# Busanjin Korean restaurant: vinegar over the eggplant bowl, Hyangtaek - By Juwon (https://superchart.com/en/@evening-order-ledger/) - Written Sep 21, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Busanjin, Busan - Sponsored: This post was written after a visit made possible by sponsorship. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@evening-order-ledger/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@evening-order-ledger/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/index.md) ## In short Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch is a tidy Korean restaurant on Seojeon-ro in Jeonpo-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan. The meal was the eggplant doenjang rice bowl (13,000 won) and mackerel thistle rice (14,000 won), plus a side of hanpan beoseot mushroom jeon (pan-fried mushrooms, 5,000 won); splashing the vinegar served with the rice bowl halfway through lifted the savoury flavour and made one bowl feel like two dishes. Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch went in with no expectations and won the meal on honest, ingredient-first Korean cooking. ## Good to know - **Mackerel thistle rice (삼치곤드레밥)**: 14,000 won - **Eggplant doenjang rice bowl (가지된장덮밥)**: 13,000 won - **Hanpan beoseot, pan-fried mushrooms (한판버섯)**: 5,000 won - **Yukhoe bibimbap, raw beef (육회비빔밥)**: 14,000 won - **Squid and wild greens rice bowl (참나물오징어덮밥)**: 13,000 won - **Herring roe bibim noodles (청어알비빔면)**: 13,000 won - **Hanpan galbi / grilled deodeok and mushrooms**: 9,000 won / 9,000 won - **Reservations**: Naver Talk Talk - **Parking**: Private lot at a nearby shopping building (1-minute walk), fee paid by the customer - **Location**: 1F, 42-1 Seojeon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan - **Hours**: Check with the restaurant before visiting - **Price reference**: ₩10,000 ≈ $7.3 (2026-09-22) *as written by the visitor on Sep 21, 2026* There's a place I kept passing by in Jeonpo and telling myself I'd visit someday — Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch, well known as a Jeonpo-dong go-to restaurant. I'd had my eye on it for a while, and this time a good opportunity finally got me through the door. Honestly, my expectations weren't that high. But after one meal, my opinion completely changed... it's exactly the kind of place that comes to mind when you want hearty, tidy Korean food. I'd been a little worn out by heavy, strong-flavored food lately, and a meal like this was such a relief. ![Exterior and entrance of Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-01-ro8vg-966.webp) ![Sign for Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch, a Korean restaurant in Jeonpo-dong](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-02-mk6c8-966.webp) ## What kind of place is Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch? Hyangtaek is a Korean restaurant on Seojeon-ro in Jeonpo-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan. There's a good variety of clean, tidy Korean dishes, so it's fun just picking what to order. Everything from rice bowls to gondre (thistle) rice felt like home cooking — the kind you rarely actually make at home. I visited on a weekend and got seated right away without waiting. I'd worried about a line since it's in a busy area, but got lucky with a table. The interior is decorated calmly in wood tones, making for a comfortable place to eat. ![Wood-toned interior of Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-03-1r6vg-966.webp) ![Calm seating area at Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-04-1qy05-966.webp) Once the table was set, I understood why it's known as a Jeonpo-dong Korean restaurant to seek out. I got a strong sense that every dish, every ingredient, was handled with real care... ## What we ordered at Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch I ordered one each of the two signature dishes — mackerel thistle rice and eggplant doenjang rice bowl — plus a side of mushroom pancake. The menu leans clean and mild rather than intense, which made for a satisfying, solid meal. The rice bowl and the thistle rice had such different characters that it was fun sharing between the two. The side dishes were also laid out neatly, and you could tell there was care in that too. ![Table set neatly with side dishes at Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-05-1ntin-966.webp) ## What happens when you splash vinegar on the eggplant doenjang rice bowl Hyangtaek's eggplant doenjang rice bowl has minced meat mixed into the doenjang sauce, giving it good texture and just the right seasoning. You're meant to tear the eggplant apart and mix it into the rice — eating it that way made it so much better. ![Eggplant torn apart and mixed into rice in the eggplant doenjang bowl](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-06-1qcg6-1200.webp) The eggplant was cooked soft and soaked up the doenjang sauce and rice beautifully. I tried splashing a little of the vinegar served on the side partway through, and the savory flavor jumped up right away... it was oddly fun how the taste changed depending on