Sinmae, Daegu Korean set meals: seaweed-wrapped jjukkumi, Cafe Dong-i

I'd been craving healthy home-style food lately, so I went looking for a good Korean restaurant and ended up at Cafe Dong-i Sicheol (카페동이 시지점) in Sicheol, Daegu, which is known for its neat, tidy trays. If you want a filling meal that doesn't feel heavy, I'd recommend it 😊

Is there free tea at the entrance of Cafe Dong-i Sicheol?

Yes! At the entrance there was cold heotgae-cha (hovenia tea), which is said to help with fatigue. They put it out so even passers-by can help themselves to a cup, and it felt like a small, thoughtful gesture 👍 On a hot day it was a nice way to cool down, so I was in a good mood even before going in.

A place for a healthy, tasty, generous meal! Shall we head inside~??

• Hours: 11:00-21:00 (break time 14:30-16:30)
• Address: 56 Sinmae-ro 16-gil, Suseong-gu, Daegu, South Korea (ground floor of the commercial building)

Atmosphere and parking at Cafe Dong-i Sicheol

The inside of Cafe Dong-i Sicheol is clean and comfortable overall. The space is roomy and pleasant, so I could relax through the whole meal without feeling cramped. The tables are spaced well apart, which makes it a good fit for family meals or get-togethers, and the warm, tidy interior suits the healthy Korean menu. The easygoing mood made the meal even more enjoyable.

If you use Cafe Dong-i Sicheol, the one hour of free parking at the Sinmae Market public lot is applied automatically, so you can visit without worrying about where to park. It's handy for anyone coming by car.

What's at the service bar at Cafe Dong-i Sicheol?

The service bar was my favorite part of Cafe Dong-i Sicheol. Fried eggs, multigrain rice and gopchang-gim (thick, crinkly seaweed) are set out so you can help yourself however you like.

I especially liked that you make the fried egg yourself. Putting a freshly cooked, warm fried egg on top of my rice felt homey and familiar, and it made the meal even more generous 💛

There's also barley gangjeong (a crunchy barley sweet) for dessert. It was nice to grab one or two after the meal, and the crisp texture and gentle sweetness were just right for freshening the mouth.

Menu and the trays we ordered at Cafe Dong-i Sicheol

We ordered three dishes at Cafe Dong-i Sicheol that day.

• Grandma's stir-fried webfoot octopus Korean set tray
• Crispy whole-shrimp Japanese curry tray
• Fire-grilled pork Korean set tray

We ordered everything from Korean food to curry, and the moment the dishes arrived, the generous spread caught my eye. Along with the main dishes come neatly arranged side dishes, so the whole table is full~ a really satisfying meal 😆

Grandma's stir-fried webfoot octopus tray: wrap it in gopchang-gim

Grandma's stir-fried webfoot octopus (jjukkumi) tray is one of Cafe Dong-i's popular dishes. The spicy stir-fried octopus kept its springy bite, with a savory depth that isn't harsh, and it went really well with rice.

Dip the octopus in the sauce that comes with it and you get a different charm! The spicy octopus and the sauce go nicely together, and the extra savoriness makes it even tastier. Put multigrain rice on a sheet of gopchang-gim from the service bar and eat it together with the octopus for an even better bite~ I'd recommend it to anyone who likes spicy Korean food.

Does the fire-grilled pork tray have a smoky flavor?

Cafe Dong-i's fire-grilled pork tray (jikhwa jeyuk) is full of smoky char flavor. The pork is cooked as soon as you order, and the appetizing look alone got my appetite going.

Thanks to the open-flame grilling, a gentle smoky flavor comes through, and the sweet-and-spicy seasoning soaks well into the meat, so it was perfect with rice. The meat was tender too, an easy taste for all ages.

Crispy whole-shrimp Japanese curry tray and seaweed soup

The crispy whole-shrimp Japanese curry tray comes with temptingly fried whole shrimp and a richly flavored Japanese-style curry, and it made my mouth water just looking at it. The shrimp were crunchy outside and springy inside, fun to bite into, and they went well with the smooth, deep curry.

The curry wasn't harsh and had a gentle savory depth, so it was easy to enjoy. Dipping the crispy shrimp generously into the curry made it even better, and the springy texture of the shrimp in every bite was satisfying. The miyeok-guk (seaweed soup) served with it was nutty and clean-tasting, and it went well with the curry~ It cleansed the palate when things might have felt a bit rich, so I could enjoy the meal even more.

Finishing with barley gangjeong for dessert

We finished happily with the barley gangjeong for dessert. The crunch and gentle sweetness left a nice afterglow to the meal. Neat Korean set trays, a generous spread, and the fried egg and multigrain rice you make yourself: I was happy with everything at Cafe Dong-i Sicheol. It's good for family meals as well as with friends or a partner, and whenever I'm craving a healthy, filling meal, I'd like to come back 😊💕