Outdoor-seat walnut pastry shop in Gyeongju: 24 red bean, Buja Hodu

What kind of shop is Buja Hodu?

Buja Hodu is a walnut pastry shop on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, selling rice-dough walnut pastries (hodu-gwaja) with a whole walnut packed into each one. It's open daily from 9:30 to 20:00. Walking through Hwangnidan-gil, you keep spotting one dessert or snack after another, right? This time I visited Buja Hodu on a local's recommendation. Walnut pastries usually taste a certain familiar way, but this place was a little different.

When I took a bite, a whole walnut was packed inside, and with the rice pastry, red bean and walnut all mixing together, it was really nutty and delicious.

The owner was also really friendly.

What the writer ordered at Buja Hodu: 24 original red bean pastries, americano, walnut ice cream

• Original red bean walnut pastries (24)
• Americano
• Walnut ice cream

This time I ordered 24 original red bean pastries to pack and eat at home, and also tried an americano and walnut ice cream at the outdoor tables.

What the original red bean walnut pastries taste like

A whole walnut, packed in one by one. Buja Hodu's biggest feature is definitely how generously the walnuts are used. Bite in and you get soft red bean paste along with a whole nutty walnut.

I personally really like walnuts themselves, so this was genuinely delicious. Having actual whole walnuts packed in like this made it feel completely different from a typical walnut pastry — a more upscale flavor. The rice dough outside is chewy yet plain, and the sweet red bean inside is balanced by the nuttiness of the whole walnut, so the sweetness felt just right. Most of all, the walnut itself was so tasty that I kept reaching for one more.

Why the rice dough makes Buja Hodu's pastries lighter

Buja Hodu says it uses domestic rice dough, and maybe that's why the texture felt chewy and plain, a bit different from wheat-based walnut pastries. The combination of red bean, whole walnut, and rice dough worked well, and it went nicely with coffee too.

At first I thought it would just be another ordinary walnut pastry, but after trying it, I actually think it'd make a good gift. The packaging is clean and feels upscale, so I'd recommend it to anyone visiting Gyeongju looking for a snack gift set for family or friends.

Americano and walnut ice cream at the outdoor tables

I also had an americano at the shop. Pairing the sweet, nutty walnut pastry with a clean americano worked really well — it definitely goes with coffee.

I also tried the walnut ice cream, and this combination was better than I expected. Soft, cold ice cream plus the nutty flavor of walnut gave it a whole different kind of deliciousness.

If you like walnuts, I'd definitely recommend trying the walnut ice cream along with the walnut pastries.

A Gyeongju snack worth choosing over Hwangnam-ppang

When people think of Gyeongju, Hwangnam-ppang usually comes to mind as the go-to souvenir. I've tried a lot of snacks in Gyeongju, but Buja Hodu was, personally, delicious enough that I'd recommend it over Hwangnam-ppang. Up until now I'd been gifting Hwangnam-ppang and Choihwayoung-ppang, but from now on I'm going to gift Buja Hodu.

It's not just a plain-sweet dessert — the nuttiness of the walnut, the chewy dough, and the red bean paste all come together, so it seems like a good snack for anyone, young or old, to enjoy one at a time.

Is Buja Hodu a good Gyeongju travel gift?

Buja Hodu is easy to get to on Hwangnidan-gil and easy to pack up, so it seems like a good stop for anyone on a Gyeongju trip looking for a gift, a gift set, or a souvenir. Next time you're looking for something for your parents or a snack for friends, skip the long line at the famous place and prepare a tastier walnut pastry as an upscale treat instead.

After trying it this time, I think I'll end up buying it often whenever I'm on Hwangnidan-gil again. The walnut itself is so nutty and good that the box I packed to bring home will probably disappear quickly once I sit down with a cup of coffee and start eating one after another. In fact, just going back and forth today, I've already eaten more than half.

If you're looking for a great dessert or local specialty on Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, be sure to stop by Buja Hodu, where each pastry comes with a whole walnut inside.