Sinmae, Daegu Korean restaurant: rainy weekend dinner, Cafe Dong-i

Plenty of Korean set-meal restaurants claim to be generous, but Cafe Dong-i Sicheol (카페동이 시지점) in Sicheol, Daegu was so generous and so tasty it honestly caught me off guard. When you miss a warm homemade meal, this is the spot: a full table, unlimited fried eggs and unlimited after-meal drinks. Let me start my detailed review of the cozy, home-cooked spread I enjoyed!

Where is Cafe Dong-i Sicheol and where to park?

Cafe Dong-i Sicheol is at 56 Sinmae-ro 16-gil, Suseong-gu, Daegu, on the first floor of a commercial building. It is right in front of the Sinmae Market entrance, so it was super easy to find.

For parking, use the Sinmae Market public parking lot: 1 hour is free on weekdays and it is free on weekends. It was a weekend, but the rain was heavy, so there were lots of spots along the roadside and we just parked there, haha.

Inside Cafe Dong-i Sicheol: seating and the wait

Unlike how it looks from outside, the inside is really spacious. There is also a kiosk for waiting registration, so you can wander around Sinmae Market while you wait, which makes visiting stress-free. I went at 7 pm on a weekend evening and there were plenty of seats, so we were seated right away.

The restroom is inside the restaurant, clean and odor-free, with hand soap and paper towels all stocked. I really liked how tidy the whole place felt.

There are high chairs and a kids' menu too, so it is a good restaurant to visit with children.

What's at the unlimited fried egg service bar?

The service bar at Cafe Dong-i Sicheol has everything from unlimited fried eggs to gopchang-gim (seasoned seaweed), barley puffed snacks and hutgae tea...! The service bar was so generous that I was surprised all over again. Amazing value, seriously!

What we ordered for a rainy weekend dinner

With the rain, I wanted a Korean meal like a spicy kimchi jjigae (stew) or doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), so I came here, and the set menus turned out to be really well put together.

• Grandma's jjukkumi stir-fry set, changed to kimchi jjigae
• Fire-grilled jeyuk (spicy pork) set
• Fried dumplings
• Kimchi pancake

This is what we ordered~ The table is totally full, so generous,,

How does Grandma's jjukkumi stir-fry set taste?

The jjukkumi (baby octopus) has big eggs and plump flesh, and the red sauce isn't spicy, so it looks mouthwatering.

Dipping it in the mayonnaise sauce that comes with it is just fantastic! It is served on a single-person brazier, so you can enjoy the food warm until the very last spoonful.

Is the fire-grilled jeyuk set worth ordering?

The fire-grilled jeyuk was also pure soul food, true to the basics, and the generous amount of cabbage made it feel even more abundant.

With side dishes so good that one bowl of rice isn't enough, and dishes that suit a craving for warm home cooking, it is a Korean set-meal restaurant that was tasty, filling and easy on the wallet.

Who is Cafe Dong-i Sicheol best for?

Cafe Dong-i Sicheol has plenty of side dishes and a menu everyone from kids to grandparents can enjoy, and it finishes with sweet omija tea, so you leave very full. If you are near Gyeongsan or Sicheol and miss mom's home cooking, I recommend this super generous table~!