Japanese restaurant in Jung-gu, Busan for chicken nanban: Daidokoro

Today I visited Daidokoro inside Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch!! I’d been to the Gwangalli Daidokoro before, and it was sooo good. I heard one had opened on the 10th floor of Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch too, so I had to go again! It’s near Nampo-dong, so I think it’d be great for anyone visiting Nampo-dong or getting hungry after shopping at Lotte. If you’re looking for a good Japanese restaurant around Nampo-dong, give Daidokoro a visit ೕ(•̀ㅂ•́ )

Daidokoro on the 10th Floor of Lotte Department Store Gwangbok

• Location: 10th floor, 2 Jungang-daero, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea (27 m from Nampo Station Exit 8)
• Hours: daily 10:30–21:00
• Parking available
• Takeout and group visits available

Head up to the 10th floor of Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch and you’ll find Daidokoro.

Daidokoro is full of Japanese vibes! It’s decorated with Ghibli posters and dolls. The Gwangalli branch had this kind of atmosphere too, and it’s all so charming and cute.ᐟ

Wide Table Spacing That’s Great for Dining Solo

Most of the seats were tables for 2 to 4 people, and the tables were nicely spaced out, so it looked great for conversation too. Since I came on a weekday, it was quiet and lovely! I came alone and sat at a two-person table, and it’s absolutely great for solo dining too!!

Ordering the Nanban Set

There are set meals and à la carte dishes, but the sets are generous, so I recommend getting a set. There’s lots to choose from too, including udon, pork cutlet, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), and the Nanban Set, so order whatever suits your taste. I ordered the Nanban Set!

On the table were cups, spoons, salad dressing, water, and a kiosk! You pay on your way out. The little spoon up top is for the pudding that comes as dessert, while the dining spoons can be taken from beside the table. The restaurant was incredibly clean! I visited during a quiet time, but the staff kept cleaning here and there. It was seriously so clean that it gave me confidence.

One Tray from Chicken Nanban to Pudding

My order arrived.ᐟ It comes on one tray like this, with assorted side dishes, soup, and even pudding for dessert.ᐟ They even drew a face in ketchup, which was so cute haha. You can eat the cabbage with the tartar sauce, or pour on the sauce beside it.

There’s a fried egg on top of the rice, and you can choose whether you want it soft or fully cooked when ordering!

Chicken Nanban Loaded with Tartar Sauce

Chicken nanban topped with lots of tartar sauce! There’s cabbage underneath, and the tartar sauce is really generous. It’s delicious when you eat the tartar sauce, chicken, and cabbage together! Make sure to squeeze on the lemon juice too~

The side dishes were like this 𖦹 quail eggs, sausage, danmuji (yellow pickled radish), curry, radish, kimchi, and things like that? The soup was kind of like udon broth. I love getting lots of different little side dishes! The variety keeps it from getting boring.

The Surprisingly Good Curry on the Side

The curry that came with it.ᐟ I wasn’t expecting much, but it was surprisingly tasty? It has just a tiiiny bit of spice, so it goes well with the chicken. I think I might try the curry next time. It’s called 100-hour aged curry, and it sounds sooo good. Mixed into the rice with the fried egg, it was insanely delicious.

Dessert pudding haha. Since it’s chicken, you might get a little tired of it toward the end, but this mini pudding makes it all go down so nicely. It’s a little sweet and just perfect for dessert!!

Final Thoughts

This is a great place to stop when you get hungry while shopping at Lotte Department Store Gwangbok Branch. The restaurant is clean and the food comes out so neatly, making it wonderful for a date or solo dining. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes Japanese home-style meals!