Chimsan-dong restaurant with bulgogi and kimchi jjigae: Cafe Dongyi

Today's post: Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch

Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch hours and location

• Mon–Fri 11:00–20:30 (BT 15:00–17:00)
• Sat–Sun 11:00–21:00 (BT 15:00–16:30)
• 1F, Dormitory Building E, Samsung Changjo Campus, Buk-gu, Daegu
• Parking available

We love Korean food so much, so most people who like a neat Korean set meal have probably already been to Cafe Dongyi. I've been to other branches of Cafe Dongyi many times, but this was my first visit to the Chimsan branch. Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch, a Chimsan-dong restaurant — since I already love this place, I went in with a light and happy heart —

Finding Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch and where to park

Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch, a Korean restaurant in Chimsan-dong, is great because you can use the Samsung Changjo Campus parking lot, so there's no need to worry about parking.

It was clearly past 1:30 pm, but there were so many people and a constant waiting line, so I thought, wow, this is really a hot Chimsan-dong restaurant.

You can register for a table at the front, and there was cool hetgae tea (Korean raisin tree tea) set out for people waiting.

What is the inside of Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch like?

The space wasn't huge, but the food came out fast so the turnover was good. Honestly, the dining room was so full it was hard to take photos — I thought people would clear out by the time we left, but people kept coming in even as we were leaving, so hot, so hot. It's an open kitchen, so you could see the cooking happening right in front of you, which was fun to watch too.

Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch menu and how to order

You order and pay through the kiosk on the table.

The menu comes out as neat, complete Korean set meals —

• Dongyi grilled jeyuk-bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) set
• Dongyi grilled bulgogi set
• Both swapped to kimchi jjigae
• Added mini tangsuyuk

There are a lot of great-value menu items under ₩10,000 — like, is that even possible with prices these days?

The service bar: unlimited fried eggs, rice and seaweed

A new perk of Cafe Dongyi Chimsan Branch! There's a service bar set up — here you can have unlimited fried eggs, rice, seaweed, and five-grain rice snacks ෆ

Dochi fried up the eggs nicely. A home-style Korean meal just isn't complete without a fried egg. We set the table with seaweed, soy sauce, and the fried egg — ready to eat —

Grilled bulgogi and grilled jeyuk-bokkeum set meals: the full spread

Our order arrived — the whole table was full, and everything looked so good ෆ Oh, by the way, when you order you can swap the default doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) for kimchi jjigae, and you can also add mini tangsuyuk as a taster. We swapped both to kimchi jjigae. And added the mini tangsuyuk too —

✓ Dongyi grilled bulgogi set — the grilled bulgogi set I ordered —

✓ Dongyi grilled jeyuk-bokkeum set — this is the grilled jeyuk-bokkeum set that Dochi likes ෆ

I ordered the soy-sauce-based grilled bulgogi. The sweet-savory sauce was well balanced, and it came piled with cabbage, which made the seasoning perfect when eaten together.

The meat was tender and not the least bit tough, which I think made it even better.

How the kimchi jjigae swap turned out

I'd been singing 'I want kimchi jjigae' for days, so swapping it in was such a good call.

The broth was spicy and hot in just the right way, loaded with meat, and it paired really well with the main dish.

Grilled jeyuk-bokkeum served on a single-person grill

The grilled jeyuk-bokkeum I order every time I come to Cafe Dongyi! It's served on a personal tabletop grill, so it stays warm throughout the meal.

A gentle smoky char came through with a subtle grilled aroma — not too intense, but full of savory depth! And with vegetables mixed in with the meat, the texture was great too.

Is the mini taster tangsuyuk worth adding?

And of course, can't skip the mini tangsuyuk — small but packed with flavor. It's made with glutinous rice batter, and I really think you should order this alongside your meal!

It comes out as big chunks of tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour pork), which you just cut into bite-sized pieces yourself. You'd think a 'taster' portion would be small, but the amount was generous — plenty for two. And the batter was especially chewy and springy — glutinous rice tangsuyuk through and through.

The dipping sauce that came with it was tangy too, which cut right through the richness of the batter, making it even better. While eating this, Dochi joked, why doesn't Ulsan have a Cafe Dongyi? — haha, he really said Cafe Dongyi is the best. The rice-lover's pick: Cafe Dongyi. Trusting it and eating well again today ෆ

Dochi went back for a rice refill and scraped his bowl completely clean. Seeing him eat so well just made me happy.

To finish, we wrapped up with a tangy drink served alongside the meal. After finishing a glass, my mouth felt totally refreshed and clean. Even the ending was perfect —

Once again, Cafe Dongyi delivers — a neat, home-style Korean spread at a very reasonable price. A great place to go when you can't decide where to eat in Chimsan-dong.