Daegu Korean restaurant that wins over eggplant haters: Hyangtaek

Hyangtaek's signature mackerel gondre rice, at the hotspot on Daegu's Kim Kwang-seok Street.

I'd already visited Hyangtaek's other branches in Gyeongju and Daegu and both left a pretty deep impression, so I was genuinely curious what the Kim Kwang-seok Street branch would show me this time. From the mackerel gondre rice that made for a clean yet filling meal, to the eggplant doenjang rice bowl that got even me — someone who barely makes eye contact with eggplant — to take another bite! Today I'm sharing everything from Hyangtaek's signature menu to how to enjoy it even more, for anyone looking for a good restaurant on Kim Kwang-seok Street :)

Where is Hyangtaek Daebong Branch, and what does it look like outside?

Hyangtaek Daebong Branch is just 138 meters from Exit 3 of Gyeongbuk Uni Hospital Station, so it's barely a 2-minute walk. If you're using public transit, the access is really convenient! From the entrance you already get this tidy, almost sentimental vibe — the good-restaurant smell is strong already.

We visited on a weekday around noon and were lucky enough to be seated right away with no waitlist.

Inside Hyangtaek Daebong Branch: seating and solo dining

Walking into Hyangtaek Daebong Branch, the first thing you see is a clean, open kitchen. Since you can see into the kitchen to some degree, the whole place felt well-kept and tidy.

Everything's in matching wood tones, giving the space a warm overall feel. Tables ranged from 2-seaters to 4-seaters, and the spacing between them didn't feel cramped. It seemed fine for solo diners, and also good for friends, couples, or small groups. So I thought this would be a comfortable spot for anyone looking for a solid meal on Kim Kwang-seok Street.

Hyangtaek Daebong Branch menu and prices

Here's what's on Hyangtaek's menu.

• Mackerel gondre rice ₩14,000
• Eggplant doenjang rice bowl ₩13,000
• Yukhoe bibimbap ₩14,000
• Chamnamul squid rice bowl ₩13,000
• Side dishes: grilled deodeok and mushroom, hanpan mushrooms, herbal galbi, traditional chicken bulgogi, and more

Overall the menu leans toward filling and clean rather than strongly seasoned — good for a solid single meal.

Here's another nice perk — if you take part in the receipt review event, you get free hanpan mushrooms worth ₩6,000.

What we ordered at Hyangtaek Daebong Branch

• Mackerel gondre rice ₩14,000
• Eggplant doenjang rice bowl ₩13,000
• Total ₩27,000

The side dishes and how to eat them best

After ordering, we waited a bit and the basic table setting came out first. A clear soup, gim (seaweed sheets), seasoning sauce, rice, and side dishes that pair well together, all laid out neatly.

And before the food arrived, we also checked out the recommended way to enjoy Hyangtaek even more.

• Mix everything together evenly
• Add gim and seed jeotgal (seasoned seafood relish)
• Use the special sauce

Finally the main dishes we'd been waiting for arrived, and the whole table looked pretty generous.

Mackerel gondre rice, 14,000 won: how thick is the mackerel?

First up was Hyangtaek's signature dish, the mackerel gondre rice. A thick, golden-grilled mackerel fillet sits temptingly on top of gondre (dried aster greens) rice. Just looking at it, you can practically smell the clean, nutty aroma.

More than anything, the mackerel is genuinely thicker than I expected. Lifting it slightly with my chopsticks, the flesh was packed solid.

Before mixing everything together, I tried a piece of the golden-grilled mackerel by itself first. No fishy taste at all, just clean flavor — anyone who likes fish would really enjoy this.

Now, time to actually mix it! I mashed and mixed the thick mackerel flesh together with the rice and gondre, no mercy. As for the special sauce, don't dump it all in at once — add it little by little and adjust to taste. Once you pour the sauce in, there's no going back!

The mixed gondre rice, topped with nutty sesame seeds, already looks mouthwatering.

I put mackerel on top of the well-mixed gondre rice, added a bit of seed jeotgal, and took a big spoonful. With the salty flavor and crunchy texture of the seed jeotgal added in, this combination... is pretty good.

And then wrapping rice in gim with a bit of seed jeotgal on top and eating it in one bite? This is just — rice thief alert!! If you like clean, simple food, mackerel gondre rice will probably satisfy you quite a bit.

Eggplant doenjang rice bowl, 13,000 won: can eggplant haters eat it?

Next up is Hyangtaek Daebong Branch's eggplant doenjang rice bowl. Grilled eggplant, deep-flavored ssamjang (thick soybean paste), fragrant chives, and crispy fried crumble on top — it looks pretty appetizing.

The golden-grilled eggplant has this glossy sheen running through it — if you like eggplant, your chopsticks would be reaching for this right away!

I'm not really an eggplant person, honestly. The mushy texture means I usually avoid even making eye contact with eggplant, haha. But my friend was eating it so happily that I got curious and asked for a bite.

First, I cut the grilled eggplant into bite-size pieces, then mixed it all up with the ssamjang underneath and the rice, no mercy.

With the softly mashed grilled eggplant, the salty, deep-flavored ssamjang, and the crispy texture of the fried crumble all coming together — huh? This wasn't the eggplant flavor I had in mind. (Though it was technically still eggplant flavor hiding underneath, haha)

Even people like me who usually avoid eggplant might want to give this combination a try at least once. Soft eggplant, salty ssamjang, crispy fried crumble, and jeotgal — eaten together with rice, it's a pretty special dish.

Is Hyangtaek Daebong Branch worth it for a meal by Kim Kwang-seok Street?

Hyangtaek Daebong Branch is a good restaurant to visit on Kim Kwang-seok Street whenever you're craving something clean and filling. Overall the menu isn't strongly seasoned but is clean and satisfying, so it worked well for lunch too. It's also close to Gyeongbuk Uni Hospital Station, so access is easy, and if you use the Kim Kwang-seok-gil public parking lot, you get free parking with your meal, so driving there isn't much of a hassle either. If you're looking for a good restaurant on Kim Kwang-seok Street, Hyangtaek is worth a try.