Daegu Korean restaurant for yukhoe bibimbap: Hyangtaek Daebong

Hyangtaek Daebong Branch

Lately, I’ve been craving a proper meal more than intensely seasoned food for some reason. So my husband and I went back to Hyangtaek Daebong Branch, one of the restaurants I visit now and then near Kim Kwang-seok Street. The menu is familiar Korean food such as gondre rice and bibimbap, but with slightly unusual combinations, so I never get tired of it. Let me introduce it to anyone looking for a neat, easy meal in Daegu.

Where is Hyangtaek Daebong Branch, and what about parking?

Hyangtaek Daebong Branch is about a two-minute walk from Exit 3 of Kyungpook National University Hospital Station. It is near the Daebong 1-dong Administrative Welfare Center, so it is easy to find by subway, and it is also close to Kim Kwang-seok Street.

• Location: 17 Dalgubeol-daero 440-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu
• Hours: 11:00–20:00
• Break time: 15:30–17:00
• Days closed: none
• Parking: parking support available

There is room for about two cars in front of the restaurant. If those spaces are taken, use the Kim Kwang-seok Street Public Parking Lot; mention it when paying after your meal and you can receive 1 hour and 10 minutes of free parking.

There is also on-street public parking on the road in front, so you can use it if there is an open spot within the marked lines. It is free all day on Sundays and public holidays, so keep that in mind for a weekend visit.

Wood-toned interior and table setup

The interior has wood tones throughout, making it bright but cozy.

There are tables for two and four, plus a large central table that seats up to eight, so it looked suitable for everything from dining alone to dates and group meals.

High chairs are available, too, and since the food is not very spicy or heavily seasoned, I think it would be a good place to bring children for Korean food.

Menu items to try first at Hyangtaek

The signature dishes are mackerel gondre rice and eggplant doenjang rice. There is also yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef mixed rice), squid rice with chamnamul greens, and herring roe bibim noodles, so the menu is a little different from what you usually see at a typical Daegu rice restaurant.

This was already my Nth visit to Hyangtaek, and if it is your first time, I personally recommend starting with the signature dishes. They show off what Hyangtaek does best.

Side dishes include grilled deodeok root and mushrooms, a mushroom platter, a grilled short rib platter, and Cheongsong-style spicy chicken bulgogi.

And if you visit on a weekday, make sure to take advantage of this, too. They were running an event that gives you the mushroom platter side dish for writing a receipt review.

Yukhoe bibimbap and mackerel gondre rice

This time, we ordered the mackerel gondre rice and yukhoe bibimbap. The basic sides were gopchang gim (crispy roasted seaweed), salted seafood, gungchae (stem lettuce), and doenjang soup. None of the sides were overly salty, either, so they went well with the mains.

Yukhoe bibimbap ₩14,000

The yukhoe bibimbap had more raw beef than I expected. The sauce and egg yolk come separately, so you can add them to suit your taste.

I am not really an egg-yolk person, so I left it out and quickly mixed the vegetables, raw beef, and sauce together. It was delicious. Not an incredibly novel flavor, exactly—more like a familiar flavor done properly!!!

They say familiar flavors are dangerous, and I just kept eating!! The portion of rice was quite generous, too, so I eventually left a little behind ^_ㅠ

Mackerel gondre rice ₩14,000

My husband ordered Hyangtaek’s signature mackerel gondre rice. A large piece of Korean mackerel comes on top of gondre rice—rice mixed with Korean thistle greens and a special seasoning.

When you first see it, you might be slightly taken aback and think, “How do I eat this?” haha. The instructions are written on the table, so just follow them.

Flake the mackerel flesh, mix it into the gondre rice, then add the accompanying soy sauce little by little to taste and mix it all together.

On its own, it is mild and clean-tasting. Put a spoonful on the gopchang gim, though, and the nuttiness comes through even more—so good again.

And my husband’s number-one pick was topping it with salted seafood! He kept adding it, saying, “This is the best,” haha. The salty seafood gave the mild mackerel a clear point of flavor, and they paired really well.

This is the Kim Kwang-seok Street restaurant I think of when I want to eat healthily but do not want something too predictable. The flavors are not intense and the menu is distinctive, so I think it suits solo diners, dates, and anyone who wants a clean Korean meal with children. I have already visited several times, so I would definitely return. For a first visit, try the mackerel gondre rice or eggplant doenjang rice first.