Perilla leaf bibim kalguksu and dumpling soup lunch, Yuseong, Daejeon

Lunch spot in Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon — Yongja 1 kalguksu (knife-cut noodles)! I had narrowed down five candidates for lunch in Gwanpyeong-dong, and my friend insisted on taking me to Yongja 1, a place she's been going to for years, saying it's really good 🍜

Across from Complex 7 in the Gwanpyeong-dong restaurant row — what about parking?

Yongja 1, this Gwanpyeong-dong lunch spot for kalguksu, sits across from Complex 7 in the neighborhood's restaurant row. Since it's not on the main strip, there's relatively more room to park! You can fit 3-4 cars in front of the building, and alley parking is possible too, which was convenient.

Old-school feel? Actually a clean wood-tone interior with wide table spacing

I'd heard it was a great kalguksu place, so I pictured an old-school diner, but it was actually a clean, breezy wood-tone interior! The tables were spaced far apart too, making for a relaxed meal ☺️ I went a bit outside peak lunch hours, and there were still plenty of solo diners and office workers around — which made me even more curious about the taste at this Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon spot, Yongja kalguksu.

Menu lineup and our order — no alcohol here

Yongja, this Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon lunch spot, makes its own noodles, and the menu includes kalguksu, kal-mandu-guk, tteok-mandu-guk, bibim kalguksu, kongguksu (chilled soybean noodle soup), and steamed dumplings. I was hoping for a drink that day, but turns out they don't have alcohol ㅠ.ㅠ A bit disappointing, but we ordered the bibim kalguksu and tteok-mandu-guk.

You can help yourself to extra banchan, and any leftover dumplings can be self-packed to take home.

The basic banchan are pickled onion and dressed cabbage salad

The default banchan were pickled onion and a dressed cabbage salad, and the salad especially was slightly spicy and delicious. I was really hungry that day, and after tasting the salad, I wanted to order rice just to eat with it.

The bowls themselves were huge and the portions generous, which satisfied my starving self. The bibim kalguksu especially had this nutty aroma rising off it that looked delicious.

Bibim kalguksu — piled high with perilla leaf, savory and tangy

The bibim kalguksu has handmade noodles topped with perilla leaf, cucumber, sesame seeds, kimchi, and meat. I'm not usually a fan of overly tangy flavors, but this was savory and tangy in a balanced, refreshing way. The huge pile of perilla leaf paired so well with everything — I really nailed this order.

With kimchi and meat mixed in, it could have tasted plain, but there was texture too, which made it delicious! It wasn't overly intense, so it was easy to enjoy without feeling weighed down. I'm not into overly sour flavors, but I really enjoyed this.

On top of that, a warm broth comes on the side, and this broth is the real highlight!!!! It's rich and packed with sesame seeds, and it paired so well with the bibim kalguksu.

Tteok-mandu-guk (rice cake and dumpling soup) 🥟 — a broth said to be boiled daily with pollack heads

Yongja, this Gwanpyeong-dong lunch spot, is known for its handmade kalguksu, but apparently the dumplings are just as famous! Since they're hand-pinched dumplings, I was told I had to try them, so since we'd already tried the noodles in the bibim kalguksu, we agreed to order the tteok-mandu-guk. What satisfied me most, as usual, was the generous portion and hearty broth.

It was loaded with dumplings and rice cakes, both nicely chewy without going soggy by the end! And the broth is what really matters for a dumpling soup — they apparently boil it fresh every day with pollack heads. Maybe that's why it tasted so clean, with none of the heaviness, quite different from the usual ox-bone broth. It had a clean, hangover-soothing kind of taste, like this ~?

Hand-made dumplings, wrappers included

The dumplings at Yongja kalguksu, this Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon lunch spot, were legit too. Packed full inside, and the wrapper had a nice chew... if I hadn't been so full, I would've packed some to go. Apparently they make the wrappers themselves too — genuinely delicious, nothing beats these handmade dumplings 🥟

A Gwanpyeong-dong lunch spot that wins without alcohol

My friend had been coming here for years, so I trusted her judgment, and the food itself was clean and satisfying — I could see why customers keep coming even past peak lunch hours. And they pull it off without serving any alcohol at all!!!! You could feel the owner's pride in the food. With generous portions and great taste, it's the kind of Gwanpyeong-dong spot people keep coming back to. It's great for a simple lunch, and with its upscale interior, it's a nice place for a relaxed meal while chatting with a friend — Yongja 1 kalguksu in Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon.

Visit info

• Address: 8-1 Gwandeul 1-gil, 1st floor, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, South Korea
• Parking: 3-4 spots in front of the building, alley parking available
• Hours: 11am-8pm, closed Sundays