how you ate it. Plain at first, then with a bit of vinegar added midway — it felt like enjoying one bowl twice. Every bite with a piece of minced meat was so savory that I kept reaching for more rice... it had been a while since I savored a bowl of rice that slowly. To my taste, this eggplant doenjang bowl was the best of the meal. ## How does the mackerel thistle rice taste? ![Mackerel thistle rice served with sauce on the side](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-07-1fss8-966.webp) I mixed the mackerel thistle rice with the sauce that came alongside it. The gondre (thistle greens) were packed in generously, which made it feel like a genuinely healthy dish. The mackerel was grilled well with no fishy taste, pairing cleanly with the thistle rice. ![Rice packed with thistle greens alongside grilled mackerel](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-08-oyuzl-966.webp) ![A spoonful of mackerel thistle rice mixed with sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-09-1fnug-966.webp) Once mixed with the sauce, the fragrance of the thistle greens and the mackerel flesh came together, making every spoonful feel substantial. It's the kind of bowl that isn't intense but settles your stomach comfortably. The seasoning was mild yet let the natural flavor of the ingredients shine, so I never got tired of it and finished the whole bowl... It felt like exactly the dish for when you want a proper, healthy meal. The gondre's distinctive aroma wasn't overwhelming, so even first-timers to thistle rice would likely enjoy it. ## Why the hanpan beoseot mushroom jeon is worth adding The mushroom pancake — hanpan beoseot — was genuinely delicious. Crispy outside, moist inside, I kept reaching for more. The mushroom aroma came through gently, pairing well with the mild rice dishes. If you're on the fence about ordering just a rice dish alone, definitely add this pancake as a side. ![Mushroom pancake fried crispy on the outside](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-10-18vup-966.webp) It was great eaten alongside rice, and just as good picked up piece by piece on its own. With the two rice dishes plus the mushroom pancake, the table felt much more generous. It was fried lightly, not greasy, so it never got old alongside the rice. ## A lunch that fits a Jeonpo-dong day out To sum up: the side dishes were served in just the right amount, and the whole table felt tidy and well put together. ![Table with the rice bowl, thistle rice, and mushroom pancake together](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-11-1j80g-966.webp) ![Well-balanced side dishes at Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-12-hca6y-966.webp) ![A neatly arranged Korean table setting at Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-13-1fthy-966.webp) Since I hadn't expected much going in, the meal ended up being all the more satisfying. ![Table at Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch after finishing the meal](https://img.superchart.com/images/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang-14-j5ixq-966.webp) It wasn't flashy cooking — it was honest Korean food that lets the ingredients do the talking, and that's what made it better... I could feel the care put into every single ingredient, which made me want to try all the other main dishes too. The rice dishes are in the low-to-mid ₩10,000s, which felt reasonable given the composition and care that went in. When you want a hearty Korean meal, I'd say go for a Jeonpo lunch here without hesitation. If you're looking for a Jeonpo-dong go-to restaurant, definitely put Hyangtaek on the shortlist. I went in with zero expectations and left properly won over — that kind of Jeonpo-dong Korean food experience. It's a comfortable spot whether you're eating quietly alone or chatting over a meal with someone else. I visited as a sponsored guest, but it's the kind of place I'd happily pay to come back to on my own dime. Next time, I'm definitely trying the other rice dishes I missed this round... ## Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch menu, prices and parking - Mackerel thistle rice ₩14,000 / Eggplant doenjang rice bowl ₩13,000 - Mushroom pancake ₩5,000 - Raw beef bibimbap ₩14,000 / Wild greens squid rice bowl ₩13,000 / Herring roe bibim noodles ₩13,000 - Grilled galbi ₩9,000 / Deodeok mushroom grill ₩9,000 - Hours: check with the restaurant before visiting - Reservations: Naver Talk Talk - Parking: nearby private commercial lot (1 min walk), fee not included - Location: 1F, 42-1 Seojeon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea (Jeonpo-dong) ## Where it is - Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch (향택 전포점) - 1F, 42-1 Seojeon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea - 부산광역시 부산진구 서전로 42-1 1층 - 35.1575699, 129.0643624 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%96%A5%ED%83%9D%20%EC%A0%84%ED%8F%AC%EC%A0%90/@35.1575699,129.0643624,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@evening-order-ledger/hyangtaek-jeonpo-vinegar-eggplant-doenjang/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt