7pm Daegu Korean restaurant dinner: soy-sauce gondre rice, Hyangtaek

Today I went to Hyangtaek, which recently opened a branch in Seongseo near Keimyung University! I already loved Hyangtaek, so I was sooooo excited haha. Straight into the honest review~

Where is Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch, and where do you park?

Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch is located between Keimyung University Station and Kangchang Station. There's no dedicated parking lot, but since the whole area is alleys, you can park pretty much anywhere! Both the inside and outside were so clean.

What Hyangtaek looks like inside at 7pm

Even at around 7pm the restaurant was packed with customers, and since we were the last ones left, I snapped some quick photos of the inside on our way out lol. Inside it's super clean, with a mood that's perfect for chatting over a meal — a great match for Hyangtaek!! Truly a perfect fit for a Korean restaurant!

What we ordered: mackerel gondre rice and eggplant doenjang rice bowl

With 5 main dishes on the menu at Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch, I had serious trouble deciding,, After much thought I went with the mackerel gondre rice (gondre is a wild mountain herb), and my friend ordered the eggplant doenjang rice bowl! I wanted to try the galbi platter too, but my friend had just had her wisdom tooth pulled, so that'll have to wait for next time haha, sigh.

They also give out a free mushroom platter if you leave a Naver receipt review, so make sure to join in! (Honestly I noticed it halfway through eating and couldn't participate... too full lol.)

Gopchang gim wraps and the soup that comes with every meal

These dishes just wouldn't be complete without gopchang gim (thick-cut dried seaweed)!!! Add that in and it's perfect... (drooling)

The soup that comes as a side is genuinely delicious too! It's kind of doenjang (soybean paste)-based? But not quite doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew)..!! (I finished that soup completely too... finishing the whole side soup isn't something I usually do.)

Mackerel gondre rice: is that much gondre for real?

Wait, is the amount of gondre real haha? I love it so much. It was so fragrant!!!! I loved it the second I saw it, and I immediately thought I need to bring my parents here!! My dad absolutely loves gondre!!

Eggplant doenjang rice bowl: tear the eggplant along the grain

The visual on the eggplant doenjang rice bowl is insane too... it's seasoned like a rich ganjang doenjang paste, with big chunks of eggplant piled on top!! You can cut it with scissors, but you know the joy of tearing it by hand!!! Tearing the eggplant along its grain... ah, I want it again already.

It comes out so neat and clean! Overall the flavor is really excellent!! This is the Hyangtaek I remember!!!!

Add the soy sauce and doenjang a little at a time and taste as you go

The mackerel mixed in beautifully, no bones and totally soft, and the mushrooms... the gondre... it was all just the best. Add a little of the soy sauce (?) sauce they give you and mix it in!! I put in about half without tasting first, and by my own standard it turned out a bit salty? But my friend tried mine and said it was too bland lol. Everyone should taste as you add the soy sauce!!

I also tried the eggplant doenjang, and my friend said the seasoning was just right... but I took one bite and was surprised how salty it was lol. But it was so delicious that next time I order eggplant doenjang, I think I'll scoop out a bit of the doenjang paste and taste as I mix!!!

Wrap it in gopchang gim, top with jeotgal (salted seafood), and one bite! (Honestly I ate about half of it this way lol.)

Verdict: both bowls at Hyangtaek scraped clean

How good was it — we literally scraped both bowls clean with our spoons. And I got so full I nearly passed out. So happy, ugh.

Even my friend, with one side of her face swollen from getting her wisdom tooth out, finished her whole bowl... she even used a small spoon and still ate faster than me lol. (I can't even imagine how good it must've tasted to her.) My friend actually just graduated from Keimyung University, and she was so bummed that Hyangtaek didn't exist while she was still a student, only opening now lol.

I think I'll genuinely come here about once a month! The toppings on the rice are so generous, I'm super, super satisfied!!

Huge thanks that I no longer have to travel far just to eat Hyangtaek. Thank you for opening a Hyangtaek branch near Keimyung University.

I'm going back with my parents right after Chuseok or during the October holiday!! I'm treating my dad to this mackerel gondre rice ASAP!!!! Seongseo, near Keimyung University, never had a Korean restaurant of this quality before — I'm so happy haha.

Keimyung University!! No, all of Seongseo!! I officially certify this as a must-visit restaurant!! (Strong strong strong recommend) I don't think anyone could eat this and say it's not good. (I guarantee it.)