Fusion Korean dining in Gyeongju: two buckwheat noodle bowls at Goyu

Today it's a Hwangnidan-gil restaurant in Gyeongju that really knows its Korean food

Goyu

A Korean food lover went and checked it out

Where is Goyu? A hanok just off the main Hwangnidan-gil street

Goyu is at 49 Sajeong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea. It's not right on the main Hwangnidan-gil street, but between browsing little shops and wandering around, we got there pretty quickly.

From the outside it's a hanok that fits Gyeongju perfectly — the jangdokdae (earthenware jar terrace) and the wooden maru porch made it feel really cozy.

The inside of Goyu was clean and modern. The lighting is a bit dimmer in person than in photos, with a calm mood — I think it'd make a great date spot for a drink along Hwangnidan-gil too.

What two people ordered at Goyu: two buckwheat noodle bowls, eggplant gangjeong and persimmon dessert

Goyu has a wide range of Korean dishes, so as Korean food lovers, my friend and I found exactly the menu for us. We visited as two, and ordered:

• Hanwoo yukhoe bibim buckwheat noodles
• Mackerel perilla oil buckwheat noodles
• Eggplant gangjeong
• Matcha pistachio dried persimmon for dessert

Two of us with our appetites fully powered up by Korean food 👯‍♀️

Crisp, freshly-tossed geotjeori (fresh kimchi) and beef radish soup came out first, one each per person. I got a little too fashionable and wore a tank top in mid-September so it was a bit chilly, and the warm, savory broth was so welcome. Plenty of beef in it too, and it was so tender.

A hearty spread at this Hwangnidan-gil Korean restaurant! Since it's fusion Korean dining, I was excited for something new. Especially since my friend and I are both Korean food lovers — my heart was racing

Doesn't it match so well with the hanok view outside? Gave off a real 'we should be having a glass of traditional liquor with this' vibe

Mackerel perilla oil buckwheat noodles: how mackerel and perilla oil work together

Mackerel perilla oil buckwheat noodles. I'm the type who orders perilla oil buckwheat noodles without fail whenever they're on the menu — a well-known perilla noodle lover. And on top of that, protein-packed mackerel for a gym rat? Immediately proceed

Nutty perilla oil, generous perilla seeds, and rich mackerel on top. Surprisingly, mackerel and perilla bibim noodles turned out to be a great combo. Nutty all around, plus the slightly bitter buckwheat noodles

The crispy mackerel skin texture was also a special treat. Good to cleanse your palate with some ginger between bites of the springy buckwheat noodles. Scoop up a big spoonful and take a full bite — that's how a true Korean food lover fills up their mouth to the max!

Hanwoo yukhoe bibim buckwheat noodles: mixed up with perilla leaves

Hanwoo yukhoe bibim buckwheat noodles. Tangy-spicy bibim buckwheat noodles with yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) — need I say more, that's a combination that needs no explanation

I mixed it up with perilla leaves and the buckwheat picked up that perilla fragrance too. Makes me hungry just looking at the photo again. The buckwheat noodles were chewy enough to hold up well against the bibim sauce

Yukhoe is good with anything. Tasty eaten with the noodles, and just as good eating the yukhoe and pear on its own — the seasoning was well-balanced either way

Eggplant gangjeong: the dish both of us picked first

Eggplant gangjeong. The moment this dish arrived, the smell alone was incredible — and it tasted even better than it smelled

Freshly fried so it was juicy inside and crispy outside, a little bit like Chinese-style cooking — even people who don't usually like eggplant could probably enjoy this. Please, please order the eggplant fritters if you go to Goyu. Our top pick, both my friend's and mine

Matcha pistachio dried persimmon: the dessert you can take home

Matcha pistachio dried persimmon. Matcha and pistachio and dried persimmon together...? I was curious so I ordered it. It comes individually wrapped so you can take it to go, but I asked for it to come out with the meal instead

Inside the dried persimmon was packed with matcha chocolate, pistachio, and freeze-dried strawberry. The chewy matcha chocolate hits sweet first, then the nutty pistachio and tangy freeze-dried strawberry, and the dried persimmon wraps it all up at the end

There were foreign guests coming in too, and I felt proud on their behalf — this was such a satisfying meal. If you're visiting Gyeongju, I recommend stopping by Goyu, a Hwangnidan-gil restaurant that really knows its Korean food