Cheongju pot rice spot for seaweed-wrapped Atka mackerel: Oneul Haru

Today I visited Oneul Haru (오늘하루), a pot rice restaurant in Cheongju that specializes in fresh seasoned greens, carefully made side dishes, and fragrant, nutty gondre (thistle) pot rice~

Where is Oneul Haru in Cheongju?

Oneul Haru is a Korean restaurant behind Hana Hospital in Cheongju, near the Cheongju bus terminal. It's a handy spot to stop by when you're at the terminal!

The whole restaurant has a wood-tone interior, so it's nice for all kinds of get-togethers, and it's split into two areas, so I thought it would work well for group gatherings too.

What's on the Oneul Haru menu?

The menu is built around the gondre pot rice set, with a choice of different main dishes. The basic set is already great, but you can add things like gochujang bulgogi or grilled fish to suit your taste for an even fuller table!

I thought they only sold pot rice, but when I got there they also had pork cutlet curry, shrimp tempura curry, and soba dishes! With Japanese and Korean food on the same menu, it seemed like a place that suits lots of different tastes. The prices vary too, so it's easy to eat to your budget.

Grilled fish gondre pot rice: price and side dishes

The grilled fish gondre pot rice at Oneul Haru is ₩15,000, and I liked that it comes with several side dishes. Our grilled fish came out separately, so I photographed the pot rice and sides first~

Getting more side dishes at the self-serve bar

You can easily get more of the sides at the Oneul Haru self-serve bar. It also has side dishes that don't come with the set, so I recommend taking a look around before your food arrives!

How was the gondre pot rice?

The gondre pot rice is freshly cooked as soon as you order and brought to the table. The moment I lifted the lid, white steam rose up and I got that deep, nutty gondre aroma. The gondre itself is seasoned, so even without soy sauce I enjoyed mixing it into the rice. Just know that because it's cooked to order, it takes a little while!

I scooped the rice into a bowl, added as much of the special soy sauce seasoning as I liked, and mixed it all together. One big bite and the salty seasoning went so well with the mild gondre~ The grilled fish set also comes with seaweed, and wrapping the rice in it is even better!

The gondre isn't tough at all and chews tender, so I think it would be a good place to bring older folks! The sweetness and nuttiness of the gondre soak into every grain of rice, so pot rice plus gondre really is a great combo haha

What fish is the grilled fish at Oneul Haru?

The grilled fish gondre pot rice comes with grilled Atka mackerel (imyeonsu)! The outside is crispy, and when you split it open, the inside is packed with moist, tender, white flesh~

The salt seasoning is perfect, so even with no sauce, just flaking the fish onto the gondre pot rice was delicious. I think even people who don't usually go for grilled fish, and kids, would eat it happily.

For spicy flavors: gochujang bulgogi gondre pot rice

If you like spicy-sweet flavors, I think you'll love the gochujang bulgogi gondre pot rice at Oneul Haru haha It has a smoky, fire-grilled flavor, and the bulgogi is stir-fried with a little sauce left, so the sweet-salty balance is great!

Take a big piece of gochujang bulgogi, set it on the mild gondre rice and eat it in one bite: the nuttiness of the rice goes nicely with the spiciness of the meat~ It was a restaurant where I found out that gondre and gochujang bulgogi go together surprisingly well.

A lunch spot near Hana Hospital and Hyundai Connect?

Oneul Haru is within walking distance whether you want a lunch spot near Hana Hospital in Cheongju or you're stopping by Hyundai Connect. If you're in the area, try a hearty meal at this Korean restaurant in Gagyeong-dong, Cheongju~