Gwangjang Core, Daegu: beef rib yukgaejang and mandu at Yukbanjang

Where is Yukbanjang near Gwangjang Core, and where do you park?

Yukbanjang Gwangjanggakoa Gwangko Branch sits at 177 Dangsan-ro, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, along the road heading from Gamsam Station toward Wonhwa Girls' High School. It's on a corner, so it stood out even from a distance.

This Daegu restaurant doesn't have its own lot, but there's a public parking lot right across the street — free parking at the Duryu 3-dong temporary public lot.

Inside Yukbanjang: seating and eating with a baby

Inside, Yukbanjang was spacious and comfortable. Plenty of tables, spaced well apart, so it was easy to eat without feeling cramped.

Baby chairs are available too, so family meals with a little one are no problem. And there's a non-spicy white yukgaejang on the menu that even kids can enjoy.

Table setting and the self-serve bar at Yukbanjang

I loved that they served boiled heotgae (raisin tree) tea water, and the spoons came in hygiene bags — felt more sanitary and like being taken care of.

Yukbanjang's side dishes come in two kinds: white kimchi and kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi).

They bring out the basic side dishes first, and after that you can help yourself to refills at the self-serve bar. Besides kkakdugi and white kimchi, the bar also has minced garlic and chili you can add to the yukgaejang.

What caught my eye right from the entrance was that Yukbanjang uses 'Uiseong Angye red clay rice.' At most restaurants the broth is tasty but the rice ends up dry or pre-scooped and stale — a common letdown. Here, the moment the rice bowl arrived, you could see it glistening with shine.

Yukbanjang menu and prices

Yukgaejang is the main event at Yukbanjang, with a few side dishes too, plus a recommended lunch set and evening-only items.

Looking at the yukgaejang photos on the wall, the deep red, well-simmered broth made my mouth water and got me excited for the taste.

There was even a note from the owner on how to enjoy the yukgaejang best: add pepper, chili and minced garlic!!

What we ordered at Yukbanjang

• King rib yukgaejang ₩17,000
• Red yukgaejang ₩11,000
• Mandu (meat and potato) ₩6,000

King rib yukgaejang, 17,000 won: two whole beef ribs

Two big, hefty beef ribs sat right in the bowl — the look alone was mouthwatering.

At Yukbanjang, the king rib yukgaejang's meat was simmered so long the bone and flesh practically fell apart, and there was so much meat it never felt lacking by the end. The rich umami from the bone marrow gave the broth extra depth.

The rib bones were big and the meat pulled apart so easily that the chunks of rib meat mixed into the yukgaejang were satisfyingly large, with great chew.

Yukbanjang's king rib yukgaejang comes with a soft mustard sauce for dipping the ribs, and dunking generously added even more flavor.

Red yukgaejang, 11,000 won: spicy enough for a hangover

Yukbanjang's red yukgaejang sticks to the classics — loaded with green onion and hand-shredded beef, clean and classic yet spicy in a way that really worked.

The deep, rich beef flavor paired nicely with a pleasantly sharp spiciness. Heavy yet spicy, it worked equally well as a hangover cure or a hearty meal. Plenty of meat, and especially plenty of thick-cut green onion, gave it great umami.

There's also glass noodles in Yukbanjang's yukgaejang, fun to fish out while eating, and you can mix rice right into the broth for a filling meal.

Meat-potato mandu, 6,000 won

Yukbanjang's meat-potato mandu (dumplings) had a chewy wrapper — chewy the moment it hit my mouth. The filling inside was savory and juicy, packed with meaty flavor. Taking a sip of the spicy yukgaejang broth then biting into the chewy dumpling made a great combo, the spiciness softened nicely by the dumpling's savory richness.

After the meal: mouthwash, candy and sujeonggwa

After finishing a filling meal at Yukbanjang, the owner's thoughtful touch showed through with mouthwash and candy! And a cool, cinnamon-fragrant glass of sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch) finished off the meal on a refreshing note.

Rich, spicy beef broth, meat-potato mandu bursting with chew, and sticky Angye red clay rice to top it off! A satisfying meal that really stirred up the appetite. If you're near Gamsam Station in Daegu and want a hearty, comforting combo at this Daegu restaurant, give Yukbanjang a try :)