Daegu Korean restaurant fire-grilled squid pork lunch: Banwoldang

I visited a place famous for great Korean food in Daegu. The sizzling, fire-scented squid and pork served on a stone plate can bring back even a lost appetite. The flavor and spread were absolutely perfect for lunch.

Location and opening information for Banwoldang Buja Sikdang Suseong Branch (반월당부자식당 수성점)

• Monday–Saturday 11:00–20:45
• Last order: 14:45, 20:00
• Break time: 15:30–17:00
• Closed every Sunday
• 1st floor, 22 Beomeocheon-ro, Suseong-gu, Daegu

Exterior in Beomeo-dong's covered-road food alley

It is located in the covered-road food alley in Beomeo-dong, Suseong-gu. By public transport, it is close to Children’s World Station on Line 3.

It is convenient because the restaurant provides one hour of free parking when you use the spaces in front of the shop or the public roadside lot across the street.

A spacious, clean dining room and self-service bar

The neat, modern interior really stood out. It has the tidy, polished feel of a semi-formal Korean set-menu restaurant. Since I care a lot about cleanliness, I got a bright, positive impression from the start. The space is also quite large, so it is great for group gatherings and family meals.

This self-service bar is managed beautifully and sparkles. The stainless steel is so clean it shines. Top marks for cleanliness.

You can take as much fresh wrap vegetables, ssamjang (seasoned soybean paste), garlic, and chili peppers as you like. Lettuce is a must with spicy pork, right?

Ordering the fire-grilled Oje stir-fry for two

We were curious about both squid and pork, so we ordered the fire-grilled Oje stir-fry for two at ₩28,000, along with steamed rice. On our next visit, I want to try the Buja seokgalbi (grilled marinated ribs) with the kids. It is a non-spicy dish that is good to share with children.

Fire-scented squid and pork on a stone plate

The side dishes arrived. I loved how neatly they were put together. Every single one was tasty, with only side dishes I like—nothing went untouched. That thin candied sweet-potato side dish was especially delicious, so I refilled a whole plate of it.

A doenjang-jjigae (soybean-paste stew) with cheonggukjang (fermented soybean paste) also came out. Turn on the burner set at each table and let it bubble away before eating. It is not overpowering, and its deep, nutty flavor is excellent.

Here is the gorgeous fire-grilled Oje stir-fry. The white enoki mushroom garnish against the red sauce makes it look even more appetizing.

Wow, the smoky aroma is the real deal from the very first whiff. It is a total rice thief on its own, and even better wrapped in lettuce. You just cannot make this flavor at home—it is savory and not overly spicy, so it goes down so easily. Definitely a Suseong-gu favorite!

There was also a generous amount of plump squid. It was cut thick, which made the texture even better. The savory-salty sauce goes wonderfully with the squid. It is an even better dish because you can enjoy squid and pork together.

The stone plate did not look that large, but there was quite a lot of meat all the way down to the bottom.

We made hearty lettuce wraps and cleared every last bite. Since it stays on the stone plate, the food remains warm right up until you are nearly finished.

A satisfyingly spicy Korean meal without being overpowering

This is an excellent restaurant for a stone-plate pork dish that is deliciously spicy without being overpowering. You can help yourself to plenty of fresh wrap vegetables at the self-service bar, and the hygienic, spacious, comfortable dining room is ideal for groups. With seokgalbi that children can enjoy too, I also recommend it for family meals. Banwoldang Buja Sikdang Suseong Branch does Korean food properly, with a flavor that everyone is likely to enjoy.