Nampo-dong Japanese restaurant comparing three set meals: Daidokoro

Looking for somewhere to eat in Nampo-dong, I ended up back at Daidokoro Gwangbok again. I've visited a few times before — it's great for trying several dishes at once thanks to the set-meal format, and everything on the menu is generally reliably tasty, so it's a place that comes to mind whenever I'm hunting for a restaurant in Nampo-dong. This time I ordered chicken nanban, a shrimp tempura curry set, and a karaage set.

Where is Daidokoro Gwangbok? 10th floor of Lotte Department Store

Daidokoro Gwangbok is located on the 10th floor of Lotte Department Store's Gwangbok branch, 2 Jungang-daero, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea. Being inside the department store means the weather doesn't matter much, and it's convenient to pop in for a meal right after shopping.

Even if you're visiting with a group, everyone can order a different dish and each gets served as a neat individual set, which makes it great for eating with family or friends.

What comes with a Daidokoro set meal?

One of the strengths of Daidokoro is that the main dish never comes alone — it's served as a full set with rice, soup, curry, side dishes, and even dessert.

Getting it all on one tray means you can mix things up instead of eating the same flavor over and over, which keeps it from getting boring.

There's a good variety of side dishes to pick at between bites of the main, and with the curry there too you can mix it into your rice or dip your fried food in it. So it's satisfying enough for eating alone, but it's also fun for a group to order different dishes and compare notes.

Chicken nanban: still the favorite after several visits

Whenever I come to Daidokoro, my favorite dish is still the chicken nanban. I've tried it on several visits, and personally it's still my top pick.

Crispy fried chicken topped with a soft, savory sauce — the salty flavor of the chicken itself blends really well with the nutty richness of the sauce.

The salad that comes alongside has a refreshingly sweet dressing, which was great to alternate with bites of the chicken.

With the crunchy texture of the salad added in, even a fried dish like this felt relatively light all the way through. Since curry comes with it too, I'd recommend dipping the chicken lightly in the curry or mixing it into rice.

Shrimp tempura curry set: an easy, mild pick

The shrimp tempura curry set was also a solid, easy choice. The curry itself isn't difficult or heavily spiced, so it's easy for anyone to enjoy, and the shrimp tempura on top made it hearty.

In particular, the shrimp tempura came with the head still on, which made for fun, crispy bites. You could taste that distinct ocean flavor from the shrimp, and the crispy batter paired well with the curry.

If you like curry, this seems like a dish you really can't go wrong with.

Karaage set: clean and simple

The karaage (Japanese fried chicken) set we ordered alongside felt like a solidly good, no-fuss set meal. The karaage itself was tasty, but again, having curry served alongside meant there were more ways to eat it. You can eat the karaage plain, dip it in the curry, or mix it into rice — all work well. If you like fried dishes but find the sauce on the chicken nanban a bit much, the karaage set might actually suit you better.

Enough side dishes that the meal never gets old

Eating all three dishes together, the biggest strength of Daidokoro was really how well the set format is done. Sticking to just the main dish can feel greasy or repetitive after a while, but here the side dishes, salad, soup, and curry all come together, letting you switch up the flavor as you go.

So I felt it's a great spot for a day when you want to enjoy a meal with a bit more variety. It's especially good with family or friends, where everyone can order something different and each get a neat set of their own.

Looking for a filling meal in Nampo-dong, Busan?

Even after multiple visits, Daidokoro Gwangbok remains reliably satisfying overall. Personally, chicken nanban is still my favorite, and both the shrimp tempura curry set and the karaage set were easy, enjoyable choices. Being set meals, it's also nice that you get to enjoy a range of side dishes and curry, not just the main. If you're looking for a hearty place to eat after shopping in Nampo-dong, or a Nampo-dong restaurant that's good for a group, Daidokoro is worth a visit :)