Daegu Korean restaurant lunch with bossam: Uldong Bossam

My husband and I had lunch at Uldong Bossam (울동보쌈) in Daegu’s Dongin-dong, pairing a bossam set meal with makgeolli. It came with several side dishes, and the bossam was so tender and savory that we added extra meat.

Where is Uldong Bossam, and how do you get there?

I got off at Jungangno Station on Subway Line 1 and walked for about eight minutes. The restaurant is across from the Daegu City Hall Dongin government office, with bus stops nearby. The address is 279 Gyeongsanggamyeong-gil, 1st floor, Jung-gu, Daegu.

According to the original article, it is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with a break from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Does it have a good atmosphere for a date or group meal?

We went for bossam, but the exterior reminded me of a quiet café. The chocolate-brown wood gave it a warm feeling. Inside, the brown tables and chairs matched, creating an atmosphere that brought together a hanok, a Japanese izakaya, and a café.

It was comfortable for a meal with my husband, and I felt it would also suit friends or family. There was counter seating too, so there was a place to eat alone.

The restaurant is large enough for up to 30 people, so I also thought of it as a possible venue for a company dinner.

Besides soju, beer, and makgeolli, it also had whiskey. Traditional furniture and objects were placed throughout the restaurant, which made it feel cozy.

How much do the bossam sets and other dishes cost?

When we visited, the bossam set was ₩10,900, and the set with extra meat was ₩12,900. We ordered two bossam sets and makgeolli, then added meat while eating.

• Bossam set ₩10,900 / bossam set with extra meat ₩12,900
• Uldong Bossam: small ₩29,000 for 2 / medium ₩39,000 for 3–4 / large ₩49,000 for 4 or more
• Extra meat ₩20,000
• Suyuk hot pot ₩35,000
• Potato pancake and minari pancake ₩9,000 each
• Steamed rice ₩1,000
• Soju, beer, and makgeolli ₩5,000 each
• Bohae bokbunja ₩12,000 / soft drinks ₩2,000
• Various whiskeys available; the original article does not list prices

What side dishes come with the bossam set?

When the bossam set arrived, several side dishes were neatly arranged on the wooden table.

There were spicy shredded radish, cucumber salad, stir-fried potato strips, young summer kimchi, watery kimchi, and namul. Salted shrimp, garlic, ssamjang, lettuce, and perilla leaves came with them.

The side dishes were not too salty, which suited my taste. Since the restaurant makes them by hand every morning and changes the ingredients with the seasons, I wondered what side dishes would come next time. Eating a little of each alongside the meal felt like home cooking.

The doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) was made with pork broth and included thinly sliced pork belly. It had a rich meat flavor.

How did the bossam and soy sauce taste?

The meal came with homemade soy sauce, sesame seeds, and a mini mortar. The idea was to grind the sesame seeds in the mortar and then pour in the soy sauce. It was fun to make the sauce myself, and it was my first time dipping bossam in soy sauce.

The bossam was moist and tender. The sesame seeds sprinkled on top added a nutty flavor and a slight crunch. Minari and spicy shredded radish also came with it as accompaniments.

I liked the tender, savory meat enough to order extra bossam.

Makgeolli also went well with the bossam. Next time, I would like to visit in the evening and have bossam with whiskey.