Korean rice bowls in Banwoldang, Daegu: same order 3 visits, Hyangtaek

I went for lunch at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch (향택 대구종로점), a Banwoldang restaurant that's perfect when you want a tidy, wholesome meal. This was my third visit! I had a proper healthy Korean meal in a relaxed, comfortable space.

Where to park and how to wait at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch

There's no dedicated parking lot. The closest one is the Daegu Korea House (대구한국의집) lot, a 1-minute walk away (you pay the parking fee yourself). There's also a menu board outside the restaurant, so you can pick your food before going in :)

There's a waiting list at the entrance.

What is the atmosphere like at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch?

It's a newly opened restaurant, so the inside was fresh, clean and pleasant.

You can even see the Starbucks Jongno Gotaek branch out the window, haha.

The hanok-style wood-tone interior is calm and cozy, which made eating here really comfortable.

Write a receipt review and you get a plate of mushrooms (한판 버섯) as a free extra, so be sure to claim it! It's delicious!!

Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch menu and the same order on a third visit

There are 5 main dishes: 3 rice bowls (deopbap), yukhoe bibimbap (seasoned raw beef rice bowl) and herring roe noodles.

There are 4 side dishes. We ordered Hyangtaek's signature mackerel gondre rice, the eggplant doenjang bowl and the plate of mushrooms. Our order was identical on all three visits, our little secret haha.

Check the in-store guide on how to enjoy Hyangtaek's food best before you dig in.

Hyangtaek's banchan (side dishes) and sauces

After ordering, neat side dishes (banchan) came out.

A clear, refreshing soup.

There were pickles (jangajji), salted seafood (jeotgal) and gopchang-gim (crinkly seaweed) to go with the rice bowls, plus 2 sauces to mix into the bowls and a sauce for the mushroom jeon.

Not long after we ordered, the table filled up with our dishes, a neat, carefully prepared spread.

How does Hyangtaek's samchi gondre rice (₩14,000) taste?

Hyangtaek's signature mackerel gondre rice is ₩14,000.

It comes topped with nicely grilled boneless mackerel and fragrant gondre (thistle greens). My boyfriend flaked the mackerel into small pieces, poured on the soy sauce that came with it and mixed everything evenly. The sauce isn't salty, so you can use all of it.

The mackerel has no fishy taste at all and comes fully deboned. It wasn't dry; it was mild and moist, and together with the gondre rice and mushrooms it was nutty and full of flavor. The seasoning is gentle, not overdone, so anyone can enjoy it. It's a dish that gets both taste and health right.

How to eat Hyangtaek's eggplant doenjang rice bowl (₩13,000)

The eggplant doenjang bowl (soybean paste rice bowl) is ₩13,000, topped with minced meat, chives and big pieces of nicely grilled eggplant.

Add the tangy kelp vinegar that comes with it, as much as you like, and mix it in.

I usually love eggplant, so I really love this bowl. The softly grilled, moist eggplant has an even sweeter flavor, and it blends with the savory doenjang for a subtle umami that isn't harsh. I think even people who don't normally like eggplant could enjoy it!

Wrap it neatly in the gopchang-gim and eat it, then get a refill of the seaweed, haha.

Hyangtaek's mushroom jeon (₩6,000), good enough to recreate at home

The side dish mushroom jeon is ₩6,000.

The mushrooms are pressed flat and pan-fried until golden and crisp, and the fragrant mushroom aroma makes it a real specialty!! It's chewy, with a great mushroom texture, and I wonder how they grill it so well. My younger sibling enjoyed the mushroom jeon so much at Hyangtaek that they grilled something similar at home, haha.

Verdict after three visits to Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch

The food at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch is mild overall, not heavily seasoned, so my stomach felt comfortable even after eating. I'd recommend this Jongno, Daegu restaurant to anyone looking for healthy Korean food. If you want a filling meal, definitely try Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch!