Oryudong, Daejeon rib restaurant: abalone galbitang lunch, Idobonga

I met a friend at lunchtime for a warm, filling meal. Today's stop is Idobonga (이도본가), known as a go-to restaurant in Oryudong, Daejeon.

Last time I tried the galbijjim (braised short ribs) at Idobonga, so this time I ordered its signature dishes: the galbitang (short rib soup) special and the abalone galbitang.

Where is Idobonga in Oryudong, and is there parking?

Idobonga is on the 2nd floor of the Sky Palace building, between Costco and Seodaejeon Station. It's close to the station, so it works well for a meal before or after a train ride, and it's also handy if you're stopping by Costco.

You can use the basement level 1 parking lot of the Sky Palace building, with up to 3 hours of parking, so driving there felt stress-free.

What are the atmosphere and seating like at Idobonga?

The restaurant is clean and spacious, with tables for 2 up to 4. I liked how tidy and put-together it felt as soon as I walked in. It's good for a meal with a friend and would be fine for a family outing too.

Solo diners are welcome too, so it's a good option for lunch on your own. Each table has an ordering pad, which makes ordering easy, and the menu is displayed in big letters on the wall so you can take it in at a glance.

Besides galbitang and abalone galbitang, Idobonga serves a range of Korean dishes, including a stone galbi set (grilled ribs), galbijjim, spicy galbijjim and yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef rice bowl).

The self-service corner has the basic side dishes: napa cabbage kimchi and radish kimchi.

Galbitang special vs. abalone galbitang at Idobonga: what's the difference?

Today I ordered the galbitang special and the abalone galbitang. The side dishes were napa cabbage kimchi and radish kimchi, and both were nicely ripened, clean-tasting and delicious. Eating them with hot galbitang made it a really satisfying spread.

Galbitang special with 4 big short ribs

The galbitang special is Idobonga's signature dish, with a whopping 4 big ribs. They say the broth is made with more than 20 natural ingredients, with plenty of care and time. The generous portion stood out.

There's some fun in picking the meat off the bones, and with the warm broth and rice it made a filling lunch. I think it suits anyone who wants plenty of meat.

Abalone galbitang with 2 abalone

Idobonga's abalone galbitang adds abalone to a broth made with 20 natural ingredients. I liked that there were two whole abalone in the bowl to enjoy along with the ribs. With abalone on top of the hearty galbitang, it's a good pick when you want a slightly more special meal.

It's nice to be able to choose by taste: the galbitang special for lots of meat, or the abalone galbitang to enjoy abalone too.

Does Idobonga have dessert?

Near the entrance there's a dessert corner with ice cream and iced coffee. It was nice for freshening up after the meal.

You can also collect membership points, and there's info about receipt-review discounts, so check when you visit.

This time I had a filling lunch with a friend, trying the galbitang special and the abalone galbitang. With a clean restaurant and a variety of Korean dishes, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a place to eat in Oryudong, Daejeon, or near Seodaejeon Station.

• Address: 31 Oryu-ro, Unit 212 of Building 103, Jung-gu, Daejeon
• Hours: 11:00–21:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Parking: available in basement level 1 of the building