Daegu Korean restaurant with mackerel rice: Hyangtaek

A neat Korean restaurant near Keimyung University’s main gate

It’s located by Keimyung University’s main gate, and the sign is noticeable, so it was easy to spot! It seems like a great place for students to come often too :) I visited on a weekday evening, and even from outside I could see it was already full of customers!

Wood-toned interior and generously spaced tables

The clean, wood-toned interior had plenty of tables, so I think it would be perfect for a gathering too! The tables are nicely spaced out, making it great for dining alone, and there actually were lots of solo diners.

Wooden cutlery, tissues, and cups were set on the table, along with instructions on the best way to eat each menu item, so I read them carefully while waiting for the food :)

From Spanish mackerel gondre rice to a varied Korean menu

From their signature Spanish mackerel gondre rice to soybean-paste eggplant rice and yukhoe bibimbap (rice mixed with seasoned raw beef), the Korean dishes all looked so delicious. There were lots of sides too, so I had a really hard time deciding 🤤

• Spanish mackerel gondre rice ₩14,000
• Soybean-paste eggplant rice ₩13,000
• Hanpan Beoseot mushroom pancake ₩6,000

Banchan and accompaniments

After ordering, they brought out the basic banchan (small side dishes). Even the tableware and bowls felt upscale, and there was salted seed seafood, pickled gungchae stems, and miso soybean-paste soup. The mackerel gondre rice came with a seasoned sauce, while the eggplant rice came with vinegar—just add them to your own taste 😊

The main dishes, filling the whole table

Isn’t this full Korean spread so pretty? 💖 Everything came out so neatly plated that I took it all in with my eyes—and snapped away too 📸

Spanish mackerel gondre rice, lightly seasoned and even better for it

The Spanish mackerel gondre rice had a nicely grilled piece of mackerel on top of the rice, with loads of fragrant gondre greens, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and sesame seeds. It was lightly seasoned, so even adding all of the house sauce didn’t make it salty—it was delicious 🤩

The mackerel was boneless fillet, so it was easy to eat. It was grilled moist and flaked apart beautifully; tender without any fishy smell, it was seriously delicious ❗️

The nutty gondre greens and mackerel were so good that I kept reaching for another spoonful! For an even tastier bite, scoop up some rice in gim (roasted seaweed) and top it with the salted seed seafood. You get that savory seaweed flavor too—so good! I immediately understood why this is Hyangtaek’s signature dish 💚

Soybean-paste eggplant rice with wonderfully moist eggplant

My dad ordered the soybean-paste eggplant rice! It brought together nicely grilled eggplant and savory gangdoenjang (thick soybean-paste sauce), with fragrant garlic chives too. The eggplant was cooked until soft enough to pull apart, so you can tear off bite-size pieces and eat them with the rice!

You get that savory soybean-paste flavor, while the eggplant stays moist. It even had a little mazesoba feel, and the combination was absolutely perfect. My dad said it was exactly his kind of food and praised it nonstop 👍 I don’t usually like eggplant much, but this was seriously delicious.

Crispy Hanpan Beoseot mushroom pancake, perfect as a side

Hanpan Beoseot is a crispy jeon (Korean savory pancake) made with assorted mushrooms, including enoki, oyster, pine, and shiitake mushrooms! Ahh, doesn’t it look incredibly crispy just in the photo? 💛

The mushrooms’ juices and aroma really came through, along with the pancake’s nutty savoriness, making it such a good side! It was even tastier dipped lightly in soy sauce. I definitely recommend ordering it ❗️

Visit on a weekday and write a review to receive Hanpan Beoseot!! You should join the Naver receipt-review event, right? 😊 The mushroom pancake is really delicious, so be sure to take part and get one!

A lunch or dinner meal near Keimyung University

The owner here was so kind and explained everything well too :) The atmosphere was lovely, and the refined Korean-food feel made me excited to try more dishes, so I’m planning to come back 🥰 Since it’s near Keimyung University, it’s great for lunch after class or a light dinner when you’re done! If you’re tired of today’s intense foods, I totally recommend Hyangtaek Seongseo Keimyung University Branch for a clean, filling meal 🩷