Daejeon Japanese restaurant for whole bacon cream pasta: Choi Dining

What kind of restaurant is Choi Dining Daejeon Gwanpyeong?

Choi Dining is a Japanese restaurant specializing in soba, futomaki, and pasta in Gwanpyeong-dong, Yuseong, Daejeon. I stopped by Choi Dining, the go-to restaurant in the neighborhood whenever I'm craving good Japanese food. The flashy exterior and pretty interior caught my eye as I walked past. If you want a clean, pretty meal on an ordinary day, come visit Choi Dining 😃

Choi Dining is a Japanese specialty restaurant selling soba, futomaki, and pasta dishes. If you want lunch or dinner with a bit of atmosphere for a special get-together, head to Choi Dining 🤍

Inside Choi Dining: a warm, well-designed hall

The Choi Dining store feels wide and open. The weather was nice the day I visited, so they had the windows open. It's the perfect setup — that open, airy feeling plus cool weather plus delicious food — and it just puts you in a good mood. There are plenty of seats and the interior isn't cramped, so it seems fine for group visits too. It's a casual dining spot the neighborhood locals can drop into easily, where you can enjoy premium Japanese menu items at a good price. Lucky locals... I'm jealous of anyone living in the Choi Dining zone 😋

✔️ Kids' chair available

What is on the menu at Choi Dining?

Everything on the Choi Dining menu looked delicious, but the futomaki seemed to be the star. There are noodle dishes and rice dishes too, so it's easy to order a variety of things to suit your taste. None of the menu items feel ordinary — they're all put together with Choi Dining's own character 😃

Even the hangjeongsal (pork jowl) that goes into the dishes isn't just any cut — they use '1,000-layer pork' for a chewy texture and deep flavor. There's even a detailed note on how to best enjoy their signature mazesoba 😃 My order came out! Shall we take a look at what I ordered~?

Yukhoe futomaki: too big for one bite

The yukhoe (beef tartare) futomaki has such a solid presence it's hard to fit in one bite, packed with savory yukhoe — filling enough that one piece alone leaves you satisfied.

Dip it in the sesame oil that comes alongside and take a big, savory bite — the yukhoe futomaki's freshness and crunchy texture are what make it so appealing.

What does the whole bacon cream pasta taste like?

Choi Dining's whole bacon cream pasta comes with whole strips of bacon in a rich, thick cream sauce. There's plenty of sauce, so the noodles stay moist all the way through, and sautéed mushrooms, sliced garlic, and onion give the pasta sauce a deep flavor.

The whole bacon comes sliced into easy-to-eat pieces! It's nicely salty, which pairs really well with the cream.

The lean meat and fat are in a good balance, so it's not tough at all — soft and tender.

Perilla oil gat soba, mixed with gamtae for a nutty finish

Perilla oil gat soba is buckwheat noodles tossed with fragrant perilla oil — make sure to mix it well with the gamtae (dried laver) that comes with it. It was my first time trying perilla oil soba, and it was even more savory than I expected, easy to slurp down, and a really satisfying dish.

It's a great dish to reach for once you're a little tired of richer flavors and want something savory instead. Everyone I know who talks about Choi Dining brings up the soba menu, but besides the regular buckwheat soba, the perilla oil soba is delicious too — you really have to try it‼️

A go-to spot near Gwanpyeong-dong in Daejeon for a date, a family meal, or a simple gathering with a group — come to Choi Dining and taste something different in Japanese cuisine!