Dunsan-dong kaoyu restaurant with enoki add-on, new parents' lunch out

Hi, this is Dumdum. Four weeks after giving birth, I finally got the chance to go out.

I left the baby with our postpartum helper and went on a long-overdue date with my husband. Being outside again, I craved something bold and new. After searching the night before, we decided on kaoyu, a Sichuan-style braised fish dish, and headed to Bantiannyao Kaoyu, the only kaoyu restaurant in Daejeon.

Even though it's called "braised," it's nothing like the braised dishes we usually know — the fish was moist, rich, and absolutely incredible. Honestly, I still think about it. I'm considering asking my husband to bring some home soon. Here's my review of the truly, truly delicious Bantiannyao Kaoyu.

Where is Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch, and what are the hours?

• Kaoyu restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon
• Address: 13 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon
• Hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–22:30
• In-store restroom available
• Parking available behind the building

Parking and what the restaurant looks like

Bantiannyao Kaoyu is on the 2nd floor. Parking is available behind the building, but since we planned to walk around the area after eating, we parked in the street parking lot out front. Maybe because it recently opened, the interior was very clean.

Down the hallway there are 2 private rooms, and various amenities for guests like chargers, hair ties, floss, and baby tableware.

What's in the ₩2,000 self-bar?

On the right side of Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch is a zone with unlimited rice, sauces, snacks, and drinks for ₩2,000.

There's also ice cream. It's a milk-flavored one similar to a Boseokbar (jewel-shaped popsicle).

The restaurant is fairly large.

We went at lunchtime so it was quiet, but apparently there's a wait in the evenings. Here's a photo of the menu.

Ordering mala kaoyu with ningbo fish and extra enoki mushrooms

As mentioned, kaoyu is a braised fish dish. There are various flavors, but mala kaoyu and garlic kaoyu are said to be the most popular.

We ordered mala kaoyu (ningbo fish), added enoki mushroom noodles, and the self-bar for two.

Here's how our kaoyu looked when it arrived. The visuals were insane.

It's meant to keep simmering at the table, and after a bit of initial boiling, a staff member comes to prep it for you.

How the ningbo fish and mala broth tasted

Once the prep is done, it's ready to eat. This was genuinely insane. It doesn't feel like Korean-style braised food at all — it's more like well-cooked fish served together with sauce.

The combination of the fish and sauce was seriously delicious. It was my first time trying ningbo fish, and the flesh was incredibly moist and savory. The pairing of the rich, fatty fish with the spicy mala broth was absolutely amazing. We wrapped it in rice paper from the self-bar, dipped it in sauce, and thoroughly enjoyed every bite.

The cucumber salad (oitangtangi) provided for participating in the Naver reservation and review event was also delicious.

It refreshed the palate nicely. I really recommend joining the review event to get the cucumber salad.

We tried our best, but the portion of kaoyu was quite large for the two of us. We wanted to finish all the fish since it seemed a shame to waste, but we ended up leaving a bit behind.

Verdict: worth it if you love hotpot

After visiting today, I understood why this is trending in Shanghai. It was truly, truly delicious.

It's like a whole fish dropped into a hotpot — except that fish is genuinely amazing.

For anyone who loves hotpot, I think Bantiannyao Kaoyu is a far better value and choice than Haidilao. I'd highly, highly recommend this restaurant for a date or a meal with friends.