Gyeongsan Korean restaurant on a rainy autumn day: Bapeul Jitda

When a chilly breeze starts blowing in autumn, you crave food that warms you up inside and out, right? Today's place is Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch (밥을짓다 경산본점), where you can have a healthy meal made with fresh ingredients. The Korean food here brings out the natural flavor of the ingredients rather than going for strong seasoning, so it suits family meals, dinners with parents, dates and all kinds of gatherings. I'd like to introduce it to anyone looking for a good hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) place in Gyeongsan, haha.

Where is Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch, and what are the hours and reservation options?

Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch is at 734 Samseonghyeon-ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk, 1st floor. It's open 11:00–21:00 with last order at 20:00. Groups are welcome, there are high chairs and birthday/anniversary perks, and you can reserve through Naver.

The day I went, it rained all day long. Even so, from the moment I saw the exterior, it felt like a relaxed place to sit down for a meal. Nearby there are spots worth visiting like Samseonghyeon History Park and Bangokji, so it fits nicely into a Gyeongsan day trip. A good meal plus a look around the local sights makes for a fuller day out, doesn't it? haha

What about parking and family-friendly facilities at Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch?

There is parking available, which makes it easy for families arriving by car. It's also been selected as a Model Restaurant, so my expectations were even higher, haha.

If you're looking for a place in Gyeongsan for a special occasion, or want a leisurely meal with someone precious, this is worth saving.

Rainy-day atmosphere with floor-to-ceiling windows

The restaurant is modern and clean with floor-to-ceiling windows, and even on a rainy day that turned out to be a plus. It was a comfortable space for a calm meal and a carefully prepared Korean table.

It suits special days like birthdays and anniversaries, as well as meals out with parents or family meals with kids. I especially liked that they have baby chairs, cushions and safe tableware, so everyone from grandparents to little ones can eat together.

They take everything from small gatherings to large group meals, and group reservations need a phone call in advance. These days so much food is spicy, salty and intense, right? Bapeul Jitda is said to use fresh vegetables and seasonal ingredients and focus on bringing out their natural flavor, so the food is easy on the stomach. If you care about eating healthy, you'll probably love it.

Ordering and what comes in the autumn set

You order by tablet at each table, and we ordered two autumn sets. It was chilly and rainy, so the autumn menu seemed right.

When the seasons change, so do your tastes and what you crave. When the cool autumn wind starts up, food that warms the body is just right. This restaurant puts thought into the flavor, texture and balance of ingredients from the starters to the mains. There are starters like sous vide chilled pork (cooked at low temperature), seasonal salad, gopchang-gim (crinkly seaweed), kkosiraegi (a crunchy seaweed) and fried eggplant, which makes the meal colorful. What's served can vary by season and menu, so it's worth checking when you visit.

Beef brisket mushroom hot pot

Of the autumn dishes set out one by one, the main is the beef brisket mushroom hot pot. It went really well with the assorted vegetables and mushrooms, and maybe because of the rain, I was totally satisfied.

Dipping it in the hot pot sauce that comes with it is so good.

Seasonal salad, chilled pork, gopchang-gim, kkosiraegi, fried eggplant and steamed abalone

The autumn set also comes with seasonal salad, chilled pork, gopchang-gim, kkosiraegi, fried eggplant and steamed abalone (with gejang-style sauce and barley rice). Every dish is such good quality. Just looking at them made me feel healthier.

The chilled pork with garlic sauce and seasoned nutrient chives (youngyang buchu) was light and a really good combination.

Naver receipt review event: acorn jelly salad

The restaurant also runs a Naver receipt review event. I happily polished off the acorn jelly salad (muk-muchim) they gave us, and the balance of jelly and vegetables was absolutely great.

Hoengseong deodeok from Gangwon-do, and steamed abalone

The grilled deodeok (bellflower-like root) from Hoengseong, Gangwon-do, has a gochujang base and is nicely spicy, and the deodeok itself was really delicious.

The steamed abalone was tender and soft, light and tasty. It felt like eating a health tonic meal, haha.

How was the live abalone porridge at Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch?

The dish that caught my eye this meal was the live abalone porridge. It came out carefully made with live abalone from Wando. It was nutty and smooth, and so soft it went down easily. On a chilly day, a bowl of warm porridge fills you up in a comforting way, all the way inside.

It paired very well with the side dishes they served. It's great for days when you have no appetite, and for meals with parents. It's the bowl you think of in autumn when the cold wind starts and you want to take care of body and mind. I think it suits people who want the plain charm of the ingredients rather than flashy, intense flavors. For someone with a good appetite like me, it was even better, haha.

Beyond this, they also have tot (seaweed) stone-pot bibimbap, beef brisket mushroom hot pot, Jeju-style live abalone porridge and live abalone mulhoe (chilled soup), so you can pick to your taste.

Who is Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch right for?

With menus using fresh vegetables and seafood that bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients, it suits people who usually prefer healthy meals. I think it's also good for meals with parents, family outings, dates, and special days like birthdays and anniversaries. I'd love to take my parents back, haha.

In autumn, when the temperature swing gets big, a warm, soft abalone porridge for a hearty meal sounds good too, right? It's a place where you eat well and look after your health, so if you're looking for hanjeongsik in Gyeongsan, I recommend the carefully prepared Korean table at Bapeul Jitda Gyeongsan Main Branch. It's good for a stop during a Gyeongsan outing, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a Korean restaurant in Gyeongsan to visit with family.

There's also a dessert corner, which is great to have after the meal.