Daegu Korean restaurant with mushroom pancake: Hyangtaek Daebong

Monday lunches are always either home-cooked with my husband or a meal out, and this time we went to Hyangtaek Daebong Branch, a Korean restaurant near Gyeongbuk National University Hospital Station! It was so clean, tidy, and had flavors that weren't the usual — let me introduce it!

Hyangtaek Daebong Branch: hours, location and parking

It's located near Exit 3 of Gyeongbuk National University Hospital Station. It's open daily from 11:00 to 20:00, with a break time from 15:30 to 17:00. Last order is at 15:00 and 19:30, and it's closed on Chuseok holiday.

This neighborhood isn't exactly easy for parking, though!

We got lucky with a spot right in front of the restaurant, but if you need one, they say parking at Kim Kwang-seok Street public parking lot gets you 1 hour 10 minutes free when you eat there — just so you know!^^

What the dining room feels like at lunchtime

The interior is plain but clean and comfortable! We went a bit early, just past 11, to avoid the crowds, but by around 11:30 the whole place was full! A confirmed lunch spot, I guess!?

There's a big cauldron at the counter, which is a unique touch and somehow makes it feel like it must be an even better restaurant!

There's also a kids' chair, so it seems great to bring along young children too. The menu items looked good for kids to eat as well, so I'd love to come back with the kids next time!

What we ordered: mackerel gondre rice and eggplant doenjang bowl

We ordered the signature dishes: mackerel gondre-bap (herb rice bowl), eggplant doenjang rice bowl, and a full-size mushroom pancake! Everything looked so delicious.. I'll definitely have to go back...!!

Side dishes and custom sauces tailored to each menu item were set out. It's a Korean restaurant, but there was a subtle fusion feel with hints of Japanese detail hidden in it too — the miso soup and the clear kelp vinegar were like that. Maybe that's why the dishes, which look ordinary, had a not-so-ordinary charm!

How to eat the mackerel gondre rice with chive sauce

Mackerel gondre-bap

A dish that's obviously going to be delicious just from looking at it! It's even better with the chive seasoning sauce.

You shred the mackerel apart and mix it thoroughly with the rest of the ingredients and rice.

Wrapped in gim (seaweed) with salted seafood and chive seasoning sauce, there's just no way it could be anything but delicious! Hearty portions, so the rice just kept going down easily!! The mackerel you'd taste here and there was savory with absolutely no fishy taste. It seemed like a dish I could make for my kids at home too.

Eggplant doenjang rice bowl with kelp vinegar

Eggplant doenjang rice bowl

This is a rice bowl you mix together with special strong doenjang (fermented soybean paste) containing pork and prettily grilled eggplant on top.

Shredding the eggplant too!!!

It was a meal where the lightly grilled eggplant went really well with the meat and the strong doenjang! Strong doenjang usually comes out really salty, but this one wasn't at all — it was clean yet had deep flavor.

The staff told us to add this kelp vinegar once things start to feel greasy, but honestly, it was so delicious the whole time that there wasn't really a greasy moment haha. It said the kelp vinegar was a sauce inspired by Japanese cuisine. When I tried adding it, I could taste something new — it added freshness and felt like the flavor got upgraded!

Assorted mushroom pancake from the receipt review event

Assorted mushroom pancake

We got the assorted mushroom pancake through a receipt review event :) This one's the real kicker!!! The mushrooms were crispy yet tender, genuinely delicious. Mushroom pancakes can easily turn greasy and soggy from absorbing too much oil if not done well, but this one had just the right crispiness while still letting the mushrooms' heartiness come through more than the batter — a true winner item!

Wow, how do they grill it like this!? I found myself thinking, haha. This was a Hyangtaek Daebong Branch I'd want to visit again and try every other menu item too!!

Is Hyangtaek Daebong Branch worth a lunch stop?

A clean, mild Korean lunch in Daebong-dong

A clean, unique meal, something I hadn't had in a while! The portions were substantial, and the sauces matched to each dish weren't ordinary but blended well with the food, making the whole meal enjoyable throughout. Overall the flavors were mild and clean rather than sharp or heavy, so it never felt like too much, and afterward my stomach felt comfortable with just the right amount of fullness :)

In particular, familiar Korean dishes like the mackerel gondre-bap or eggplant doenjang bowl had Hyangtaek's own details added, giving them a different charm from the usual versions I've had. Personally, I enjoyed the assorted mushroom pancake so much that I want to try the other menu items one by one next time haha. If you're looking for a clean meal near Gyeongbuk National University Hospital Station, or craving Korean food that isn't too sharp or a slightly different lunch option, I recommend Hyangtaek Daebong Branch! Next time I should come back with the kids :)