Newly opened Korean restaurant at Keimyung main gate, Daegu: Hyangtaek

I visited a new Korean restaurant that just opened near Seongseo Keimyung University.

While looking for good Korean food near Seongseo Keimyung University, I found Hyangtaek's mackerel gondre rice (herb rice with grilled mackerel) and had to try it. I was trying to decide what to eat for dinner and figured it was about time for Korean food again. It turned out there was a place that had just opened for business on September 1st near Seongseo Keimyung University, so I went to check it out — Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch (향택 성서계명대점). It's near Dongsan Hospital by Seongseo Keimyung University, tucked into an alley across from the main gate of Keimyung University.

Where is Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch, and what are its hours?

Since it was my first time going, I kept checking where it was as I walked, but once I turned into the alley across from Keimyung University's main gate, I found it right away.

The hours are Monday to Saturday 11:00–20:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00 and last orders at 15:00 and 19:30. Closed Sundays, and you can park in front of the restaurant or in the nearby alleys.

What is the dining room at Hyangtaek like?

Once I stepped inside Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch, it was bigger than I expected.

Opening the door and walking in, the place felt more spacious than I'd imagined.

Above all, I liked the overall clean, tidy atmosphere.

I visited during dinner time, and instead of feeling crowded or hectic, it had a comfortable vibe for sitting down and having a relaxed meal. Hyangtaek says it pursues a clean, fresh Korean food culture using ingredients grown on Korean soil.

From rice to vegetables, meat and fish, they say they focus on healthy ingredients and rich flavor — which felt reassuring on a day when I wanted to eat a proper, wholesome meal.

Hyangtaek menu: from mackerel gondre rice to yukhoe bibimbap

The menu was more varied than I expected.

Looking at the menu, there were more options than I thought — mackerel gondre rice, eggplant doenjang (soybean paste) rice bowl, yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef mixed rice), chamnamul squid rice bowl, herring roe bibimbap, and side dishes on top of that. I thought about it for a moment, but since it was my first visit, I ordered the mackerel gondre rice I'd been curious about the most. Everything else looked delicious too, so I was already wondering what to order next time I come back, haha.

• Roasted laver
• Gungchae pickles
• Salted seafood
• Special sauce
• Miso soybean soup
• Table setting

How does the samchi gondre bap taste? Grilled mackerel with no fishy smell

The mackerel gondre rice arrived!

After a short wait, the mackerel gondre rice came out. Gondre (herb greens) were mixed into the rice, with grilled mackerel served alongside. The presentation was clean and appealing right away. I went straight for the mackerel first, since that's what I was most curious about.

Oh — it was really mild and clean-tasting, more than I expected.

The fishy smell is always something you worry about with fish, but the grilled mackerel here had almost no fishy smell at all and tasted clean.

The bones weren't very bothersome either, so I didn't have to fuss around picking them out like usual.

Placing a bit of mackerel flesh on top of the rice, the mild fish went really well with the gondre rice. Then I added the special sauce and mixed it all together.

You can eat the gondre rice as is, but I tried mixing in the special sauce that came with it. Once mixed in, the savory depth of the sauce combined with the gondre aroma, and the rice just kept going down.

Wrapping the gondre rice in crinkled roasted laver

But here's one more thing — I tried wrapping the rice in the roasted laver that came with the meal.

I put the sauce-mixed gondre rice on the laver, added a piece of mackerel, and rolled it up.

Taking a bite, the nutty flavor of the laver added a whole different dimension.

Personally, this was my favorite way to eat it. Compared to just eating the rice and mackerel plain, the nuttiness of the roasted laver made the mackerel gondre rice taste even better.

Free mushroom platter for a weekday review

I also checked out the review event.

There's a review event offering a free mushroom platter. It's a weekday-only event, so if you're visiting, it's worth checking with the restaurant whether it's currently running and what it includes. Getting a little extra like this always puts you in a good mood, haha.

What to order at Hyangtaek on the next visit

This time I had the mackerel gondre rice, but after looking at the menu, I got curious about the other dishes too. I'm especially curious about the eggplant doenjang rice bowl, the yukhoe bibimbap looks tasty, and I'd like to try the chamnamul squid rice bowl or herring roe bibimbap next time.

Since it just started business on September 1st, I imagine a lot of people don't know about it yet. If you want a clean, satisfying meal near Seongseo Keimyung University, it's worth stopping by. Especially if you're looking for Korean food near Seongseo Keimyung University, the menu is varied enough that picking what to order is half the fun.

On this visit I had the mackerel gondre rice — the grilled mackerel was mild with no fishy smell, and mixing the gondre rice with the special sauce and wrapping it in roasted laver was delicious too. More than anything, I left feeling like I'd had a comfortable, easy meal. If you're looking for somewhere to eat near Seongseo Keimyung University's Dongsan Hospital, or hunting for a good Korean restaurant around Keimyung University's main gate in Seongseo, keep Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch in mind. I'm planning to go back again for a different dish next time — this time it was mackerel gondre rice, so next time I'll pick either the yukhoe bibimbap or the eggplant doenjang rice bowl.