Daegu pho restaurant: extra-meat Hanoi pho and trotter rice, Raichen

A family pho dinner in Chilgok 3-jigu at Raichen Chilgok Branch

Raichen Chilgok Branch (라이첸 칠곡점) is a Vietnamese restaurant in Chilgok 3-jigu, Buk-gu, Daegu. My whole family, mom included, absolutely loves pho, so we went looking for a great pho place. I'd come to Daegu for a visit to my parents' home after a long time, and wow, Daegu was hot. I was born and raised there, but since moving to Seoul for work I only get its summer weather once in a while, and it was really, really hot.

Where is Raichen Chilgok Branch? Hours and free parking

Raichen Chilgok Branch is at 30-23 Dongcheon-ro 23-gil, Buk-gu, Daegu, near Twosome Place and across from the Homeplus parking lot entrance. It's open 11:00–21:15 (last order 20:30) and closed every Monday.

It's a 1–2 minute walk from Palgeo Station on elevated Line 3, so it's super easy to find. Drivers don't need to worry about parking either. On weekdays you can use the Hit Town parking lot for free, and on weekends and holidays the nearby Statistics Office parking lot is free to use!

When Raichen was featured on TV, a guest tasted the food and reportedly said, "If it tastes this good, I want to live in Vietnam for a month." Hahaha. The owner from Hanoi adapted the flavors to Korean tastes, so it's a Chilgok 3-jigu Vietnamese restaurant with great pho that anyone can enjoy, no hits and misses.

In front of the restaurant there's a menu board with photos, handy to look at while you wait in line. They say every dish is cooked by a local Vietnamese chef, so my expectations were sky high.

Raichen Chilgok Branch interior and family seating

This was the prettiest pho restaurant I've been to so far! ✨ It felt like being on a trip to Vietnam. It seems like they ground the Vietnam-travel vibe into every single prop, down to the soul.

I was surprised by the clever touches, like the lampshades and the mannequin used as an apron hanger.

There's private group seating and high chairs for babies, so it's perfect for a family meal!

How much does the menu at Raichen Chilgok Branch cost?

Main dishes at Raichen Chilgok Branch run from ₩10,000 for pho to ₩15,500 for banh xeo. Extra noodles, meat and bean sprouts cost extra, and coriander is free only the first time~

• Banh xeo (crispy Vietnamese sizzling crepe): ₩15,500
• Charcoal-grilled bun cha (grilled pork with rice vermicelli): ₩13,500
• Hanoi pho (authentic Hanoi-style rice noodle soup): ₩10,000 (no bean sprouts)
• Southern-style bean sprout pho: ₩10,500
• Raichen pork trotter rice: ₩12,500
• [Summer only] Cold pho: ₩13,000

They also had 30% off condensed milk coffee takeout! I remembered how delicious it was in Vietnam and really wanted some. It was tempting news, but I'm on a diet, so I held back with tears in my eyes! 😭

What we ordered: pho, banh xeo, cold pho and jokbal rice

We ordered my family's favorites, pho and banh xeo, plus the [summer only] cold pho and the pork trotter rice I'd been curious about~

The portions were generous and the table was packed 👍🏻

How do you eat banh xeo?

The banh xeo (₩15,500) at Raichen Chilgok Branch is the dish my family always orders. Banh xeo is always right 🧡

The staff explain how to eat banh xeo when they serve it, and there's also a guide on the table, so you won't get lost!

You wrap the crispy banh xeo in rice paper and lettuce. Stacking various ingredients on the rice paper and wrapping them up gives a flavor that's light yet rich~ Dip it in the sauce and the savory depth is amazing! Banh xeo is delicious whenever I eat it.

Lots of grilled bulgogi and vegetables. I ate it on the cold pho and wrapped it in the banh xeo rice paper too. It's sweet and salty, so piling it onto plain white rice would be a wolf-it-down kind of thing too.

What does Raichen's summer-only cold pho taste like?

The [summer only] cold pho (₩13,000) at Raichen Chilgok Branch is a chilled rice noodle dish in a sweet and sour broth. This was my first time trying cold pho, and it was a refreshing match for Daegu's scorching weather. Eating pho in a cool, sweet and sour broth felt unusual and fun!

Even cold, the noodles were springy and soft, and they went well with the charcoal-grilled meat.

The fresh, exotic sweet and sour cold pho broth... when the heat has killed your appetite, this is a different kind of broth that will bring it right back!

My top pick: Raichen jokbal rice (braised pork trotter rice)

My personal favorite at Raichen Chilgok Branch was the pork trotter rice bowl, the Raichen pork trotter rice (₩12,500)!

The tender whole trotter is soaked in a sweet and salty sauce, and with rice it's fantastic. Haha. A spicy kick is added, so it never felt greasy to the very end! It was totally my taste, so I forgot I was on a diet and wolfed it down lol 😭 But mostly protein... I ate more meat... no, I'll just exercise harder... it's fine.. haha 👉🙄👈

Is Hanoi-style pho with extra meat worth it?

The Hanoi pho (₩10,000) at Raichen Chilgok Branch is a rich-broth pho the whole family loves. They say the broth is made in the restaurant from beef bone and brisket simmered for 24 hours. When I added extra meat, the bowl came piled high with it.

The broth at this Chilgok 3-jigu pho restaurant lived up to expectations, deep and rich~ The kids didn't leave a single noodle and ate it all happily.

Why Raichen Chilgok Branch works for family gatherings

Raichen Chilgok Branch serves local-style Vietnamese dishes that are still familiar to Korean tastes, which makes it a good restaurant for family gatherings. It doesn't use artificial spices, so everyone from small kids to elders can eat without any resistance. If you're looking for a good restaurant in Chilgok 3-jigu or near Palgeo Station, definitely stop by Raichen Chilgok Branch!