Daegu Korean restaurant date spot with hanok ambience: Hyangtaek

I recently visited another branch, and the rice bowls and sotbap (rice cooked in a stone pot) were so delicious that I came to Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch.

Spanish mackerel gondre rice! It looked great and tasted so clean and good that my dining companion loved it too.

The eggplant doenjang rice bowl looked incredible too, with plenty of soft eggplant that gave it a lovely texture.

Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch: Location and Hours

It is at 19 Jungang-daero 77-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea. Hours are 11:00–20:00, with a break from 15:30–17:00. Last orders are at 15:00 and 19:30.

Parking and the Hanok-Style Exterior

If you are driving, there is no dedicated parking lot, so you will probably need to use nearby paid parking.

Hyangtaek sits directly across from Starbucks Daegu Jongno Gotaek Branch. Its exterior was just as pretty, with that hanok-inspired feel.

Hyangtaek began at Daegu's Gyodong Market in 2022, and it is now a popular rice restaurant with Daebong and Jongno branches as well.

What Is the Softly Lit Interior Like?

There was even a story about Hyangtaek's history posted on the wall.

The pretty hanok-style interior stretched deep into the building.

There was a poster for Cheongsong-style chicken bulgogi and deodeok mushroom grill. I tried the deodeok mushroom grill at another branch, and it was so delicious. Now I am really curious about the Cheongsong-style chicken bulgogi!

The gentle lighting made the interior atmosphere lovely too, so it would be a great date spot.

The Spanish Mackerel Gondre Rice and Eggplant Doenjang Rice Bowl We Ordered

For the signature meal dishes, there were Spanish mackerel gondre rice (₩14,000) and eggplant doenjang rice bowl (₩13,000), so we ordered both. There were plenty of side dishes too, so you could add whatever suits your taste for an even more generous meal.

A Neatly Set Korean Table

Before the main dishes arrived, they first set out the side dishes and soup. So neat and tidy, right?

After a short wait, today's main dishes arrived! The eggplant doenjang rice bowl (₩13,000) and Spanish mackerel gondre rice (₩14,000).

The presentation was so good that I was happy, and my companion liked it too. A staff member also briefly explained how to enjoy everything.

Mixing Up Both Dishes

First, tear the mackerel or eggplant into small pieces. Break everything into bite-size pieces, then mix it well with the rice and the different ingredients.

The Spanish mackerel gondre rice was wonderfully mild, nutty, and clean-tasting! And the eggplant doenjang rice bowl had such a great harmony between the savory doenjang soybean paste and eggplant.

I took a big spoonful, and the eggplant doenjang rice bowl was really delicious too. The savory depth of the doenjang was not overwhelming at all; it felt very clean, which I loved.

It was also so good with rice placed on top of gopchang gim (crinkled roasted seaweed).

It was delicious on its own, of course, but having it with the sauces or seaweed served alongside let us enjoy different flavors.

The Spanish mackerel gondre rice, packed with gondre and mackerel, also made me exclaim when I ate it with gopchang gim and jeotgal (salted seafood).

Everything was clean-tasting and delicious, making Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch somewhere I would like to visit again.

Clean Korean Food in a Hanok Atmosphere

• The Spanish mackerel gondre rice looked good and had a clean taste.
• The eggplant doenjang rice bowl is also worth recommending as a clean Korean dish.
• The cozy hanok-style interior would make it a nice date spot.