Daegu date bar with garlic bossam and Earl Grey highball: Sangbong

Where do you go for a date in Dongseong-ro? On this trip to Daegu's Dongseong-ro we stopped by Sangbong (상봉), a place with great atmosphere where you can also grab a light dinner.

Where is Sangbong Dongseong-ro, and how long is the wait?

Sangbong Dongseong-ro is a bar tucked a little way into the back alleys of Dongseong-ro. You'll spot it as you walk down the alley. Apparently it's already famous as a bar that tons of Daegu college students go to!

Even though we got to Sangbong early in the evening, there was already a wait! We waited about 15 minutes and then a table opened up right away.

Inside, it has a strong old-house feel, and there was a mirror, so we took a quick photo for the record before going in.

Just to the left of the entrance there's a courtyard-style area where you can eat outside, like at an outdoor drinking platform.

How is Sangbong's interior for a date?

The inside of Sangbong Dongseong-ro felt cozy, and in keeping with the times they were playing hip-hop. I really loved the playlist. We sat there waiting, and then

the complimentary starter snack arrived! We looked over the menu and ordered right away.

Sangbong's menu and what we ordered

First off, the set menu names at Sangbong were so quirky. Apparently the set menus are mostly what sells! But we ordered three things today: garlic bossam, garlic soy chicken, and an Earl Grey highball.

Sangbong garlic bossam (seriously recommended)

The meat in Sangbong's garlic bossam was so good I'd believe it came from a bossam specialist. The pork was boiled tender and soft with no gamey smell at all, and piled with sharp-yet-sweet garlic, so it was really delicious. It comes with ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste) and wasabi too, and dipping into those was great. The portion was also quite a bit bigger than I expected, so it would work even as a proper meal.

Especially if you top it with the dried radish strips and kimchi that come alongside, the crunchy texture makes it magically non-stop. It's the kind of flavor that makes you crave carbs, so it works as a drinking snack or a hearty meal.

And the next dish to arrive was... garlic soy chicken!

Crunchy sweet-and-salty Sangbong garlic soy chicken

Coming after the bossam, Sangbong's garlic soy chicken was a textbook crispy-outside, juicy-inside. A sweet and salty soy base with a subtle garlic aroma, and it was crazy addictive. The coating is thin, and I thought nothing goes better with beer or a highball. It's a different kind of sweet-and-salty from the garlic in the bossam, so even on a two-garlic day I never got tired of it and wolfed it down.

The garlic soy chicken also comes with two kinds of fries, and dipping the freshly fried fries in ketchup was really delicious.

The masterstroke: Sangbong's Earl Grey highball

An Earl Grey highball is a must at any trendy Dongseong-ro bar in Daegu these days. Sangbong's Earl Grey highball was truly a masterstroke. The ratio of rich, sweet Earl Grey syrup to whisky was golden, so it was smooth.

When the bossam and chicken start feeling a little greasy, one sip of the highball resets your mouth completely. I think even people who don't drink much could enjoy it like a soft drink!

Is Sangbong Dongseong-ro worth going back to?

When we paid and left, Sangbong Dongseong-ro gave us two pieces of candy, haha. Such a thoughtful touch, don't you think? And maybe because Sangbong has so many young college students, I felt like I'd gone back to my childhood too.

Today at Sangbong, famous as a Dongseong-ro bar in Daegu, the food was tasty and we got the atmosphere too. They also gave us a coupon, and if you collect stamps you can get a side dish for free, haha. I want to visit again next time I'm in Daegu, so I saved it to my own list of favorite spots!