Daedeok Korean restaurant weeknight mackerel dinner: Hwadeogeuro Gan

Cooking grilled fish at home these days is a hassle — you have to worry about the smell and the actual grilling is annoying too. So my wife and I went out for dinner to Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch in Sintanjin, Daejeon.

I'm a fan of grilled fish, so I wanted to try proper grilled mackerel. Bottom line up front: it was a Korean restaurant where you could enjoy clean, well-grilled mackerel along with a good variety of side dishes.

The clay oven you see right at the entrance

Where is Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch, and where do you park?

Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch is located at 490 Sintanjin-ro, Jena-dong 102-ho, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon. Hours are 10:00–21:30, with a break time from 15:30–17:00.

There was plenty of parking space around the restaurant, so it was easy to visit by car. We came in the evening and had no trouble getting in because of parking.

Inside the Sintanjin dining room: clean and spacious

Walking in, the place felt clean overall, and the tables were spaced comfortably apart, which made it easy for my wife and I to eat at ease.

When you think of a grilled fish restaurant, smoke and smell usually come to mind first, but maybe because everything is cooked in a clay oven, it felt cleaner than a typical grilled fish place. It looked like a good spot for a family outing, a meal with parents, or just a couple's dinner.

The self-bar at Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo: vegetables, japchae and tteokbokki

Personally, what stood out to me at Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch wasn't just the grilled mackerel but the self-bar. At most grilled fish set restaurants you usually just get a few basic side dishes, but here there was a self-bar with a whole range of items — seasoned vegetables for making your own bibimbap, japchae, tteokbokki — so you can pick and choose according to your taste.

Instead of eating just the fish alone, being able to bring over a little bit of several different side dishes made the meal feel much more filling. If you love Korean food, or if you enjoy eating small portions of many different side dishes, I think you'd be pretty satisfied here.

Between the rice with the mackerel and all the extra side dishes, I ended up fuller than I expected.

Ordering the clay-oven grilled mackerel set for two

What we ordered was the grilled mackerel set for two. Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch apparently also serves pork bulgogi, tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties), Spanish mackerel, and hairtail, among other dishes, but since it was our first visit, we went with the restaurant's signature dish — the one in the name — grilled mackerel.

After a short wait, the mackerel arrived, grilled to a nice golden brown. Fish really does feel different grilled in a clay oven compared to a frying pan at home. The outside was well browned, and the flesh inside was juicier than I expected.

Pulling off a piece with chopsticks and putting it over rice, the salty mackerel paired really well with the rice. The fish's usual fishy taste wasn't strong either, so if you like grilled fish, this should be easy to enjoy.

What comes with the set: the default side dishes

How the mackerel dinner went with my wife

This time we visited just the two of us for dinner. It wasn't a flashy or special menu, but I liked that it's a place where you can comfortably enjoy warm rice, grilled fish, and a variety of side dishes.

Sometimes you crave a Korean meal of grilled fish and a bowl of rice more than meat or spicy, heavy food. This is a place worth remembering for those moments. It's also a plus for anyone who finds grilling mackerel at home a hassle — you can enjoy freshly clay-oven-grilled mackerel with none of the effort.

One-line verdict on Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch

A Sintanjin Korean restaurant where you can enjoy golden, clay-oven-grilled mackerel along with a variety of self-bar side dishes. My wife and I had a delicious dinner here.

If you're looking for a good grilled fish restaurant in Sintanjin or Daedeok-gu, or a Korean restaurant to visit with your parents or the whole family, Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch is worth a visit.

Finishing the meal with a cup of americano