Daegu barbecue with a self-serve nacho and side bar: Modak Palgongsan

It's been a while since I went to a proper restaurant. Not too far, but I left Gumi and headed all the way to Palgongsan.

There aren't many places doing Texas barbecue, but there's a barbecue spot in Dong-gu, Daegu I'd been to once or twice before, and it came to mind, so I went again.

Modak Texas Barbecue Palgongsan Branch: the building and seating, full even late in the lunch hour

Modak Texas Barbecue Palgongsan Branch is at 1F, 290 Palgongsan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu. The exterior was decked out to look like something you'd see in Texas, so it felt like Texas from the moment I arrived.

Walking inside, I noticed they had covers ready to shield cars from the sun on hot days — a thoughtful touch. Even though we went late for lunch, most of the tables were already full. And plenty of people kept arriving late too. It seems word has really gotten around that this is a Dong-gu, Daegu barbecue spot worth visiting.

What's on the menu, and the discount on the new lobster dish

Once we sat down at our assigned table, a staff member brought over the menu and explained everything. They also had a discount going on the new lobster dish, so seafood lovers might want to try that alongside the barbecue.

Since this is a Dong-gu, Daegu barbecue spot, we couldn't skip the barbecue platter — we ordered the Memphis platter for two and the shrimp cream pasta, then added the mushroom soup that was on the menu.

How to order at the table kiosk

At Modak Texas Barbecue Palgongsan Branch, you order through the kiosk at your table. There were items on the kiosk that weren't on the paper menu, and photos made it easy to browse and decide what to order.

Beef chili stew and nacho chips, plus refills from the self-serve side bar

A little while after ordering, they bring out beef chili stew, which goes amazingly well with the nacho chips. The stew was loaded with meat and vegetables, so it was great to enjoy alongside the nachos.

If you run out of nachos, you can grab more from the self-bar up front. When you order a platter, you also get various sides to go with it, and since there's a self-bar at the front counter, you can pile your plate as high as you want. (Just a heads-up — if you run out of beef stew, you'll need to order more separately!)

Is the mushroom soup add-on worth it?

While waiting, the mushroom soup arrived, and it was seriously so delicious. It wasn't too heavy to eat as an appetizer, which made it even better.

What comes on the Memphis platter for two, and how much meat you get

And here's the Memphis platter set that came out. It includes brisket made from beef brisket cut, pulled pork made from pork neck, plus spare ribs, 3 wings, and fries.

I assumed the meat portion would be small and didn't think much of it, but as we ate, it turned out to be way more than expected — we got really full. The brisket had multiple layers stacked up, and both the spare ribs and brisket pulled apart easily with a fork, so tender.

Pulled pork in a dinner roll, brisket in a tortilla

They told us the spare ribs and pulled pork taste great with the dinner rolls served alongside, so we tried the pulled pork that way. It was so good I nearly passed out. Eating it with the coleslaw — cabbage salad? — made it even better.

They said the brisket is great with the tortilla, and it really was — haha, seriously good. I tried the spare ribs plain first, and after one bite I was like, whoa, why is this so good, totally amazed.

Why the shrimp cream pasta cuts the richness

The shrimp cream pasta was spicy and so delicious. It really cut through what could otherwise be a heavy, rich barbecue platter meal with its spiciness. I worried a cream pasta might be too rich, but the whole chili peppers in it made it perfect to eat alongside them.

Packing the leftover barbecue yourself, then marshmallows at the fire pit

We ate everything thoroughly and well. And if you have leftovers, just ask for a container and pack it up yourself to take home! We had some barbecue left over, so we packed it up too.

After paying, they give you marshmallows, which you can roast at the outdoor fire pit. I roasted mine perfectly, haha. I think kids would absolutely love this if you brought them along. It was such a delicious meal, thoroughly enjoyed.