturday night! xox

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