Lotte Gwangbok Japanese eatery: draft beer & 4 croquettes, Daidokoro

When you're shopping at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok, you get hungry and want a good lunch or dinner, right? Today I'm introducing Daidokoro Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch, where I stopped for a proper meal in the middle of shopping!

Daidokoro is a Japanese home-cooking restaurant, so you can enjoy a variety of set meals, and it has dishes kids like too, which makes it a decent spot for a family meal. It's good for a simple meal, and just right for fried food with a glass of draft beer. 😊

Where is Daidokoro at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok?

Daidokoro is in the food court on the 10th floor of Lotte Department Store Gwangbok. I liked that you can sort out a meal without going far from your shopping. Since it specializes in Japanese home cooking, it's a good place when you want a filling meal.

It's worth dropping by if you're looking for lunch near Nampo or Gwangbok-dong, or wondering where to eat after shopping at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok. The menu works for kids too, so it seemed like a good fit for a family meal or a casual meal with friends.

What we ordered at Daidokoro

This time at Daidokoro Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch, I ordered two set meals, a fried side dish and draft beer.

• Japanese-style kkanpunggi set
• Chicken nanban set
• Assorted croquettes (à la carte)
• 2 draft beers 🍺

Two hearty sets plus assorted croquettes, so I got to try a bit of everything. I didn't want just the meal; I wanted crispy fried food with cold draft beer, and it turned out to be a really satisfying combo.

Assorted croquettes with draft beer: a good shopping-break snack?

The first things out at Daidokoro were the assorted croquettes and the draft beer. I took a sip of the beer first, and it was cold and tasty, a nice way to whet the appetite before the meal. Even without a set meal, I thought you could just order a fried dish and enjoy it lightly with draft beer.

The assorted croquettes came as 4 pieces: potato croquette, sweet sweet potato cheese croquette, curry croquette and vegetable croquette, so I got to try four kinds at once. One flavor alone might feel a bit lacking, but with several kinds there's the fun of picking by taste.

They were crispy outside, and each had a different filling, so they went well as a snack with draft beer. 🍻 If you get peckish while shopping and want some fried food and beer, I'd recommend this combo too!

What comes in Daidokoro's Japanese-style kkanpunggi set?

Daidokoro's Japanese-style kkanpunggi set is chicken thigh fried crispy outside and juicy inside, tossed in a sweet-sour kkanpunggi sauce. The crispy fry and the sauce together really got my appetite going.

What I liked most is that it isn't just a main dish; it comes as a full spread with lots of side dishes and extras.

Kimchi, pickled radish, Vienna sausage, quail eggs, curry, milk pudding, soup, a fried egg and rice all came with it, so it made a filling meal. Being a Japanese home-cooking restaurant, it's nice to taste a little of many different things.

They even drew a cute picture on the fried egg in ketchup, and the curry was served cutely too, so I was in a good mood the moment the food arrived. ❤️ The cabbage under the kkanpunggi was nice with the sauce like a salad, and the flavorful curry with rice made it even more filling.

To finish, there was sweet, soft milk pudding, so it felt like I got dessert too. From the main dish to the sides and dessert, it was a satisfying set with lots of variety.

Why the chicken nanban set beat the kkanpunggi set

Daidokoro's chicken nanban set comes with a tangy-sweet special soy sauce and a generous helping of tartar sauce. There was plenty of sauce, so it was great with the chicken.

One bite and the sweet-and-sour sauce was so appealing. Add the soft, nutty tartar sauce and the chicken tasted even richer. Personally, I liked the chicken nanban set better than the Japanese-style kkanpunggi set I had that day! 😋

Of course it depends on taste, but if you like sweet-sour sauce and tartar sauce, I hope you'll try the chicken nanban set too. You get crispy chicken with sauce, plus rice and sides, so it suits lunch well.

Why Daidokoro is a good lunch pick at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok

Daidokoro Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch was an easy Japanese home-cooking place for a meal while shopping. From the crispy assorted croquettes and cold draft beer to the hearty kkanpunggi set and the sweet-sour chicken nanban set, I enjoyed the variety.

I especially liked the set format with several side dishes, curry, soup and milk pudding, and the cute plating put me in a good mood before I even ate. Personally, the chicken nanban set suited my taste better of the two sets, and I'd order it again next time!

It's a good place to visit when you're hungry while shopping at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok, or want a hearty lunch or dinner near Nampo.

It suits a family meal with kids as well as a meal with friends, so if you're looking for a place to eat around Lotte Department Store Gwangbok or Nampo, I recommend Daidokoro Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch! 🍱❤️