Gyeongju walnut pastry 24-mix gift for my husband: Buja Hodu

Why Buja Hodu won out as a Hwangnidan-gil souvenir

I decided on a Gyeongju souvenir for my husband from Buja Hodu, a famous dessert spot on Hwangnidan-gil, with a gift set packed with lots of different flavors!! He couldn't join us since it was a weekday, so it was just me and my son on our Hwangnidan-gil date~~^^

We had lunch at a good restaurant and mochi for dessert at the famous Tareudang... meanwhile my husband was working without a break, sorry~~~ I'll bring you something delicious when we get home~~^^

Buja Hodu location, parking and opening hours

Buja Hodu is at 38 Poseok-ro 1095beon-gil, B-dong 105-ho, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and it's open daily from 09:30 to 20:00. Just stroll around Hwangnidan-gil and you'll spot this popular dessert shop, so even the directionally challenged can find it without worry!!

For parking, driving into the alley might be okay on weekday afternoons, but I'd avoid even trying on weekends. Parking at a public lot and walking over seems way more convenient on weekends~~^^

The walnut ice cream affogato I didn't get to try

The day we visited, it turned summer-hot again and I really wanted something cold, but my hands were full of bags so I couldn't order a drink....T.T The walnut ice cream affogato looked so good and I missed out on it, so disappointing!!! There's also real red ginseng tea, which pairs nicely with the sweet walnut pastries, so that's worth ordering too.

Original 10-piece or the mix: which set to order

Buja Hodu has an original 10-piece set made only with red bean paste, and a mix option where you can combine red bean with one other flavor. Walking around Hwangnidan-gil there are so many good restaurants and must-try desserts... so a big quantity can feel like too much, but this simple tasting set lets you order to your taste.

But I figured, why not go for the mix so you can taste a variety haha. We wanted to try a bit of everything, so we ordered the 24-piece mix with red bean, pea cream cheese, and matcha all together. After eating it at home, I really praised myself for choosing the 24-mix haha.

A Gyeongju gift set with holiday-style packaging

It's popular as a Gyeongju souvenir, but apparently a lot of people also buy it as a holiday gift~~!! They do such nice, upscale holiday gift wrapping that you can hand it over as-is without any extra fuss, which is so convenient, and walnut pastries are a dessert nobody dislikes, so recipients are happy too~~~ Best of all, you can give it as a gift without breaking the bank~~^^

One free tasting piece: the walnut inside is huge

While my son and I were debating which flavor to order, they gave us a walnut pastry to try, and can you see the size of that walnut~~~~~ Were the ones we'd been eating all this time even real walnut pastries??

The walnut size is beyond comparison!!!! Usually when you eat walnut pastries you get a half walnut or something even smaller, right? But this... the walnut just takes up a massive share of it.

How far the 24-piece mix went for a family of three

And the gift box itself is so upscale, too? Not the cheap-feeling walnut pastries sold at highway rest stops — this is a gift set with a premium package and real substance packed in, perfect for a souvenir~~!!

Ordering the 24-piece set meant our family of three could eat plenty~~ We had it with juice at home, with coffee too, and I'll keep it a secret who in our family of three ate the most haha.

My son and me. Honestly, we weren't even hungry?? But no idea how many we ate sitting in the car haha. I told myself I'd just try one~~ but couldn't stop haha.

The big walnut pieces double the nutty flavor, and since the pastries aren't too sweet, they'd make a great snack for kids or parents too. If you're looking for a Gyeongju souvenir gift set, Buja Hodu, the dessert spot on Hwangnidan-gil, is worth a visit.