Checking mackerel bones at a Daegu Korean restaurant: Hyangtaek

If you're visiting Kim Kwang-seok Street (김광석길) in Daegu for a trip or a weekend date, you'll probably wonder where to eat after the walk. This time I wanted something clean and neat near the street, so I visited Hyangtaek Daebong Branch.

What the dining room at Hyangtaek Daebong Branch looks like

The exterior had a modern, tidy look, and there was a waiting table system out front — I could tell right away how popular this place is, haha.

By the entrance stood a signboard showing the signature menu.

From outside, every table looked full, so I thought I'd have to wait, but luckily there was an open seat when I went in, haha. The warm wood interior caught my eye, and the space felt clean and calm overall — comfortable for a meal.

The owner and staff were so kind, which put me in a good mood.

How to eat the rice for the best flavor

On the table sat a guide card for eating Hyangtaek's dishes the tasty way.

It said to first mix the toppings evenly with the rice to taste the dish as it is, then add gim (seasoned seaweed) and seasoned fish roe, or a little of the special sauce, to enjoy it a different way. Useful tips for getting the most out of the menu.

• Hours 11:00–20:00
• Break time 15:30–17:00
• Last order 15:00, 19:30
• Parking for 2 cars in front of the restaurant
• Group seating, high chair, takeout, reservations, waiting area available

If you take part in the receipt review event, you get a free mushroom pancake — worth trying, though it's weekdays only.

There's a big cauldron in front of the kitchen — somehow it makes the food taste even more trustworthy, haha.

• Mackerel gondre rice: ₩14,000
• Eggplant doenjang rice bowl: ₩13,000

The side dishes and soup that come with the meal

The food arrived with individual side dishes plated neatly,

and a warm soup rounded out a clean, tidy table setting.

Mackerel gondre rice: taste and bones to watch for

I started with the mackerel gondre rice. Over rice mixed with gondre greens (dried thistle greens), shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and sesame seeds sat a large, golden-grilled piece of mackerel — it looked delicious just to see. The mackerel meat was thick and clean-tasting, pairing well with the fragrant gondre.

I tried it first without any sauce, then mixed in a bit of the special soy sauce — the soy flavor added made everything richer.

Eating it with gim (seaweed) topped with rice and seasoned fish roe was also a great combination.

The signboard notes that the mackerel is domestic and hand-trimmed, so bones may remain — worth checking as you eat.

Is the eggplant doenjang rice bowl worth ordering?

The eggplant doenjang rice bowl would catch the eye of anyone who likes eggplant. The eggplant had a tight crosshatch of scoring and was grilled golden, yet soft enough to cut easily with chopsticks.

The savory doenjang (soybean paste) sauce with ground meat, chives, and a crispy topping went well with the rice,

and the doenjang flavor was strong but not too sharp, making it easy to eat comfortably.

The two dishes had different charms, so it was easy to pick based on preference. The mackerel gondre rice stood out for its clean, fragrant flavor, while the eggplant doenjang bowl impressed with the combination of savory doenjang and soft eggplant.

If you want to finish off a stroll along Kim Kwang-seok Street with a clean Korean meal, Hyangtaek is worth a stop. With its neat menu and comfortable atmosphere, it's a filling meal that fits well into a Daebong-dong outing. It was my first time trying this kind of rice bowl, but I finished it all very happily.