Daejeon kaoyu restaurant with sea bass and vegetable mix: Bantiannyao

I went to Bantiannyao, a new spot in Dunsan-dong! There are so many new restaurants popping up in Dunsan-dong these days, and this time I went for something a bit special — Chinese food. I've been eating mala tang so often lately that I wanted something new in the mala department, and this place has mala steamed fish, kaoyu, as its main dish.

Where is Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch? Second floor across from Galleria

Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch sits right across from Galleria in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon. It's on the 2nd floor, so just look for the sign and head up.

Inside Bantiannyao: seating and space for Dunsan-dong group dinners

Walking into Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch, I was surprised at how much bigger and cleaner it was than I expected! Being a newly opened spot in Dunsan-dong, everything felt fresh, with a wood tone accented by teal that made the vibe pretty nice. There were window seats too, so visiting during the day meant great natural light! The place is spacious with generous table spacing, so it seemed like a good option for a Dunsan-dong group dinner too!

Ordering at Bantiannyao: pick a kaoyu flavor, then pick the fish

Ordering at Bantiannyao is simple at its core — pick the kaoyu, pick the fish, done! The menu had so many options I was confused at first haha. We went with mala kaoyu and sea bass for the fish! And added a vegetable mix on top~

Bantiannyao self-bar: four sauces, rice and free-refill drinks

Head further into Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch and there's a big self-bar set up. The sauce selection is seriously impressive! Mala sauce, chili sauce, peanut sauce, garlic sauce — you can mix and match to your taste, and there were separate toppings like peanuts and minced garlic too. The sauces were so good you absolutely have to try them!!

There are snacks too! Something to calm your stomach before the spice hits, I guess (?) haha.

And on one side there's rice ready to go! The mala fish's sauce itself is rich and spicy, so it goes great with rice. It's the kind of flavor that naturally makes you reach for rice, so I'd recommend grabbing it from the start haha.

And our beloved drinks are free-refill too!!

We didn't have any, but there's ice cream too haha.

Such a thoughtful touch — hair ties, wet wipes, even floss and mouthwash were there too haha.

What is kaoyu? Whole fish simmered in mala broth

Kaoyu is a Chinese dish where a big fish is cooked with spicy sauce and various spices! Bantiannyao's mala kaoyu is a showstopper of a main dish just by looks alone haha. A whole large fish sits in the pan, piled high with chili peppers on top.

Can't have mala without vegetable toppings!!! It was already generous when it first arrived, but with the added toppings the pan was completely full haha.

What does the sea bass mala kaoyu taste like?

I worried the strong mala seasoning would overpower the fish flavor, but the sea bass meat was thicker than I expected. The outside was properly soaked in mala seasoning while the inside stayed soft, and eating them together made a great combo. Before tasting it I was a little worried the mala scent was too strong, but after the first bite I was impressed haha. Total hit for my taste. There was plenty of fish meat so I never felt like I was running out, good good.

Final verdict on a first kaoyu meal in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon

Kaoyu might be unfamiliar to some, but it's a Chinese dish of a big fish cooked with spicy sauce and various spices! The visual alone, with the whole fish served in a huge pan, was pretty overwhelming. You can also add tofu, mushrooms, vegetables, or whatever toppings you like to cook together, so it's great for customizing to your taste. If you're into spice-heavy Chinese food like mala in general, this is a dish worth trying at least once!

Overall, Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch had a clean space and plenty of seating, making it comfortable to eat in! Most of all, it was memorable for letting me try kaoyu, a dish outside the usual Chinese food rotation, haha. It's also nice that a group can gather around one big kaoyu, add extra toppings, and enjoy it together generously. If you're looking for something new in Dunsan-dong, or a spot for a get-together or a Dunsan-dong group dinner, this place is worth a visit! Next time I want to try a different kaoyu flavor 😆