# Dunsan-dong kaoyu for solo diners with tofu-skin noodles: Bantiannyao - By Seoyeon Pak (https://superchart.com/en/@wonchon-back-table/) - Written Sep 23, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Seo-gu, Daejeon - Sponsored: This visit was conducted as an in-store sponsored review. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@wonchon-back-table/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@wonchon-back-table/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/index.md) ## In short Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch is a Chinese kaoyu (fish hotpot) restaurant in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon, on the second floor of the building across from Galleria Timeworld WEST. On a first-ever kaoyu visit, the writer dined alone, ordered mala kaoyu with ningbo fish and tofu-skin noodles, and staff swapped the two-person table setting for a one-person one. For ₩2,000 extra, the self bar with unlimited sauces, rice, rice paper and soda was worth it even for a solo meal. ## Good to know - **Location**: 2nd floor of the building across from Galleria Timeworld WEST (13 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, Seo-gu, Daejeon) - **Ordered**: Mala kaoyu + ningbo fish + tofu-skin noodles - **Self bar**: ₩2,000 extra for unlimited sauces, snacks, rice, rice paper and soda - **Draft beer**: ₩2,500, charged separately - **Seating**: Group tables, two-person tables, private bookings available - **Extras**: Unlimited hygiene items (floss, mouthwash, hair ties), Chinese ice cream for dessert - **Price reference**: ₩2,000 ≈ $1.5 · ₩2,500 ≈ $1.8 · ₩40,000 ≈ $29.5 (2026-09-23) *as written by the visitor on Sep 23, 2026* My coworker's younger sibling loves kaoyu — the hotpot everyone calls the Haidilao of kaoyu! Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch, famous as a Dunsan-dong shabu-shabu spot, is a place I'd heard about for ages. Everyone else eats it with friends... I'm eating it alone. ![Main photo of Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-01-1he9v-1200.webp) ## How to find Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch in Dunsan-dong Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch sits directly across from Galleria Timeworld WEST. If you get confused, just look for Zara. It's also a convenient stop for anyone hunting down Galleria-area restaurants. ![Exterior view of the building across from Galleria Timeworld](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-02-a9w37-900.webp) ![Street view on the way to Bantiannyao Kaoyu in Dunsan-dong](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-03-mzcv8-900.webp) Head into this building and go straight up to the 2nd floor. This is my first-ever kaoyu, so I'm so excited. Me, trying Daejeon Chinese-style kaoyu for the very first time...! ![Entrance to the building housing Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-04-19fae-900.webp) ![Stairs and signage leading up to the 2nd-floor restaurant](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-05-unpnn-860.webp) Clearly, I made it to Bantiannyao — a cute character greets you at the entrance. Since I'm about to eat something heavy, I took the stairs... call it a tiny gesture of conscience, haha. ## Inside Bantiannyao: seats for solo diners and groups Walking into Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch, my first thought was: this is spacious! And honestly, it kind of felt like being in China?! Daejeon Chinese kaoyu, crushing it. Traveling to China for just ₩40,000, haha. There are group tables as well as two-person tables. Perfect if you're looking for a Dunsan-dong meetup spot or a Dunsan-dong date place. The restaurant is big and open enough for a solo company dinner too! Apparently private room bookings are possible, so if you're planning a group huoguo dinner at this Dunsan-dong favorite, it's worth asking. ![Seating inside Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-06-1rkkm-900.webp) ![Kaoyu menu posted on the wall](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-07-1f7f2-900.webp) The kaoyu menu is up on the wall. Everything looks so good, what am I supposed to do!!! I came intending to get mala kaoyu but other things keep catching my eye... ## Swapping the two-person setting for a one-person setting Before hitting the self bar, I sat down first! It was set for two, but staff switched it to a one-person setting (since I came alone, haha...). There are all kinds of SNS review events running — you'd be missing out if you don't join! ### Ongoing events at Bantiannyao Kaoyu in Dunsan-dong ![Ongoing event signage at Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-08-1fx5h-900.webp) Bantiannyao Kaoyu's new menu item, mala garlic kaoyu! I seriously agonized between that and mala kaoyu. So what did I end up ordering~~~ ![Poster for the new mala garlic kaoyu menu item](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-09-15e9c-900.webp) ![View of the self bar corner](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-10-18ujg-m-900.webp) ## What the ₩2,000 self bar includes At Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch, adding ₩2,000 gets you unlimited access to the self bar — sauces, snacks, rice, rice paper, and soda! Unlimited rice refills is amazing! Usually a rice refill costs at least ₩1,000 elsewhere...! ![Self bar rice and snack corner](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-11-jtdau-900.webp) ![Rice paper and sauce ingredients at the self bar](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-12-b7dpk-900.webp) At this Daejeon kaoyu favorite, even hygiene items are unlimited! (floss, mouthwash, hair ties, etc.) ![Unlimited hygiene items like floss, mouthwash, and hair ties](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-13-uw55g-900.webp) ![Hygiene item stand at the self bar](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-14-1ytdj-900.webp) Soda is unlimited too (once you've added the ₩2,000 self bar fee). Draft beer is a separate ₩2,500. ![Unlimited soda dispenser](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-15-xpeq5-900.webp) ![A bowl of homemade kaoyu dipping sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-16-1ifzu-900.webp) Before heading back to my seat, I poured myself a drink~ and mixed up a sauce exactly how I like it, haha (oyster sauce, minced garlic, minced scallion, peanut sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and some green Sichuan pepper mala?). Eaten this way, it's pure bliss. ## How to order kaoyu at Bantiannyao in 3 steps ![Sign explaining how to order kaoyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-17-19syo-m-966.webp) *How to order kaoyu* - Choose your kaoyu flavor > I went with mala kaoyu >_< - Choose your fish > only ningbo fish was available the day I visited - Choose your noodles/add-ins > I picked soy-skin noodles! Noodles aren't mandatory If I'd come with a friend... I think I would've piled on way more noodles and sides!!!!!! ### What one solo diner ordered ![Table setting for the ordered mala kaoyu](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-18-1rgab-900.webp) ![Pot of mala kaoyu with ningbo fish](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-19-1hi7t-900.webp) ## Mala kaoyu with ningbo fish: the first bite My mala kaoyu arrived! The visuals are insane..... the fish was way bigger than I expected too! The moment I saw it, I thought, there's no way I finish even half of this. Honestly even writing this post is making my mouth water..... I got those noodles free through a follow-notification event >_< Set the hourglass timer and wait, and a staff member preps the fish into easy-to-eat pieces for you. Like this! If they hadn't prepped it, I'd have had no idea how to even start eating it. Having it all prepped for me made me feel taken care of, and I loved that. They gave me a big piece of the most tender part first! The second I ate it, I thought — wait, I'm really trying this for the first time now? I've been eating mala tang since 2018... but wow, kaoyu is just so, so good, I could cry. ![A prepped piece of kaoyu fish](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-20-d70vp-900.webp) ![Kaoyu fish piece topped with chili](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-21-1sso4-899.webp) I topped another big piece with chili and ate that too. I feel like there's no one who's tried this just once — you'll be hooked. An addictive kind of flavor. ![Noodles made from rice paper](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-22-134v2-900.webp) ## Rice paper noodles and tofu-skin noodles Remember the rice paper at the self bar! You can cut it up and turn it into noodles. It makes a chewy noodle almost like Chinese glass noodles or fensi. You can even wrap it like a Vietnamese spring roll, but that felt like too much effort so I skipped it... ![Soy-skin noodles added into the kaoyu broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-23-1vgp4-899.webp) ![Mala kaoyu simmering with added noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin-24-18tps-899.webp) After eating a bit, they added the soy-skin noodles (두유피) into the pot on the side for me. I never eat dried tofu skin (건두부) — soy-skin noodles all the way for me, haha. Eating them with the fish, I fully understood the hype around this Dunsan-dong huoguo/shabu-shabu favorite! ## Is Bantiannyao Kaoyu worth it for solo dining? At Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch you can even get Chinese ice cream for dessert! Perfect for cooling your mouth down after all that numbing spice. A real, honest solo-dining photo from a Daejeon Chinese kaoyu spot... proof that I am, in fact, a woman of substance~~~ Next time I want to bring my boyfriend on a Daejeon date. Or come back with a friend and really go all out! ## Where it is - Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch (반티엔야오 카오위 대전점) - 13 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, 2nd floor, Unit 1, Seo-gu, Daejeon, South Korea - 대전광역시 서구 둔산로31번길 13 2층 1호 - 36.3523179, 127.3772817 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%B0%98%ED%8B%B0%EC%97%94%EC%95%BC%EC%98%A4%20%EC%B9%B4%EC%98%A4%EC%9C%84%20%EB%8C%80%EC%A0%84%EC%A0%90/@36.3523179,127.3772817,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@wonchon-back-table/daejeon-dunsan-kaoyu-solo-dining-soy-skin/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt