Daejeon grilled mackerel self-bar meal: Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo

One of my wife and my favorite foods is grilled mackerel. It is hard to make at home because of the smell, and we like it enough that, when we were dating, we even had a routine of hiking and then coming down the mountain for grilled mackerel haha. This time, my wife, Ibin, and I visited Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch (화덕으로간고등어 신탄진점), right next to the Sintanjin Supercharger. It was our first time trying a new grilled-mackerel specialty restaurant, so I was half expectant, half excited!

It is right next to the Sintanjin Supercharger, so it is perfectly located for a meal while charging a Tesla! It is also perfect for a hearty late breakfast or early lunch before a trip via Sintanjin IC.

On Sintanjin's main road: is parking easy?

It is on Sintanjin's main road, so it is easy to find, and the large parking lot makes it very accessible. Among Korean restaurants in Sintanjin, it seems like a satisfying choice in both scale and accessibility for a large family gathering.

The oven you see upon entering

The oven catches your eye as soon as you enter. It really gives off an impressive, professional feel. There was a staff member carefully putting mackerel into and taking it out of the oven, and I could not help thinking how hot that job must be haha.

How was it for a family gathering and a stroller visit?

There were lots of seats, with long tables at the very back, so it looked great for a large family gathering too. When I mentioned that we had Ibin's stroller, they thoughtfully seated us somewhere with less foot traffic ㅠ

And the view through the floor-to-ceiling window beside that seat was so pretty. I actually thought, can a grilled-mackerel restaurant really have a view like this? haha

Could the self-serve bar alone make a meal?

While we waited for our order, we headed straight for the self-serve bar. The selection was incredibly varied.

There was tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), pork cutlet, japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), assorted seasoned vegetables, dotorimuk (acorn jelly), and even a bibimbap station. It honestly felt like this alone could make a complete meal lol. I piled on pork cutlet and japchae, while my wife loaded up on tteokbokki.

Refillable side dishes

Most of the basic side dishes can be refilled at the self-serve bar.

The napa cabbage doenjang-guk (soybean-paste soup) was especially good: mild and savory. And it is no secret that my wife absolutely loves lotus root—she had two whole plates lol.

How did the oven-grilled mackerel taste?

As you work through the side dishes, glossy mackerel arrives at the table. The fish was thick, tender, and moist, and so delicious.

It was seasoned just right, so there was no need for soy sauce or any extra sauce. Maybe because it was cooked in the oven, it clearly had a different flavor from ordinary grilled fish. Partway through, I brought back bibimbap ingredients from the self-serve bar and mixed them into my rice, and that was another treat too haha.

A meal before heading to Sintanjin IC

If you are looking for great grilled fish in Sintanjin, or want a hearty meal before traveling via Sintanjin IC, how about a full grilled-mackerel spread at Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch? 😊