Solo dining near Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan: self-serve fried

I had somewhere to be in Gyeongsan this day, so I stopped by the Yeungnam University area for the first time in ages hahahahaha

I used to have friends who went to Yeungnam University, so I'd occasionally check out good restaurants near campus back then, but since Yeungnam University is way out at the end of Daegu subway line 2 and Gyeongsan is really far from my place, I couldn't go often ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

But since I happened to have business in Gyeongsan today, I got to eat near Yeungnam University, and after a good amount of searching I found a solid spot. It's Cafe Dongi Yeungnam University Art Center Branch! hahaha

FYI this is their 8th location, opened inside Yeungnam University's Cheonma Art Center, so the place was super clean and tidy.

A comfortable vibe for solo dining, with plenty of private rooms

Walking in, the atmosphere felt tidy and not at all awkward for eating alone, so I was relieved right away! On top of that there were tons of private rooms, which looked perfect for group dinners or gatherings with classmates.

Grill your own fried eggs at the self-serve bar, rice unlimited

And here's the killer feature — you can grill your own fried eggs right on a pan at the self-serve bar hahaha. I'm terrible at cooking so my egg came out looking pretty rough hahahaha someone please teach me how to cook well ㅠㅠㅠ

Anyway rice is unlimited too, so big eaters will lose their minds over this system. (Can't resist the rice + fried egg combo... so I carefully fried up two eggs and set them on top hahaha)

What I ordered solo, and the prices

Even though I came alone, I wanted to eat well so I ordered a little bit of everything!

• [Individual brazier] Pork bulgogi Korean set meal (special promotion) ₩12,900
• Mini sampler sweet and sour pork ₩9,900
• Crispy bite-size kimchijeon ₩2,900

That's what I ordered, and let me say it again — I came to eat alone. Not a pig ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Individual-brazier flame-grilled pork set, warm down to the last bite

First out was the individual-brazier flame-grilled pork set! The huge upside of having your own brazier is that you can eat it piping hot all the way to the last bite hahaha this is literally the scene of it being heated over the flame hahaha

With that smoky grilled aroma wafting up and the sweet-spicy pork paired with a savory doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), the rice just disappears!

Wrapping it up in grilled seaweed like this is also delicious hahaha. I'm not really into Korean food, but pork bulgogi is the one thing I actually love hahaha and having it come out warmed on the brazier made it even cozier and tastier hahaha

The mini sweet and sour pork sampler tastes like gwabarogi

Next up, the mini sweet and sour pork sampler! It's called tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) but once I actually tasted it, it was totally gwabarogi (Chinese-style crispy pork) style hahaha. I absolutely love gwabarogi, so finding that flavor at a Yeungnam University restaurant, Cafe Dongi near Yeungnam University, made me so happy ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

The outside is truly crispy and the inside is a chewy glutinous rice batter, so the texture is insane ㅠㅠ and it's packed with my favorite tteok (rice cake) fritters too, so it was so good hahaha

Sauce-dippers, raise your hands!!!! 🖐️✋ Also, when you eat tangsuyuk here, be sure to dip generously in the sauce!!!! And it comes in a mini size that's perfect for eating solo, so I highly recommend it as a side dish!

The 2,900-won kimchijeon was this day's hidden gem

And now for this day's hidden gem... the crispy bite-size kimchijeon (kimchi pancake) for ₩2,900!! No seriously, this kimchijeon was outrageously good hahahaha. It wasn't just crispy at the edges — the crispiness held up all the way through, so I sat there marveling at it by myself ㅠㅠㅠ

It's ₩2,900 worth of pure happiness, so if you go here, adding the kimchijeon is an absolute must hahaha. It's good with sauce, but honestly it's just as good without.

Why I'd recommend this as a solo dining spot near Yeungnam University

I heard the owner, a former hotel chef, runs the place with the mindset that 'the best marketing is touching your customers' hearts,' and honestly, from the ingredients to the free self-serve bar, I left feeling thoroughly well taken care of hahaha

If you're near Yeungnam University looking for affordable, home-style Korean food or a Yeungnam University restaurant for a comfortable, filling solo meal, I highly recommend Cafe Dongi Yeungnam University Art Center Branch!