Abalone restaurant in Suseong, Daegu for parents: Haenyeo Sotbap

Lately, I’ve noticed my parents have been going to the hospital often and seem especially low on energy, so I thought it was time to treat them to a proper nourishing meal.

That’s how we ended up at Haenyeo Sotbap (해녀솥밥) Suseong Direct Store, an abalone-specialty restaurant on Deuran-gil. To give you the conclusion first: this place is absolutely perfect for a meal with your parents, so do stop by!

Where is Haenyeo Sotbap Suseong Direct Store, and is there parking?

Haenyeo Sotbap Suseong Direct Store is easy to find from Exit 1 of Hwanggeum Station. It is next to the Starbucks in Jung-dong and Hyundai Motor. The full-glass exterior and large sign made the building easy to spot, and there was an attendant to guide us, so we parked right away without any trouble!

It may be a newer restaurant near Suseong Lake, but it has already been featured several times on broadcasts including MBC’s Sisisigakgak and TBC’s Jigeumeun Jibang Sidae, so I’d say its flavor has already been well proven.

It has been popular since opening, and apparently older diners already know it as a restaurant worth waiting for.

It is also a great place for a family meal because the seating is spacious and there are separate private rooms, so bringing your parents feels easy and comfortable. Seeing my mom and dad chatting away over their meal made me feel I had chosen well.

How did we order the abalone dishes?

The menu has several signature sets, with sets for 2, 3, or 4 people as well as à la carte dishes. For the sets, you can choose abalone, eel-and-green-tea, or bulgogi pot rice, with sides such as butter-grilled abalone or fresh abalone sashimi salad, so they are ideal if you want to try a bit of everything. Since our goal was to give my parents a nourishing meal, we ordered à la carte but made it a hearty abalone-focused feast.

• Wando Haenyeo abalone pot rice
• Abalone porridge
• Seafood ttukbaegi (earthenware pot stew)

How was the full abalone spread and pot rice?

Once we ordered, the table filled up with side dishes in brass bowls: seasoned cucumber, seasoned greens, salted seafood, stir-fried anchovies, seasoned bean sprouts, roasted seaweed, and salad. It is an abalone full-course-style spread with 13 seasonal side dishes, and every bowl was arranged so neatly that it was great for photos, too.

The abalone pot rice arrived as the main dish, and when I lifted the lid, steam rose right up while two plump whole abalones sat beautifully on top of the rice. It was delicious wrapped in roasted seaweed or eaten with the side dishes. After finishing the rice, pouring in hot water to make sungnyung (scorched-rice tea) with the crusty nurungji (toasted rice) was so warming and satisfying.

We also ordered the seafood ttukbaegi, generously packed with abalone, shrimp, mussels, and clams, so the broth was rich and deep. My parents especially liked that it was not heavily seasoned; it was not salty at all, just perfectly balanced, and they said it suited older palates very well.

The abalone porridge was one serving, but look at that portion! The nutty aroma of sesame oil was so irresistible that once I started, I couldn’t put my spoon down. I have to praise the thoughtful sesame-salt heart, haha. My parents said everything was delicious, but my mom liked the abalone porridge best, while my dad preferred the seafood ttukbaegi.

You can also receive grilled abalone through the review event, so be sure to take part! It is seriously plump and wonderfully nutty.

After the meal, you can freshen up with an Americano or slushie from the self-serve bar, so dessert is taken care of too!

How far ahead should you reserve a private room?

Even at the weekday lunchtime when we visited, there was a wait since it is a popular restaurant near Suseong Lake. If you are coming with your parents, reserving a room ahead of time is a good idea. And here is the most important tip! Same-day room reservations are not possible, so you need to complete your reservation at least one day in advance. They say weekends book up early, so it is best to move even sooner. If you want a quiet meal with your parents like we did, or need a room for a group gathering or family event, definitely remember to reserve a day ahead!

An abalone feast I want to return to with my parents

I was so grateful that one abalone pot rice meal could give my parents such a hearty, thoughtful spread. Seeing their faces brighten after enjoying a delicious meal for the first time in a while really put my mind at ease. If you are looking for a Korean restaurant near Deuran-gil by Suseong Lake in Daegu where you can take your parents, I recommend Haenyeo Sotbap!