Sintanjin set meal with self-serve namul bar: Baengnyeon Boribap

What kind of restaurant is Baengnyeon Boribap?

Baengnyeon Boribap is a barley rice Korean restaurant on the 1st floor at 358 Sintanjin-ro, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon. I was looking for somewhere to eat a hearty Korean meal near Sintanjin in Daejeon and ended up here.

Overall it had a clean look but still felt like the cozy, familiar atmosphere of a typical Korean restaurant. Best of all, you get to pair barley rice with a bunch of different namul (seasoned vegetable) banchan, so I think this would be a great spot for anyone who loves Korean food haha

Baengnyeon Boribap

Parking and the entrance at Baengnyeon Boribap: easy to find on a first visit

The exterior has 'Baengnyeon Boribap' written big on the front of the building, so it wasn't hard to find even on my first visit!! The area around the entrance was fairly tidy, and there was parking space right in front of the building. The lot is huge, so no need to worry about parking!

Near the entrance there was also signage about the menu, so you could get a sense of the place before even walking in.

Once inside, there was information about using the restaurant right by the entrance, including quite a few discount deals👍 There was also a waiting machine at the entrance. When it's busy, you can put your name in and wait comfortably in the waiting room out front...!

The waiting room had such a nice touch ㅠㅠ waiting there seemed like it'd be really comfortable! And the staff were so kind right from the moment we walked in, it put me in a good mood immediately haha

Inside Baengnyeon Boribap: dining room and seating

Walking further into Baengnyeon Boribap, the wood-tone interior stands out! Clean and spacious, which I loved haha. It kept that traditional Korean restaurant feel without being heavy or stuffy!

Tables were spread throughout, and there were seats further inside too, so it was more comfortable than I expected. One wall in particular had large food photos and Korean food imagery that added to the atmosphere.

Once seated, there was a signboard with information about the food. There's a kiosk too, so ordering was easy and convenient haha. It also explained how to use the restaurant, which was helpful to reference!

The self-serve namul and side dish bar, barley rice included

Baengnyeon Boribap has a self-serve bar, so you just take the big plate they give you at the start and help yourself haha. There are so many banchan choices you don't even need to think hard about it...! There was even barley rice there. So isn't that basically unlimited refills...!!

What caught my eye the most at Baengnyeon Boribap was definitely the variety of namul! As you can see in the photos, there were all kinds of seasoned vegetable banchan prepared, each in its own bowl, so you just pick and scoop the ones you want. There wasn't just one or two kinds but many, so it was fun deciding what to add.

If you're someone who normally likes namul banchan, I think it'd be great to grab a little of each kind and mix it to your own taste. haha The way the banchan were laid out so neatly looked great too.

Every single banchan was delicious! ㅠㅠ The best... This is one of the top barley rice spots I've been to👍

Birthday supplies to borrow and first-aid basics on hand

This special service... amazing... they even lend out birthday party supplies! With a first-aid kit and dental floss on hand too, you could really tell they think about their guests!

Here's the plate of banchan I brought back :) Basically everything was tasty enough to eat plain...! Seasoned raw greens, zucchini, bean sprouts, muk (jelly) salad, mushrooms, japchae, braised beef, and more — really such a great variety haha. The muk salad was seriously so good🤤

The two set meals we ordered at Baengnyeon Boribap

Aged kimchi cheonggukjang barley rice pork set (14,500 won)

This comes with aged kimchi cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew), barley rice, and stir-fried pork! There were so many banchan already, I almost didn't need to order the pork set haha. But the pork was stir-fried with that smoky wok-fired flavor, so I'd have regretted skipping it haha. The pork was genuinely delicious, and I recommend wrapping it in lettuce!!

Dried radish greens pork bone soup barley rice mackerel set (14,500 won)

This comes with dried radish greens bone soup, barley rice, and mackerel! First off, the bone soup is genuinely delicious. Really rich, and the broth was insane..🤤 The mackerel was tender too and paired so well with everything haha.

The barley rice with the pork set had a fried egg on top! Just add in the banchan you brought over and mix it all up well.

Where to find the sesame oil and gochujang: beside the kiosk

There's sesame oil and gochujang (red pepper paste) right beside the kiosk!! Make sure to add them in :) Honestly I didn't notice they were there... and ate saying it was tasty even without them, only spotting them once I was almost done eating.. haha. Adding them at the end, it was definitely more delicious with them in!!

Dessert and the verdict on Baengnyeon Boribap

They even had dessert ready! Truly the best restaurant. Misugaru (grain powder drink), coffee, and rice crackers were all set out haha. You just take them with you as you leave!

A restaurant that left me feeling great from how kind everyone was :) Even the barley rice itself was so good, I was fully satisfied! My parents loved it too, which made it even better haha. As we were leaving, they said we should come back again🍀 If you're looking for a great barley rice spot or Korean restaurant in Sintanjin, I highly recommend Baengnyeon Boribap‼️