Gyeongsan Korean restaurant for pork bulgogi and doenjang jjigae: Cafe Dongi

The day we stopped at a restaurant inside Yeungnam University during a Cheongdo day trip

During a day trip to Cheongdo, I stopped by Cafe Dongi Yeungnam University Art Center Branch, a popular restaurant at Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan :)

Cafe Dongi is in Cheonma Art Center at Yeungnam University. We had gone to Cheongdo because we wanted a date outside our usual area, and this place looked delicious, so we decided to visit haha. It is close by—just 30 minutes from Cheongdo.

I heard parking was available behind the building, so I searched for the Cheonma Art Center parking lot and parked there. After making a big loop to the front, I found there was parking in front too. Since it was the weekend, the back entrance was closed—though I do not know whether it is normally closed? I went up to the second floor, but that entrance was closed too, so I looped around and entered from the front! The route was lovely and so green :)

Cafe Dongi's atmosphere on the second floor of Cheonma Art Center

Heading up to the second floor of Cheonma Art Center! Eating at a university was my first time since college cafeteria meals at 20, and everything was incredibly clean and well set up. Yeungnam University is so huge that there were lots of non-students out for walks, as well as families coming in for a meal.

There are lots of very spacious tables. There are private rooms too, so it seems easy to eat comfortably with a group or after a meeting and all that. They also have high chairs, so no worries there. With a children's menu too, it is perfect for a family meal.

Cafe Dongi, a Yeungnam University favorite, was very clean overall and clearly well maintained. The rice comes from the clean DMZ area of Gimpo, Korea, and the napa cabbage kimchi is Korean too. I liked that the ingredients' origins were clearly listed. And you can even make fried eggs!!

Korean menu with options for children too

First, we picked our menu. Having children's options was so, so good. There was also a discount on new items, plus a wide range of dishes including curry, yeolmu bibimbap (rice mixed with young radish greens), stir-fried webfoot octopus, spicy stir-fried pork, bulgogi, and stews.

Once we had ordered, fried eggs first haha. One per person—so I made two and got them all set.

A robot brings your food. Maybe because it is a school building, but the restroom was incredibly clean too!

• Grandma's stir-fried webfoot octopus set meal ₩16,900
• Dongi bulgogi set meal ₩12,900
• Mini tangsuyuk ₩9,900

Stir-fried webfoot octopus in a warm individual brazier

The stir-fried webfoot octopus came with a little sauce too. Since it was in an individual brazier, I could eat it warm.

It also came with dipping sauce and doenjang jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew), making it a hearty meal. Plus, rice refills are available, so you can eat as much as you want without feeling self-conscious.

Plump webfoot octopus. It had octopus, rice cakes, and vegetables, and the seasoning was just right—not spicy or salty. My boyfriend said it was a little mild, though.

The webfoot octopus was plump and pleasantly springy. I piled it on five-grain rice and took a huge bite. The seasoning was similar to spicy stir-fried pork, so I do not think it would be divisive.

The rice cakes were chewy too haha. The portion was a little small for my boyfriend, but the doenjang jjigae was seriously so delicious that you could easily finish one bowl of rice with the octopus, then another with the stew.

Sweet-and-salty Dongi bulgogi set meal

I was going to get spicy stir-fried pork but ordered pork bulgogi instead. It came already stir-fried, and again, the individual brazier kept it warm. The solid fuel did not last especially long, but the dish itself stayed warm, so it did not get cold. It is quite heavy, so be careful when returning it to the tray return station!

This pork bulgogi was deliciousness itself. The sweet-and-salty seasoning is something kids would probably love too. It was not tough, so it was easy to eat. There was lots of meat, and I was so full that I might have left some if my boyfriend had not shared it with me... I was really stuffed! And because the doenjang jjigae was so good, I recommend ordering an individual brazier set if possible. If I come to Cheongdo again, I want to order one doenjang jjigae set meal too haha.

Mini tangsuyuk chosen for a taste

A tasting portion of tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried pork). A small size sounded like it would be too much, so this tasting option was perfect. There are only two pieces, but once you cut them up, it becomes a nicely generous amount.

It was the right amount for two people. The outside was crisp, but the glutinous rice batter made it chewy, and the meat was tender and very delicious!! The sauce was on the thin side, and I thought it could have been a little richer. Yum yum, so good.

Why I loved the doenjang jjigae and self-service corner

Ahh, the doenjang jjigae was such a rice thief... It was delicious, I was full, the restaurant was clean, and I loved that fried eggs, rice, and dessert were self-serve, so there was no need to feel awkward. I love barley puffed-rice snacks like a fool, but I forgot to have some, and now I am regretting it while writing this post ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

If an individual brazier feels like too much, you can order the ₩9,900 Dongi basic set meal, so I do not think it would be burdensome for students either. Be sure to register your parking at the counter before you go!!