Tanbang Station octopus restaurant with easy parking: Chongil Nakji

I wanted to eat octopus dishes in Tanbang-dong, so I went to Chongil Nakji, Tanbang branch. This time I ordered both the octopus and squid soup (mundeo-nakji yeonpotang) and the spicy octopus stir-fry, and both dishes had plenty of octopus, so I left full and satisfied. It's also close to Tanbang Station, making it an easy pick when looking for a place to eat in Daejeon.

Where is Chongil Nakji, and how easy is parking?

Chongil Nakji, Tanbang branch is on the first floor of a parking tower, so it was easy to park when I drove there. It's also close to Tanbang Station, so it's a decent spot to reach by public transit too.

If you're looking for somewhere to eat near Lotte Department Store Daejeon, it's not far to travel, so it's worth considering as a restaurant near the Daejeon Lotte department store. There are also several cafés nearby, so it's a good spot to move to and chat after the meal.

Inside the restaurant and ordering by kiosk

The interior of Chongil Nakji, Tanbang branch was neatly arranged overall, and ordering is done via kiosk. It wasn't difficult — you check the menu and order right away.

When I visited, there was also a promotion running where writing a receipt review would get you a free bulgogi-style pork dish. The details of this kind of promotion can change, so it's worth checking again when you visit.

Mundeo-nakji yeonpotang for 29,000 won

The first dish I had, the octopus and squid soup (mundeo-nakji yeonpotang), was ₩29,000, and it worked well as a meal since you get warm broth and octopus together. What I liked most was that there was plenty of octopus, so there was no disappointment of having to pick through the broth for scraps of meat.

That said, it was a bit disappointing that the only sauce for dipping the octopus was chojang (vinegared chili paste). The soup itself was tasty, but I think if there had been another type of sauce, like soy sauce, it would have been nice to eat the octopus in different ways. If you like warm soup dishes, this was a solid choice when visiting for a meal in Daejeon.

Nakji bokkeum with a spice level you choose

What I liked about the spicy octopus stir-fry at Chongil Nakji, Tanbang branch was that you can choose the spice level. Since everyone's tolerance for spicy food is different, it was convenient to be able to adjust it for whoever I was with.

Just like the soup, it was loaded with octopus, so I was satisfied with the amount of the main ingredient. If you're looking for a restaurant near the Daejeon Lotte department store and want something spicy with octopus, choosing this dish shouldn't be hard.

Why the side dishes fell a little short

The basic side dishes were radish salad (musaengchae) and pickled onions, which was fairly simple. They weren't heavily seasoned, so they were easy to eat without feeling overwhelmed, but personally I thought it would have been nicer to have one or two more types of side dishes, or a soy sauce to go with the meal.

On the other hand, if you prefer focusing on the main octopus dish rather than having a lineup of strongly flavored sides, this might not bother you much.

A meal before or after a Sungsimdang bakery run

Chongil Nakji, Tanbang branch was easy to reach both by car, thanks to the convenient parking, and by public transit, being close to Tanbang Station. Both the octopus and squid soup and the spicy octopus stir-fry being generous with octopus also stuck with me.

If you're planning around nearby errands and looking for a restaurant near Sungsimdang, or a place in Daejeon for octopus dishes, this is worth comparing. In particular, being able to choose the spice level for the octopus stir-fry made it convenient for eating with a group.

If you're looking for a restaurant near Sungsimdang and thinking of following the meal with a café, the location is handy for that too.