Rice bowl restaurant in Chilgok, Daegu: spicy galbi bowl, Myeonsikdang

Came here for lunch with my husband! It's a ramen spot near Daegu Health College in Chilgok, Daegu, so we finally made it in.

I'd always walk past this place and think how clean it looked and how it always had customers — I kept telling myself I'd have to try it sometime, and this time I finally got the chance!

Summer seasonal menu at Myeonsikdang Daegu Bogeondae

Turns out Myeonsikdang Daegu Bogeondae also serves seasonal summer dishes like chogye (chilled chicken broth) cold soba, chogye bibim soba, and chogye water bibim soba. Something cold is the best thing when it's hot out!

This time we were in the mood for classic ramen, but I'm definitely coming back to try the soba varieties before summer ends.

Before going in, we checked the menu posted at the entrance! I love that they have a menu board right by the door — it makes deciding so much easier if you can scan it before you even sit down.

Inside Myeonsikdang: the room and kiosk ordering

Several tables were already full when we walked in. Since it's right by the school, there were students, but also families and groups. Even though it's known as a ramen spot near Daegu Health College, they also have rice bowls, katsu dishes, udon, pho and more, so it seemed like a popular pick for groups too.

Every table has its own kiosk, so ordering is easy. Nice touch from this Daegu Chilgok ramen spot — it even shows you how long your order will take! They also run events sometimes, so make sure to check it out.

What's at the self-bar?

They have a self-bar too, which I love!

The self-bar at Myeonsikdang Daegu Bogeondae has broth, kimchi, and pickled radish. It's kept really clean and you can take as much as you'd like. The broth had a nice savory flavor that was exactly to my taste.

Even in the middle of summer, hot broth like this really hit the spot. There's a reason people say you should fight heat with heat, haha!

Three dishes shared between two people

Such a generous meal

After some very serious deliberation, we ordered: one spicy galbi rice bowl, one tonkotsu ramen + fire-flavor mini butadon set (extra bean sprouts), and a half order of demi-glace hire katsu! Can you see how good it looks in the photos? It wasn't just tasty — the presentation was great too. Guess it's true that food that looks good tastes good.

Tonkotsu ramen + fire-flavor mini butadon with extra bean sprouts

Myeonsikdang Daegu Bogeondae's tonkotsu ramen reminded me of the tonkotsu ramen I had on a trip to Japan a while back. Even the bowl itself was gorgeous!

Isn't the broth the whole point of tonkotsu ramen? This one was rich but not heavy, exactly to my taste! Along with the savory broth and noodles, the crunchy bean sprouts I found scattered through it went really well with everything. I added extra bean sprouts and I'm so glad I did!

If you're having the tonkotsu ramen at this Daegu Chilgok ramen spot near the health college, I'd say get the extra bean sprouts! The broth is rich but not too heavy, and the crunchy sprouts balance it out so well that it never felt greasy even to the last spoonful.

And then the fire-flavor mini butadon that came with the set! The meat had a subtle smoky char to it, and it was delicious with the rice. It wasn't your usual soy-glazed pork bulgogi — the smoky flavor made it pair even better with the ramen! One bite of butadon, one spoonful of ramen broth, and I just couldn't stop, haha.

Spicy galbi rice bowl (spicy short rib donburi)

Spicy galbi (short rib) rice bowl! First thing I loved was that the galbi came pre-cut into pieces perfectly sized for a bite with rice. That made it so easy to eat.

Even though it says 'spicy' in the name, it wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, so it was easy to enjoy. Sweet and spicy at the same time — genuinely delicious galbi! The meat wasn't tough at all, and once mixed with the rice, the seasoning was just right. If you like a mildly spicy rice bowl, this is a flavor you'll probably enjoy without any issue.

Half order of demi-glace hire katsu

Another great thing about this Daegu Chilgok ramen spot near the health college: you can order the demi-glace hire katsu as a half portion! Ordering three full dishes for two people felt like too much... but we still wanted katsu... and somehow they had the perfect solution for us.

On top of that, the sauce that came with it wasn't overpowering at all — smooth and rich, it paired perfectly with the katsu! They also give you wasabi, and adding a little on top makes it taste even cleaner and lighter.

Which dish at Myeonsikdang Daegu Bogeondae was best?

Personally, I always want to try a bit of everything, so being able to try three different dishes between the two of us was even more satisfying.

If you ask me which of the three was the best... honestly, all three had such different appeal that I'd recommend trying them all at least once. Next time I'm coming back for the soba dishes! A great, filling meal I'd recommend.