Weekend lunch date for two at a Daegu Korean restaurant: Hyangtaek

Today I went out with Jjong for a mood-lifting weekend lunch date and some good Korean food! We decided to treat ourselves to a light, easy-on-the-stomach meal after a hard week, and honestly it was so healing... ✨ I love Korean food and had wanted to try Hyangtaek for a while, so we headed over with high expectations, off we go~

The place we visited this weekend is a Korean restaurant with a big word-of-mouth reputation near Keimyung University in Seongseo, Daegu! We could feel the care put into every single ingredient the whole time, and Jjong and I kept marveling at it. Here's our happy weekend lunch date review with my cute Jjong, let's get started! Trot trot~ 🐾

What the room at Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch looks like: wood tones, wide table spacing

Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch is on the 1st floor of 71 Hosan-dong-ro 35beon-gil, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, and the interior is warm wood tones with a tidy, polished look. Even during weekend peak hours the tables were spaced wide enough for a cozy meal for two.

Since it was weekend lunch, the lively yet warm wood-toned atmosphere hit us the moment we stepped in — really charming. True to its reputation as a go-to spot near Keimyung University, the interior was tidy and polished, absolutely perfect for a weekend date.

Jjong and I sat at a table toward the back, and even though it was weekend peak time, the tables were spaced wide and comfortable enough for a cozy meal just for us. Still, plenty of people kept coming in! You could really feel how popular it is haha. And the owner greeted us so kindly that I felt warm and fuzzy the moment we walked in! 🥰

What two people ordered at Hyangtaek, and what it cost

At Hyangtaek we ordered three dishes to share: mackerel gondre rice (gondre namul is a mountain herb) for 14,000 won, eggplant doenjang rice bowl for 13,000 won, and a galbi platter for 10,000 won. Once we ordered, the tidy side dishes and soup came out first~

• Mackerel gondre rice (₩14,000)
• Eggplant doenjang rice bowl (₩13,000)
• Galbi platter (₩10,000)

The side dishes and soup were clean-tasting and delicious too!

There's even a detailed guide right on the table for how to eat it best! How to mix everything evenly, how to pair it with gopchang gim (seasoned seaweed) and mixed seafood jeotgal, plus the special sauce — a whole method for eating it properly and deliciously ~.~

Isn't the visual just so colorful and pretty? It comes out as a full spread on a neat tray, and I couldn't not take photos! Jjong looked at it and said, "Wow, it's so nice to eat something this healthy and tasty for weekend lunch!" with his eyes sparkling.

1. Mackerel gondre rice, 14,000 won: clean, mild and filling 🐟🌾

Hyangtaek's mackerel gondre rice is 14,000 won, a clean-tasting rice bowl with grilled mackerel, fragrant gondre namul, and sweet-salty braised mushrooms arranged beautifully. The mackerel had the bones removed well, so it was easy to eat.

The moment the bowl arrived, the gentle scent of gondre namul drifted up and my mouth watered. The nicely browned mackerel had the bones well removed so it was very easy to eat, and the flesh was so moist and tender! Mackerel alone could feel a bit plain, but the braised mushrooms on top gave it a salty backbone that made the combination absolutely fantastic.

We both said the mackerel had zero fishy taste and was genuinely tender, and we devoured it, hehe. Put a little mackerel flesh on the gondre rice and wrap it in gim (seaweed) — it's the perfect flavor that's both filling and gentle on the stomach!

2. Eggplant doenjang rice bowl, 13,000 won: nutty doenjang meets garlic chives 🍆🌱

The eggplant doenjang rice bowl is 13,000 won, a savory bowl piled with well-grilled eggplant, deep-flavored ganjang doenjang (thick soybean paste), and plenty of fresh chives. It was even better mixed with a splash of vinegar.

Eggplant is honestly a love-it-or-hate-it ingredient, right? But here the outside was grilled savory while the inside stayed fully moist, so the texture was really appealing! The mild sweetness of the grilled eggplant soaked up the deep flavor of the doenjang sauce, and mixed with rice it was absolute honey. Add vinegar and it's even more delicious!

The doenjang could easily feel heavy on its own, but the generous heap of green chives on top gave it a sharp, refreshing finish, so it never felt greasy. Jjong and I shared it happily and both gave a thumbs up, saying "This is genuinely a Korean dish anyone would like, no debate!" 👍

3. Galbi platter, 10,000 won: sweet-salty and juicy, a true rice thief 🍖🔥

The galbi platter is a 10,000-won side we added since two rice bowls alone felt like it wouldn't be enough. It came out nicely browned, and the visual alone made our mouths water!

The tender galbi meat burst with juice, soaked through with sweet-salty seasoning — a proper rice thief. Put a piece of galbi on the clean mackerel gondre rice or the savory eggplant doenjang bowl and the flavor goes wild... "This combo is insane!" we said, and devoured it all.

We were curious about the deodeok mushroom grill (9,000 won) on the menu too, but we filled up on galbi this time, so we saved it for next visit! Apparently the fragrant deodeok (mountain herb root) and mushrooms with a spicy-sweet seasoning make it a healthy specialty too, so next time I'm definitely adding the deodeok mushroom grill! 😋

Is Hyangtaek worth a weekend lunch date near Keimyung University?

Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch was mild and easy on the stomach, which suited a weekend lunch date well. Weekend meals out often end up salty and spicy and leave you feeling bloated, but here the tidy spread let the natural flavor of the ingredients shine through, so we felt comfortable even after eating.

• Anyone looking for a tidy Korean restaurant near Keimyung University in Seongseo
• Anyone planning a light, clean weekend lunch date with their partner
• Anyone who wants to try the combination of clean mackerel gondre rice and spicy-sweet deodeok grill

It was a happy weekend lunch spent eating good food and chatting away with Jjong! If you're looking for a good spot near Keimyung University in Seongseo, Daegu, don't overthink it this weekend, just go! Ming highly recommends it, woohoo! 💖