Gyeongju restaurant for a 4:30pm meal with a baby: Midam Kitchen

The fall weather has been so nice lately, right? Staying home felt like a waste, so I headed out somewhere close by!

Today's trip: Hwangnidang-gil in Gyeongju with my mom, my mother-in-law, and my 10-month-old baby! Since it was right before the holiday, the street was packed with tourists. Normally I'd wander every corner, but with all the crowds we decided to keep the sightseeing short and hunt down a good restaurant instead. Lots of public parking lots nearby, so we parked there and went exploring!

Where Midam Kitchen is and when it opens

• Address: 33 Cheomseong-ro 49beon-gil, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea
• Hours 10:30-21:00 (closed every Wednesday)
• A Western restaurant on Hwangnidang-gil, Gyeongju
• Hanok-style restaurant
• No break time
• Get a house salad free when you reserve via Naver

Midam Kitchen (미담키친), a Western restaurant on Hwangnidang-gil in Gyeongju. It's showing up on Naver as newly opened! A new restaurant with no break time.

Eating at 4:30pm: no break time and seats that work with a baby

Midam Kitchen has quite a few group tables inside. It was around 4:30pm — the time slot that would've been break time at most other places. The interior isn't private rooms, but the seating is divided into sections, which was great for us with a 10-month-old. I was worried about the baby getting noisy or the sound carrying to the next table, but it worked out well!

Aprons were hanging on the wall, and a wooden baby chair was ready for the little one.

What we ordered at Midam Kitchen and what it cost

• Arugula tomato pizza ₩18,900
• Basil shrimp risotto ₩16,900
• Sirloin pork cutlet ₩14,900

Unlike a typical Western restaurant, this place actually sells pork cutlet too... and families with kids go crazy for cutlet, don't they? The sirloin pork cutlet was surprisingly delicious, so even friends who aren't into Western food could enjoy it. Salads, pizza, pasta, risotto, and pork cutlet are the main menu here!

Jalapeños and pickled radish arrived the moment we ordered~

Total Instagram Story material. It really felt like it'd been forever since I had Western food. Too much hassle to make it at home, and I've been on a hunt for a good restaurant — and here's one right on Hwangnidang-gil! Midam Kitchen (미담키친) looks great!

Sirloin pork cutlet, 14,900 won

Pork cutlet at a Western food specialty place — I was confused at first?! But the sirloin cutlet turned out to be pretty substantial. Compared to my palm, it was genuinely huge, like a giant pork cutlet, and the sauce wasn't too sharp — a smooth, mild sauce. Not the flashy cutlet sauce we usually think of, just a good, tasty one! I think this would appeal to everyone, young and old. They also gave a little rice and salad on the side, so we didn't need to order extra rice!

Basil shrimp risotto, 16,900 won

★ My personal number one ★ Ever since giving birth, pasta noodles haven't agreed with my stomach... so I swapped for risotto. The cream and milk ratio was just right, and the shrimp cream basil risotto was thick and delicious~~~ Delicious enough to make me want to try making it at home.

Arugula tomato pizza, 18,900 won

A pizza piled high with arugula. Bits of ricotta cheese were scattered throughout, and the combo of mozzarella cheese with tangy tomato was great! It was quite a lot for three adults, so we boxed up about half the pizza. Reheated at home in the air fryer, it tasted exactly the same as at the restaurant~? (We'd set aside some of the arugula beforehand and added it back in!)

Is Midam Kitchen worth it on Hwangnidang-gil?

I feel like there aren't many Western restaurants on Hwangnidang-gil — mostly Korean restaurants around here. This was my first time trying a Western restaurant in the area, and the owner was kind and the food was good. Next time I'll come with my husband~~