Korean restaurant near Jungangno Station, Daegu: solo yukhoe bibimbap

How to get to Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch from Jungangno Station, and where to park

I had business in Daegu on a weekday, so I stopped by Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch! It's pretty close to Jungangno Station on Line 1. The weather was nice and since it was a weekday, it wasn't too crowded.

📍Parking info📍 There's no dedicated lot, so you need to park nearby — apparently you're supposed to use Daegu Hanguk-ui-jip's parking. It's only a minute away, but there's a fee 🥹

A 2pm visit: hanok-style interior that works for solo diners

Since I went around 2pm, the place was definitely quiet! Break time starts at 3pm. The slightly hanok-feel wooden interior gave off a cozy, warm vibe.

The interior isn't huge, but there are 4-person and 2-person tables, so it works for groups or solo dining too ~! (Of course I was solo too, haha)

During busy lunch hours you apparently have to write your name down for the wait list, but coming a bit after the lunch rush was just right haha. There were still two or three parties around though. I'd recommend visiting around 2pm!

What's on the menu at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch

Hyangtaek — bringing the taste of Korean food and a cozy time

• Grilled deodeok (bellflower root) with mushrooms
• Cheongsong-style dak bulgogi (spicy chicken)
• Mackerel gondre rice
• Eggplant doenjang rice bowl
• Yukhoe bibimbap
• Herring roe bibim noodles
• Plus drinks

It was great that it was clearly a proper Korean food menu, and I was really curious about the mackerel gondre rice and the herring roe bibim noodles too, but I went with the safe, reliable favorite — yukhoe bibimbap! I was curious about the side dishes too, but since I was dining solo, I didn't get greedy .. 😅

The recommended way to eat at Hyangtaek

• Mix the ingredients evenly
• Eat it together with the gopchang gim (crispy seaweed) and mixed jeotgal (seasoned condiment)
• Add the special sauce as you eat

Hyangtaek's own tips for eating it deliciously are kindly written out, so read them while you wait for your food!! A must-read ~~

What comes with the yukhoe bibimbap at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch

It comes with mixed jeotgal, pickled gungchae (aster greens), soup, gopchang gim, bibim sauce, and a fresh egg yolk. I liked how it all came out as a clean, neat set :)

The round little piles of yukhoe (raw beef) sat right on top, and the portion was quite generous! It had a clean look to it, which I liked even more.

Mixing it all together, the portion turned out to be pretty big. There was a good amount of sliced pear in there too, so I got a crisp texture on top of everything haha. They say it's lightly seasoned already, but personally I found it a bit bland, so I added more sauce!

First bite of the yukhoe bibimbap ~~ the freshness of the lettuce, the crispness of the pear, and the savory richness of the yukhoe went so, so well together!! This yukhoe bibimbap would be great for solo dining too.

Eating the yukhoe bibimbap with gopchang gim and pickled gungchae

Wrapping bites in the gopchang gim that comes with it is a total win ㅜㅜ. Compared to just eating the rice plain, wrapping it in the seaweed gives it a whole different, richer savory flavor. It's no secret that it tasted even better because it was gopchang gim.

It was hotter than expected that day, so I also ordered a cold cider — they even thoughtfully served it with an ice cup!! Such a refreshing, thirst-quenching feeling.

A bite of the gungchae that came with it too ~.~ The crunchy texture paired so well, and I got pretty full. If you like yukhoe bibimbap, you really have to come try this. First with the seaweed, then with the gungchae — both combos work so well.

As expected, eating it with the seaweed made the yukhoe bibimbap go down so smoothly. And with the crunchy bean sprouts too, the texture was amazing! I'm not really a fan of egg yolk so I skipped it, but the savoriness of the yukhoe was already more than enough ....!

If you're ever near Jungangno Station in Daegu, definitely stop by Hyangtaek! Try the yukhoe bibimbap at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch!!!! Next time I'd love to come back and try the mackerel dish or some of the new menu items!! Since it's a place that serves Korean food, I think Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch would also be a great spot to bring foreign friends!!