Suseong Korean restaurant with private rooms: Geumdeungeo

I visited Geumdeungeo Deulanguil Main Branch (금등어 들안길 본점) near Suseongmot for a gathering with my mother’s friends, our first in a while. We chose it because we wanted a Korean set meal with several side dishes.

Is parking and seating convenient for large groups?

There can be a lot of traffic near Suseongmot around mealtimes, so parking can be a concern. This restaurant was convenient because it has tower parking and space for large vehicles. A meal comes with 1 hour 30 minutes of free parking.

Since more than five of us were gathering, I called ahead to ask about seating before visiting. There are private group rooms that can accommodate from 4 to 40 people. Even without a reservation, you can register for a wait on-site.

What food and drinks are available at the entrance?

At the entrance, there were packaged side dishes, children’s drinks, nurungji (crispy rice), and gim bugak (seasoned fried seaweed snacks) available to buy after the meal. There was also instant coffee, drinks, and cups of iced Americano for after the meal.

There was also information about rice koji and koji salt. It made me curious about how they would taste with the mackerel.

Can you visit with children, and how do you order?

I arrived early, right at opening time, but there were already people waiting. Some groups were dining as families, and plenty of baby chairs were available.

Each table had a menu and a kiosk, but instead of selecting dishes on the screen, we called a staff member to place our order. It felt a little unusual. We ordered grilled wood-fired mackerel for three, spicy pork for two, and generous cockle salad.

How did the side dishes and cockle salad taste?

A little after we ordered, the staff brought out the basic side dishes. Nine varieties arrived, including japchae, salad, doraji (bellflower root), scallion kimchi, lotus root salad, and seokbakji. I liked that they were not heavily seasoned, and thought they would be fine to eat with older family members. The staff also explained the simmering time for the doenjang soup using an hourglass.

The generous cockle salad arrived first. I did not notice the characteristic smell of the sea when I ate it, and it had a savory depth of flavor. I mixed it with white rice and also wrapped it in gim (dried seaweed).

How was it sharing the grilled mackerel and spicy pork?

The mackerel, grilled in a 450°C wood-fired oven, was crisp on the outside and moist inside. I picked off the meat, dipped it in the koji salt served alongside it, and ate it with white rice. Both the mackerel and spicy pork stayed warm throughout the meal on the table induction burner.

We ordered two servings of spicy pork, and the portion felt generous. The meat was not sliced too thin, so it had some chew, and I added rice to the sweet-and-spicy sauce. The heat level felt manageable to me, and I even thought an elementary school-aged child might be able to eat it.

We could get more of any side dishes we wanted from the self-service bar. We shared several dishes, added more side dishes, and had a filling meal. I came this time for a gathering with my mother’s friends, but I would like to return with my family.

Where is it, and what are the hours?

Geumdeungeo Deulanguil Main Branch is at 57 Deuran-ro, Suseong-gu, Daegu, on the second floor. According to the original notice, it is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 to 21:20, with last orders at 20:40. On Sundays, it is open from 11:00 to 20:40, with last orders at 20:00. The daily break is from 15:30 to 17:00.

When the building parking lot is full, the restaurant directs visitors to Sangdong Public Parking Lot, the Dusandong Administrative Welfare Center and its ground-level parking lot, and Suseong Recreation Area Public Parking Lot. The original notice also said the restaurant would be closed on Sep 24–25 during the Chuseok holiday.