Two-shrimp basil oil pasta near Gyeongju bus terminal: Midam Kitchen

A Western restaurant to know on Hwangnidang-gil, Gyeongju: Midam Kitchen

Have you heard of Midam Kitchen, a new Western restaurant that opened on Hwangnidang-gil in Gyeongju!? I went because it's a fresh new spot, and honestly every single dish was way tastier than expected, with flavors that weren't the usual — I'm about to say "delicious" about a million times... this is a sponsored post but it's 100% genuine 🫶🏻

Midam Kitchen hours and where it sits on Hwangnidang-gil

⏱️ Open 10:30 - 21:00, closed every Wednesday. Midam Kitchen, a Western food spot in Gyeongju, sits right near the entrance of Hwangnidang-gil. It's a 10-minute walk from the intercity bus terminal, 5 minutes to the main Hwangnidang-gil street, and within walking distance of Daereungwon and Cheomseongdae, so it's an easy stop during a Gyeongju trip.

Since it's right at the entrance of Hwangnidang-gil, proper parking spots are scarce, but if you circle the alleys a bit there are a few spots tucked here and there. On a nice day it's a distance you could walk to Gyeongju's major sights, so keep your eyes peeled for parking. I parked in an alley near Midam Kitchen — lucky!

Hanok exterior, white-wood interior: the mood and seating at Midam Kitchen

Midam Kitchen on Hwangnidang-gil has a hanok-style exterior, so it was easy to spot right away.

Inside is clean and done up in white wood, with an unusual layout — bigger than expected, and with plenty of tables.

Right by the entrance there are 4 tables for two, and the inner section is mostly tables for four. In total there are 4 tables for two, 4-6 tables for four, and 2-3 tables for six, so Midam Kitchen works well for groups too.

There's also a more private area in the back with mostly 4- and 6-person seating, which seems great for families or visits with kids.

You can also book ahead through Naver Reservation, and I liked that they had the table already set when we arrived from the reservation.

What's on the Midam Kitchen menu: oil pasta, risotto, pizza, pork cutlet

True to a Western restaurant, Midam Kitchen has a wide range of pastas and risottos, and quite a few oil pasta options.

There's also pizza and salads, great for a brunch, plus pork cutlets, which makes it good for eating out with kids. I visited around weekend lunchtime, and that day there were a lot of families with children too!

• Basil oil pasta ₩15,900
• Beef risotto ₩15,900
• House salad
• Lemonade ₩4,500

The whole reason I came here... I fell for how the beef risotto looked in photos. I saw there was a house salad coupon with Naver Reservation, so I booked and made sure to grab the salad too!

The free house salad from the Naver Reservation coupon

Wait, is this really a free extra...? Wow. It's not on the regular menu so I didn't expect much, but the portion they give as a complimentary salad is huge, the vegetables are fresh, and the sauce is genuinely delicious. A salad is a must with Western food, and it went so well alongside the risotto and pasta! Right now there's a house salad coupon with Naver Reservation, so if you're planning to visit Midam Kitchen, please make sure to book ahead!!!!

Basil oil pasta with two large shrimp, 15,900 won

Gyeongju's Midam Kitchen loads the basil oil pasta generously with shrimp — and there were two especially big ones in there!

It took a bit of time to take photos, but the noodles hadn't gone soft, the sauce was still nicely pooled, and even as an oil pasta it wasn't greasy, with a subtle basil aroma coming through — so good...

The chunky shrimp especially made this shrimp fanatic very happy... I love shrimp, and these were so fresh and good that now I'm curious about their basil shrimp risotto too. (Have to try it next time...)

One dish to order at Midam Kitchen: the beef risotto

If I could only choose one dish at Midam Kitchen, I'd pick the beef risotto. Everything else was delicious too, but this beef risotto here is... it's really something... wow ㅠ

They pile on a generous amount of marinated beef, and for starters the meat isn't tough at all — genuinely tender. And since they're not stingy with the meat, even though I ate some with every bite, there was still beef left almost to the very last spoonful 🫶🏻

Cream risotto and pasta are usually just average wherever you go, so places that make me think "this is genuinely delicious!!!!!" are rare — but with this beef risotto, one bite in, my partner and I were already saying how good it was... and talking about coming back for this and pizza next time... the seasoning on the beef paired so well with the cream risotto sauce that it was truly delicious (100% genuine)

Is Midam Kitchen worth a stop on Hwangnidang-gil?

Midam Kitchen on Hwangnidang-gil in Gyeongju let me enjoy really good Western food after a long while. A newly opened spot with a clean interior, an owner who stayed kind even during a busy rush, and genuinely delicious food... I left curious about the rest of the menu, and I'd confidently say I'm 100% planning to come back!

⭐️ The beef risotto especially... non-negotiable. ⭐️