Sintanjin set-meal lunch, Yeonggwang gulbi: Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo

I went to Daejeon to see a friend and ended up having lunch at a Daedeok spot — Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch, the chain famous nationwide for its clay-oven grilled fish.

The Sintanjin branch just opened, and like every other Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo I've been to, the kitchen, hall, and self-bar were all spotless.

Where is Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch? Hours and parking

Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch is located at 490 Sintanjin-ro, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon (396-3 Sangseo-dong), South Korea, and is open from 10:00 to 21:00. Last order is at 20:20, and break time runs 15:30–17:00, though there's no break time on weekends. For parking, you can use the space in front of the restaurant or the one to the right.

I arrived by taxi, and the parking lot turned out to be pretty spacious.

There's a long row of parking spots both in front of the restaurant and on the right side.

Free plum tea and sujeonggwa at the entrance

At the entrance of Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch, there's free plum tea, sujeonggwa (cinnamon-persimmon punch), and coffee. This is a place with a proven reputation you can trust, so I walked in with high expectations — and sure enough, drinks were waiting at the entrance. I always drink the plum tea, but this time I also tried the sujeonggwa after the meal, and it wasn't too sweet — pretty good.

I usually avoid overly sweet drinks, but this sujeonggwa's sweetness wasn't overwhelming, which I liked~

Dining hall layout, baby chairs and group tables

The hall was roughly L-shaped, with tables set up in long rows on both sides, and the group tables were already reserved. There were also baby chairs, so I saw families with young children too.

What is on the self-bar side dish table?

The highlight and real star of Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch is the self-bar — and the side dish lineup was really impressive.

Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), pork cutlet, french fries, japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), chonggak kimchi (baby radish kimchi), braised tofu, salad, and more — a lineup that targets both kids and adults. Trying every side dish, no matter your age, the quality was seriously killer.

The braised tofu especially was so sweet and soft~ The chonggak kimchi was well-fermented, and the japchae had a nice chewy texture too. ^^

The crunchy doenjang-seasoned cucumber and pepper salad and the black sesame lotus root were also standouts!!

There were also plenty of namul (seasoned vegetable) dishes — stir-fried potato strips, bracken fern, radish salad, bean sprouts — that would've been great for making bibimbap too.

Sure enough, there was sesame oil, sesame seeds, and gochujang (red chili paste) on the side too. The savory sungnyung (scorched rice tea) is perfect alongside bibimbap.

Fish grilled in the clay oven in front of you

At this Daedeok favorite's signature clay oven, there was a staff member constantly grilling fish — staying put, timing it, and turning it so everything came out delicious and crispy. You could really tell how much care went into the grilled fish.

The grilled mackerel set and the Yeonggwang gulbi set

We ordered the grilled mackerel set and the Yeonggwang gulbi set. Orders go through a tablet, and you pay at the counter.

Along with the standard side dishes, the grilled mackerel and Yeonggwang gulbi arrived — just looking at them made my mouth water, haha.

I was hungry so I dug right in — crispy outside, moist inside~ Dipping it in soy sauce or adding a bit of wasabi made it even better.

The flesh was nice and plump — once again, I realized Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo really is the best when it comes to grilled fish.

The order to eat it in for the best taste

Here's the key thing: you need to eat the grilled fish in different ways, alternating one bite of fish with one bite of a side dish, over and over. That way you get to enjoy it more fully and savor all the sides for longer.

And don't forget to wash it all down every so often with the umami-rich siraegi (dried radish greens) doenjang soup~ I hope you try a perfect lunch like this at Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Sintanjin Branch in Daedeok, Daejeon.