Early lunch Daegu ramen: cold hiyashi chuka at Ryusenso Dongseong-ro

A Daegu Dongseong-ro spot great for solo dining, ramen shop Ryusenso. I had some business around Dongseong-ro after a while and stopped by Ryusenso, a place known for its ramen. Even during early lunch hours it was packed with customers, and there's a bar counter so it looked great for eating alone too.

Where is Ryusenso Dongseong-ro, and where do you park?

Ryusenso Dongseong-ro is at 57 Gongpyeong-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, across from Gukchebosang Memorial Park. I used the park's public parking lot. It's open daily from 11:30 to 21:00, and groups, delivery, and takeout are all available.

You can preview the menu right outside the shop, and there was a photo of the Jeju black pork gyoza hanging up too — made with meat from Sookseongdo, whose aging I'd been curious about even before visiting.

Counter seats for solo diners and the mood inside Ryusenso

Ryusenso Dongseong-ro has three 4-person tables and one long counter bar. The three tables mean groups can eat together comfortably, and personally, I like sitting side by side for a meal or a drink with one other person, so the counter was a nice touch. It's long enough that there's plenty of room even with sides set out, and it's great for solo diners too — there were people eating alone there.

There seems to be a wait during peak hours, since there's a waitlist sheet at the door. There's also indoor waiting seats, so you can sit comfortably in the cool, warm interior while you wait.

On the table they'd set out pickled ginger, minced garlic, pickled mustard greens, small plates, pepper, shichimi, utensils, and — a nice touch — even hair ties.

Ryusenso Dongseong-ro menu and prices

Ramen

• Ryusenso / Ryusenso Kara ₩11,000
• Asari (clam broth) ₩11,000
• Ebi Miso ₩13,000

Seasonal menu

• Hiyashi Chuka (cold ramen) ₩11,000
• Ryusenso Kaki ₩13,000

Sides

• Jeju black pork gyoza ₩8,000
• Tori karaage ₩8,000
• Yaki gyoza ₩6,000
• Kaki fry ₩13,000

How did the hiyashi chuka (cold ramen) taste?

I ordered the classic Ryusenso ramen along with the summer-seasonal cold ramen, plus Jeju black pork dumplings and karaage as sides.

The Japanese-style cold ramen called hiyashi chuka arrived with a chilled broth and ramen noodles, topped with shredded chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, egg strips, and pickled radish — it was gorgeous just to look at with all that color.

In true original Japanese-style cold noodle fashion, the broth was tangy on first sip with a faint nutty peanut butter aroma coming through at the end. Maybe because it sits in cold broth, the noodles were extra bouncy and chewy, and the umami of the broth paired well with all the crunchy toppings.

The classic Ryusenso ramen and its tonkotsu broth

The Ryusenso ramen is a rich tonkotsu ramen made from pork bones simmered for a long time, topped with the classics: soft-boiled egg, wood ear mushroom, chashu, and scallion. On the ordering tablet you can add extra broth if you find the seasoning too strong, so if you taste it and feel you need it, go ahead and add some :)

The soft-boiled egg had a moist, well-cooked yolk that was delicious on its own, but dipping it in the rich tonkotsu broth was even better, and the combination of bouncy noodles and crunchy wood ear mushroom paired well with the rich broth.

Jeju black pork gyoza and tori karaage

The Jeju black pork gyoza I'd been curious about is a side made in collaboration with Sookseongdo, known for its aged meat. The bottom was fried perfectly crispy while the inside stayed juicy — a textbook example of crispy-outside, tender-inside gyoza.

Take a bite and you get juicy meat, chewy dumpling skin, and a soy sauce drizzle in just the right amount — all three elements working together in the Jeju black pork gyoza.

The tori karaage was also a generous portion for a nice price. It's already well-seasoned so it's tasty plain, and both the tangy soy sauce and tartar sauce that came with it went well with it, so you can eat it however you like. True to the Korean love of chimaek (fried chicken and beer), eating the karaage made me think of the draft beer on the menu.

Final verdict on Ryusenso Dongseong-ro

The interior is spacious and comfortable, and even with a wait, turnover is quick since it's ramen, so you'll be eating in no time. With both counter and table seating, Ryusenso Dongseong-ro suits any group. The rich tonkotsu ramen, the hiyashi chuka, and all the sides made for a satisfying meal.