Korean restaurant near Kangchang Station, Daegu: mackerel gondre rice

On a weekend for lunch, my partner and I headed over near Keimyung University for a good meal after a while. We often go for Korean food on weekends anyway, and this time we tried Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch, a new place right by the main gate.

Since it just opened, I was curious what they'd be serving. Visiting in person, I liked not just the taste but the clean atmosphere and menu lineup. If you're looking for a solid place to eat around Keimyung University these days, I think it's worth a visit, so I wanted to introduce it.

• Location: 370 Hosan-dong, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, South Korea
• Hours: Mon–Sat 11:00–20:00, closed Sundays
• Break time: 15:30–17:00 / Last order 19:30
• Parking available

A brand-new Korean restaurant by Keimyung University's main gate

Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch sits near the main gate of Keimyung University. It's about a 5-minute walk from Kangchang Station, so it's convenient by public transport, and there's parking space right next to the store, so driving there is no hassle either.

Was there a wait for weekend lunch?

I figured there'd be some customers since it was weekend lunch, but there were far more people eating than I expected.

We arrived a bit past peak lunch hour, and the place was still packed — there was even a wait ahead of us.

Seeing so many people already flocking to a newly opened spot, I figured it was earning its reputation as a Seongseo Keimyung Korean restaurant worth visiting.

After a short wait, we were shown to our table and looked over the menu.

Ordering the signature mackerel gondre rice and eggplant doenjang rice

Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch is Korean food at its base, but with menus that stand out from the usual, which caught my eye even more. We ordered what looked like the signature dishes: mackerel gondre rice (marinated mackerel over gondre — mountain thistle — rice) and eggplant doenjang rice (fermented soybean paste rice bowl).

Both were dishes we wanted to try, so we ordered one of each to share.

We were debating whether to add a side dish, but it turned out they were giving away a han-pan galbi (grilled short rib) platter free as an opening event.

Thanks to that, we didn't need to order a side dish separately and still got to try the galbi platter too.

After a short wait, the food came out one by one, and the first thing that struck me was the visuals. Everything was plated neatly, great for photos, and just looking at it made me hungry.

Mackerel gondre rice topped with well-grilled mackerel

We started with the mackerel gondre rice. Gondre greens, mushrooms, and green onion were mixed nicely on top of the rice, topped with mackerel grilled to a golden brown. The visuals were even better than expected.

The well-grilled mackerel sitting on top looked especially appetizing, and just looking at it made me curious what it would taste like.

I mixed the rice, gondre greens, and mushrooms together and took a bite — it was clean and savory, and the flavors worked really well together.

Wrapped in gopchang gim with special sauce

It was already delicious on its own, but Hyangtaek also suggests a way to eat it — wrapping the rice in gopchang gim (thick-cut roasted seaweed) and adding a bit of special sauce, so we tried that too.

Personally, wrapping it in gopchang gim with a touch of the special sauce was my favorite combination.

Even though it was the same food, adding the gim and sauce changed the flavor, so it was fun enjoying it in different ways.

If you like clean, mild Korean dishes, I'd recommend the mackerel gondre rice when looking for a Seongseo Keimyung Korean restaurant.

Eggplant doenjang rice with beautifully cooked eggplant

Next was the eggplant doenjang rice. Eggplant can be a bit hit-or-miss depending on how it's cooked, but honestly, this eggplant doenjang rice was really good.

The visuals were quite appetizing to start, and the eggplant was cooked well without getting mushy or falling apart. The savory flavor of the doenjang paired really well with the eggplant.

Eaten with rice, it wasn't too heavy but still filling as a full meal, and it kept us reaching back for more. My partner and I took turns with both dishes, and honestly, both the mackerel gondre rice and the eggplant doenjang rice were so good it was hard to pick a favorite.

Depending on your taste, if you like clean and savory flavors, go for the mackerel gondre rice; if you prefer something rich and umami, the eggplant doenjang rice would be a good pick.

Plus the free han-pan galbi from the opening event

There was one more dish we didn't expect on this visit — the han-pan galbi platter given free as part of the opening event.

We hadn't ordered it separately, but it came out much more generously than expected, which surprised us.

The platter of meat came out looking appetizing, and taking a bite, it was juicy and quite tender.

The texture and flavor reminded me somewhat of tteokgalbi (patty-style short rib). The meat itself was soft with just the right seasoning, and it went really well with rice.

The mackerel gondre rice or eggplant doenjang rice alone would've been a satisfying meal, but adding the galbi platter made it even more filling. Eating the rice together with the galbi worked so well that we kept going back for more.

If you visit during the opening event period, don't miss out on checking for perks like this.

For a filling meal near Keimyung University

That day, my partner and I ate the mackerel gondre rice, eggplant doenjang rice, and han-pan galbi with real enjoyment. In the end, we cleaned our plates without leaving a single bite.

Visiting for weekend lunch, even late in the lunch hour there was a wait, and after eating I could see why there were so many customers.

Being close to Keimyung University's main gate and about a 5-minute walk from Kangchang Station made it very accessible, and having parking space was another plus. Most of all, I liked being able to try something a bit different from typical Korean food. From the mackerel-and-gondre combination of the mackerel gondre rice to the eggplant-and-doenjang eggplant doenjang rice, each dish had its own character while still being easy to enjoy overall.

If you're looking for lunch or dinner around Keimyung University, Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch is worth a visit as a Seongseo Keimyung Korean restaurant.

If you enjoy a clean, hearty meal, I think you'll be satisfied. For those like us who can't pick just one dish, I'd recommend ordering both the mackerel gondre rice and eggplant doenjang rice and sharing them.

Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch, visited with my partner on a weekend lunch — thanks to the delicious food, that lunch wrapped up on a very satisfying note.