# Daejeon kaoyu restaurant with sea bass and vegetable mix: Bantiannyao - By Jiwoo Sun (https://superchart.com/en/@eunhaeng-noon-jangteo/) - Written Sep 17, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Seo-gu, Daejeon - Sponsored: This post was written as part of a paid in-store sponsorship. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@eunhaeng-noon-jangteo/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@eunhaeng-noon-jangteo/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/index.md) ## In short Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch is a Chinese mala fish restaurant on the second floor across from Galleria in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon. This visit ordered mala kaoyu (whole fish in mala broth) with sea bass and an added vegetable mix, plus the self-bar with four sauces, rice, and free-refill drinks. The mala aroma at Bantiannyao is strong, but the sea bass is thick and tender, and the wide hall suits group dinners in Dunsan-dong. ## Good to know - **Location**: 2nd floor, Unit 1, 13 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon (right across from Galleria, second floor) - **How to order**: Choose the kaoyu flavor first, then choose the fish - **Ordered on this visit**: Mala kaoyu + sea bass + mixed vegetable set - **Self-bar**: Mala, chili, peanut and garlic sauces, peanut and minced garlic toppings, snacks, rice, free-refill drinks, ice cream - **Amenities**: Hair ties, wet wipes, dental floss, mouthwash - **Seating**: Window seats available; wide hall with plenty of space between tables *as written by the visitor on Sep 17, 2026* 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. ![Exterior of the building housing Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch in Dunsan-dong](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-01-u1yz8-900.webp) ## 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. ![Entrance to Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch on the 2nd floor](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-02-pppgs-900.webp) ![Interior with wood tones and teal accents](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-03-diuxf-900.webp) ![Hall seating with generous table spacing](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-04-atpmc-900.webp) ![Window seats with good natural light](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-05-ba3e0-900.webp) ## 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! ![Menu for choosing kaoyu flavor and fish](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-06-ezblr-m-900.webp) ## 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!! ![Large self-bar set up inside the restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-07-1byof-900.webp) ![Self-bar sauce station with mala, chili, peanut, and garlic sauces](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-08-yxd89-900.webp) ![Peanut and minced garlic sauce toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-09-1q57m-900.webp) ![Snacks available at the self-bar](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-10-1ba9w-900.webp) There are snacks too! Something to calm your stomach before the spice hits, I guess (?) haha. ![Rice placed at one side of the self-bar](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-11-ppqxv-900.webp) 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. ![Free-refill drink station](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-12-1tj6t-900.webp) And our beloved drinks are free-refill too!! ![Ice cream freezer at the self-bar](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-13-zmvt2-900.webp) We didn't have any, but there's ice cream too haha. ![Amenities corner with hair ties and wet wipes](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-14-1o7jl-900.webp) Such a thoughtful touch — hair ties, wet wipes, even floss and mouthwash were there too haha. ![A pan of mala kaoyu piled high with chili peppers](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-15-ifrt0-900.webp) ## 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. ![Whole sea bass mala kaoyu in the pan](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-16-1dm0e-900.webp) ![Close-up of kaoyu soaked in mala seasoning](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-17-17w2y-900.webp) ![Added vegetable mix toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-18-1pikv-900.webp) 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. ![Pan filled to the brim after adding toppings](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-19-ofe6q-900.webp) ![Plate with the thick sea bass meat portioned out](https://img.superchart.com/images/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass-20-1yxxl-1200.webp) ## 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 😆 ## Where it is - Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch (반티엔야오 카오위 대전점) - 13 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, 2nd floor, Unit 1, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea - 대전광역시 서구 둔산로31번길 13 2층 1호 - 36.3523179, 127.3772817 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%B0%98%ED%8B%B0%EC%97%94%EC%95%BC%EC%98%A4%20%EC%B9%B4%EC%98%A4%EC%9C%84%20%EB%8C%80%EC%A0%84%EC%A0%90/@36.3523179,127.3772817,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@eunhaeng-noon-jangteo/banti-enyao-daejeon-kaoyu-sea-bass/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt