Jeonpo-dong Korean restaurant: perilla squid rice bowl at Hyangtaek

I found a great place in Jeonpo for when you want a proper Korean meal. Today I visited Hyangtaek, a Korean restaurant whose original branch is in Daegu. It's served as a neat set-table meal, so it was exactly the kind of Jeonpo lunch spot for a day when you want to eat well and fill up. I had a satisfying meal, so let me leave a detailed review.

Where is Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch, and what do the dishes cost?

• Location: 42-1 Seojeon-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 1st floor
• Concept: Daegu original location, healthy Korean set-table meals
• Hours: 11:00–20:00 (break time 15:30–17:00)
• Size: about 8 tables
• Takeout: lunchbox packing available (recommended for group lunches)
• Signature menu: mackerel thistle rice 14,000 / eggplant doenjang rice bowl 13,000 / perilla-leaf squid rice bowl 13,000 / grilled deodeok and mushrooms 9,000 / Cheongsong-style chicken bulgogi 9,000

The healthy set-table meal that started at the Daegu original

Hyangtaek has been running as a Korean restaurant in Daegu since 2022.

They say they pursue clean, fresh Korean food using ingredients grown on Korean soil,

and I could see healthy ingredients as the basics — rice, vegetables, meat, and fish alike.

Since it's a set-table meal, you can feel the care in each side dish, and it gives you the feeling of a proper meal.

So it's a great Jeonpo lunch spot for a day when you don't want to eat something halfhearted.

Mackerel thistle rice, 14,000 won, and perilla squid rice bowl, 13,000 won

They also have an eggplant doenjang rice bowl on the signature menu, but I don't eat eggplant, so I picked mackerel thistle rice and the perilla-leaf squid rice bowl.

Personally, this rice bowl was really delicious.

The combination of mackerel, gondre (thistle greens), perilla leaf and squid worked so much better than I expected.

Even though gondre and perilla leaf are fragrant greens, there was no off-putting smell at all — if anything, the aroma blended with the rice and made me keep reaching for more.

If you like fragrant greens, this is a Jeonpo lunch menu I'd fully recommend.

Cheongsong-style chicken bulgogi, 9,000 won on the side

For a side, I ordered the Cheongsong-style chicken bulgogi.

It's on the oilier side, but it wasn't bad paired with the rice bowl.

The spicy flavor made you crave rice, so there was never a dull bite.

Next time, I want to make sure to try the grilled deodeok and mushrooms or another mushroom dish.

It's the kind of Jeonpo lunch spot that makes you expect the mushrooms will definitely be good too.

Banchan at Hyangtaek: dolgim laver, gungchae pickle and jeotgal

The side dishes that come along are also generous.

They serve laver and gungchae (a type of pickled root vegetable) pickle, and both are rice-thieves in the best way.

Especially paired with the jeotgal (salted seafood) they serve, the combination is absolutely amazing.

Add the salty jeotgal, the laver, and the crunchy gungchae pickle together, and a bowl of rice disappears in no time.

You can see the care put into each side dish, making it the perfect Jeonpo lunch spot to properly enjoy a set-table meal.

Lunchbox packing for team lunches at Hyangtaek Jeonpo

There are a lot of group lunches these days, right? Hyangtaek apparently packs this whole set neatly into a lunchbox for takeout too.

So I thought it would be great for everyone at the office to eat together as a lunchbox.

It's a hearty, neat spread, making it a perfect Jeonpo lunch spot to use for group lunches or company gatherings.

If you're thinking of getting it packed to go, keep this in mind.

Is Hyangtaek Jeonpo good for solo dining and a quiet lunch?

Inside, there are about 8 tables.

It's not too big and not too small, so it's a calm atmosphere good for eating comfortably.

Since the set-table meal is so neatly put together, it's not intimidating to come alone and have a hearty meal.

It's a great Jeonpo lunch spot for a day when you want to quietly focus on your food, so I'd recommend it to solo diners too.

A healthy Korean meal in Jeonpo-dong: the verdict on Hyangtaek

Hyangtaek Jeonpo Branch is a healthy Korean set-table restaurant where you can feel the expertise carried over from its Daegu original.

Both the rice bowls and the side dishes were satisfying, and next time I definitely want to try the mushroom dish and another rice bowl.

Hours run from 11am to 8pm, with a break time from 3:30 to 5pm, so keep that in mind before visiting.

If you want to eat healthy one day and can't decide on lunch in Jeonpo, remember Hyangtaek — it'll be a Jeonpo lunch you won't regret.