Fast team lunch at a Suseong Daegu Korean restaurant: Banwoldang

An office worker’s endless worry is, of course, what to have for lunch. Because I eat lunch out almost every day for work, every day is another choice of where to go. One day when I was craving Korean food, I went to Banwoldang Buja Sikdang Suseong Branch (반월당부자식당 수성점). You can use the covered street parking lot, and after paying, tell the counter before you leave—they will give you a receipt that serves as your parking pass, so be sure to take it with you!

Inside the Suseong Branch, Great for Group Lunches

Banwoldang Buja Sikdang is a well-known restaurant that had been in Banwoldang for a long time, and this branch opened with the same generous portions and flavor as the original. First of all, the interior is neat. High chairs are available, and the full glass windows make the space feel open and spacious overall.

There is also group seating farther inside, making it a good space for dining with several people. Since I usually have lunch with teammates, I look for places that can accommodate a group and offer parking—and from now on, this is where I’ll come for lunch whenever I’m craving Korean food! Lunchtime is busy, so naturally I avoid places where the food takes a long time, but the food here comes out quickly and waits are short. It is perfect for an office-worker lunch.

Korean Dishes from Seokgalbi to Stir-Fried Squid

The menu has proper Korean dishes, from seokgalbi to fire-grilled pork and stir-fried squid. Whatever you order, you can count on a generous, satisfying meal. Takeout and delivery are also available nearby.

An unlimited self-service bar of ssam vegetables, vegetables for wrapping food, lets you enjoy fresh greens without feeling self-conscious. The dishes here go well with the wrap vegetables, so it is nice to enjoy the meat’s natural flavor more healthfully with them.

Complimentary Cheongguk Doenjang Stew and Two Servings of Seokgalbi

A savory cheongguk doenjang-jjigae, fermented soybean paste stew, made with a secret method refined over 36 years, is served as a basic side. It is generously filled with enoki mushrooms, onion, tofu, and more. Its flavor deepens as it boils, so let it cook well while waiting for the seokgalbi.

Mu saengchae, seasoned shredded radish; miyeok julgi, seasoned seaweed stems; bean sprouts; and fried burdock are set out as banchan (Korean side dishes). Everything is clean-tasting and delicious, but the fried burdock is especially a specialty you can only try here.

Our two servings of seokgalbi arrived. Served on a stone plate, it stays warm for a long time. I have tried seokgalbi elsewhere, but it is an expensive dish to have for lunch. Here, though, you can enjoy a generous portion at a reasonable price.

Shredded scallions are piled on top, while plenty of onion and scallion are spread underneath, so they are nice to cook just enough and eat with the ribs. The vegetables below keep the meat from burning and help it stay warm.

I took a bite of the deliciously grilled seokgalbi with a golden onion. The ribs were well seasoned and tasty, while the onion, though lightly cooked, still had a nice crunch. The shredded scallions on top were not very spicy either.

A Generous Korean Meal, Down to the Black Rice

Banwoldang Buja Sikdang offers a clean, neatly prepared meal. A main dish plus side dishes and stew at a reasonable price makes it just right for lunch. Above all, the menu and set-up are things everyone, young and old, would enjoy, so it seems like a good place to come with anyone!

There was more food than expected, enough for two adults to eat generously and feel full. There was enough even to share with two bowls of rice. Looking around at the nearby tables, people were ordering everything from seokgalbi to spicy pork, and I thought perhaps every dish is popular—not just one particular item—because they are all delicious.

The rice comes as black rice rather than plain white rice, making this a delicious Korean table that looks after your health, too! Next time, I should come back for spicy stir-fried pork. Banwoldang Buja Sikdang was an accessible, above all delicious, lunch that left me satisfied—I have found somewhere I will visit often for lunch!