Vietnamese restaurant in Sangin, Daegu: street-style banh xeo, Laichen

What is Laichen Wolseong Branch in Daegu?

Laichen Wolseong Branch is a Vietnamese restaurant in Sangin-dong, Daegu, and the owner, a Vietnamese local, reportedly makes every menu item himself. It is open daily 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00), everything is available for takeout, and delivery runs 10:30–22:00. This is my family's go-to spot 💛 so let me introduce you to this Sangin-dong favorite, Laichen!

How to get to Laichen Wolseong Branch and where to park

Laichen Wolseong Branch is at 5 Joamnam-ro, Dalseo-gu, Daegu (1st floor, Sangin-dong 1595-6), at the Wolseong-nam intersection. There are bus stops within 3 minutes in all four directions, and it's an 8-minute walk from Exit 1 of Sangin Station.

If you're driving, use the parking lot behind the shopping building. Turn into the alley before Bombom Café and you'll spot an obvious parking sign. (See the photos below.)

Is there a wait at Laichen Wolseong Branch? Best times to go

I went for a slightly early weekday lunch and there was no wait. Every time I pass by it's packed, so an early lunch is clearly the answer. There's also a wide waiting area at the entrance.

Laichen Wolseong Branch interior and seating

With rattan lamps and wood interiors, Laichen Wolseong Branch is full of local Vietnamese charm.

Floral-pattern curtains at the window seats make the place feel cozy and relaxed.

(Left side of the photo) You can wash your hands inside the restaurant.

Laichen Wolseong Branch private group room

Laichen Wolseong Branch has a group room that seats from 5 up to 18 people. It's a separate space from the main hall, so it works for all kinds of gatherings, and for reservations of 7 or more you just call the restaurant.

Laichen Wolseong Branch menu and prices

The best sellers at Laichen Wolseong Branch are authentic Hanoi pho at ₩10,000, charcoal-grilled bun cha (grilled pork with rice noodles) at ₩13,500, and banh xeo (crispy Vietnamese savory pancake) at ₩15,500. Set A for two (pho + bun cha + banh xeo) lets you taste all three for ₩37,500, which is ₩1,500 cheaper than ordering them separately.

• Authentic Hanoi pho ₩10,000
• Charcoal-grilled bun cha ₩13,500
• Banh xeo ₩15,500
• Set A for two ₩37,500 (pho + bun cha + banh xeo)

I ordered the set so we could try all the best sellers. The banh xeo is seriously good. A must-order!

Ten minutes after ordering, our pho, bun cha and banh xeo were ready!

What does Laichen's bean sprout pho taste like?

I paid ₩500 extra to switch the Set A pho to bean sprout pho. They say they use Korean beef leg bones, and the broth was rich yet clean. It had been a while since I'd had pho and it was so good~ The spice aroma isn't overpowering (barely there), so it suits Korean tastes perfectly! There was plenty of meat too, so I was satisfied.

Tips for choosing your pho at Laichen

Cilantro is only served on request. You get one free serving, and extra is ₩500.

• Authentic Hanoi pho: the pure flavor of bone broth, no bean sprouts
• Bean sprout pho: refreshing bone broth with bean sprouts
• Spicy pho (eolkeun): spicy bone broth with bean sprouts
• Offal pho: spicy bone broth topped with pork offal (thin noodles)

How to eat Laichen's charcoal-grilled bun cha

With Laichen's charcoal-grilled bun cha, you loosen the noodles in the bun cha sauce and top them with smoky charcoal-flavored meat, and it was really delicious! If the rice noodles won't come apart, press on them with a spoon to separate them!

• 1. Take a little of each ingredient on the plate (noodles, vegetables, nem) and dip it in the sauce.
• 2. Soak the ingredients well in the sauce and lift them out together with the meat to eat.

Why Laichen's banh xeo is a must-order

Banh xeo is my mom's and my favorite thing at Laichen. Golden-grilled, it's crispy outside and packed with vegetables and shrimp inside, so the texture is great and the flavor is rich. 😋

I can't really handle banh xeo with the nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) that comes with it, so I dipped my banh xeo in the bun cha sauce instead, haha

How to enjoy banh xeo at Laichen

It's dry rice paper, so there's no need to wet it in water!

• 1. Put the fillings (lettuce, banh xeo, pickles) on the rice paper.
• 2. Roll it up like a summer roll and dip it deep into the nuoc cham sauce.

Street-style banh xeo from Vietnam, found at Laichen in Daegu

Once in Vietnam I took a motorbike city tour with a local. We bought lotus flowers at a flower market and ate street food, and what I remember most is the banh xeo.

That day I tried banh xeo for the first time at a street stall, and my eyes went wide. There's food like this?! It was so delicious I was stunned. I looked for banh xeo all through that trip, but nothing tasted the same..

But I found that taste at Laichen! The banh xeo shell is just crispy enough and nutty, and combined with the vegetables inside the texture is great. Roll it in dry rice paper and take a big bite and it's heaven! Everyone, please order the banh xeo~

It's truly a go-to-go-to-go-to spot! I recommend visiting Laichen Wolseong Branch. I need to go back soon too! 😊

Who Laichen Wolseong Branch is best for

• Anyone who wants a taste of local Vietnamese atmosphere
• Anyone looking for a good place for a family meal
• Anyone looking for a Sangin-dong or banh xeo restaurant
• Anyone looking for a Wolseong-dong pho restaurant