Weekday opener at Daidokoro Gwangalli, a Suyeong, Busan Japanese diner

There's a Japanese home-style meal I crave on a cycle, so I stopped by Daidokoro Gwangalli Main Branch, a Gwangalli Japanese diner that's held down the same spot for 10 years, and ate really well. My husband and I used to come here a lot back when we were dating too — brought back a lot of memories.

Walk inside and you genuinely feel like you're in Japan. Every little prop and knickknack is cute and detailed. Let me introduce the delicious dishes that come out on a tray, each in its own little dish.

Daidokoro Gwangalli Main Branch hours and location

• Daily 11:00–21:00
• 15:30–17:00 break time (no break time on Sat/Sun)
• 20:00 last order
• Reservations · groups · takeout · baby chairs · waiting area · delivery available
• 2F, 27 Namcheondong-ro 108beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan (Namcheon-dong)

How does the waiting work?

It's a place people wait for, so weekend lunch hours are pretty much always a line, haha. I did a weekday opener instead and got in right away. There's cold lemon water at the entrance and a guestbook you can sign. Even if you end up waiting, might as well wait in a good mood!

They use CatchTable so you can wait comfortably from elsewhere. When the alert comes, you head straight in! And pregnant guests get a free pass — wow, amazing!

Interior and seating that feel like Japan

There are 2-seat and 4-seat tables, plus group seating further back. Groups can reserve ahead, which seems like a good idea. The outside of Daidokoro Gwangalli Main Branch and the inside give off such different vibes — doesn't the interior feel so Japanese?

Every table has its own tablet so ordering is easy. I snuck a few photos when there were no other guests around. Solo lunch works fine here in Gwangalli, and everything is so detailed and cute. Browsing the figurines while waiting for the food was fun too.

Menu lineup

There's everything from sets to individual dishes. Jadu set, Kirin draft beer set, signature set, tonkatsu curry set — whichever set you pick, the composition is generous enough for a full meal.

Each table comes stocked with a pudding spoon, shichimi (Japanese chili pepper blend), furikake (seasoning flakes), and a cup of salad dressing. There's a guestbook too, so make some memories before or after your meal. Daidokoro Gwangalli Main Branch is a great Gwangalli spot to go with a partner or friends.

Jadu solo set with added cold udon

I added cold udon to the Jadu solo set. It comes with Jadu ade (plum-flavored drink), plus karaage, curry rice, and menbosha (shrimp-stuffed toast). Really generous, right? I'd guess it's Daidokoro Gwangalli Main Branch's signature dish. Getting to try so many things at once made me so happy — there's also a croquette and two sausages!

And of course, freshly fried menbosha — amazing. It comes with salad, so dip it right into the sauce. Crispy with no oily smell, and really tasty. Inside is tender shrimp meat.

Mild Japanese curry alongside warm egg rice, karaage that's crispy outside and tender inside — doesn't it look so appetizing? Kimchi, pickled radish, croquette, milk pudding, soup, all arranged neatly on a round tray. Looks so full and delicious, all clustered together.

There are figurines placed here and there, and they're just too cute. The croquette is soft and tasty~ they even draw a little picture with the sauce on top of the rice.

Karaage and mini curry

Boneless chicken thigh is coated in a housemade batter and fried until crispy, giving karaage that's soft inside and crunchy outside, served with chili sauce. The karaage is crispy outside, tender inside. So good, argh — it's the kind of taste that calls for a draft beer, haha, nom nom. Next time I come, after giving birth, I'm definitely pairing it with beer!

The curry comes in a mini portion, perfect for pairing with everything else. Also really mild and smooth.

Cold udon added because of the heat

I added cold udon since it was such a hot day. The chewy, springy noodles stood out, and there's also a piece of tempura vegetable in there. Cold and refreshing, really hit the spot.

Slurped it all down happily — didn't leave a single noodle behind~

Ordered a full-size milk pudding on top

The set comes with a small taste of milk pudding, and it was so good I ordered a full-size one separately. It's available for takeout too, in case that's useful to know.

Sweet and delicious. So soft and springy, haha.