Daegu pho restaurant with three regional styles: Raichen Chilgok

I had an errand in Chilgok recently, and though it was a bit early, I was looking for somewhere to grab dinner out when I spotted Raichen Chilgok Branch. "Wait, there's one here too?" I thought. Since I already knew the taste from other branches, I booked a table right away and went.

Here's a rundown of the three Vietnamese dishes I ordered, plus the story behind this Chilgok 3-jigu favorite's authentic Hanoi-style pho.

Raichen Chilgok Branch's location and atmosphere

Raichen Chilgok Branch is a Vietnamese restaurant a 2-minute walk from Palgeo Station, right across from Homeplus. Being in the heart of Chilgok 3-jigu, it wasn't hard to find. I knew Raichen had quite a few branches, but this was my first time at the Chilgok location.

I went on a Sunday, early evening. I'd had good memories at the downtown Raichen, so with a bit of "familiar flavors are dangerous" energy, I made a reservation and went. It was before peak hours, so it wasn't too crowded.

Outside it was suffocatingly hot, but stepping in, the Vietnamese-style wood-toned interior gave off an instant cool feeling. The spotless state of the place also helped the first impression.

Summer-only cold pho: like naengmyeon, yet still pho

What impressed me most that day was the summer-only cold pho. It's not a year-round item — it's only available in summer — so it felt like something I had to catch before the season passed.

Icy shards float in the cold broth, with rice noodles, vegetables, and charcoal-grilled meat served separately. My first bite made me say, "It's like naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), yet still pho." The broth was tangy-sweet and refreshing, the noodles were springy, and nothing beat it in the heatwave.

Banh xeo and pork trotter rice: how were the other two dishes?

The other two dishes were satisfying too. Here's the order summarized in a photo.

Banh xeo is a Vietnamese savory pancake made from rice flour batter with shrimp and bean sprouts, pan-fried yellow with turmeric. The outside was crispy, the inside moist, and it wasn't greasy at all, so I finished it easily.

I picked the pork trotter rice because I wasn't in the mood for fried rice, and just the menu photo looked promising. It tasted like Vietnamese-style dongpo pork, and the sauce had a slight kick that went well with rice.

Northern, southern, and central-style pho, all on one menu

This is where Raichen's menu really shines. Authentic Hanoi-style pho (northern style), southern-style pho with bean sprouts, and bun bo Hue (central style) all sit together on the same menu.

The sweeter pho most people are familiar with tends to be closer to the southern style. Raichen's signature, on the other hand, is the more restrained northern style — which explains why the cold pho tasted so clean. It also helps that the Hanoi-born owner reportedly simmers beef bones and brisket for 24 hours.

Raichen Chilgok Branch: parking, hours, and rooms

On parking first: on a weekend, I had no trouble parking on the side street in front of the restaurant. There's no dedicated lot, but many sources mention free use of Heat Town on weekdays and the Statistics Office parking lot on weekends and holidays.

Hours are 11:00–21:15, last order at 20:30, with no break time. Many sources list Mondays as the regular closing day, but since branch listings vary, it's safer to check before visiting.

Raichen started in 2019 at its Daegu flagship and now runs 9 branches total — 8 in Daegu and 1 in Gyeongsan. There are also reservable rooms for 6 to 15 people, handy for group gatherings.

In summary

How does pho in Chilgok 3-jigu sound? Hit during a heatwave, Raichen Chilgok Branch's summer-only cold pho alone made the visit worth it. From authentic Hanoi-style pho to banh xeo and pork trotter rice, it's a solid Vietnamese food course in Daegu. If I'm ever passing by again, I think I'll be craving it.

Next time, I'll come back with a review of bun cha and authentic Hanoi-style pho.