Gyeongju café for crisp, moist tarts: Tareudang

I heard there was a trendy fruit mochi dessert spot on Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju, and I was so curious about how good it could be that I went to Tareudang, a Gyeongju specialist in fruit mochi desserts, with my girlfriend.

As we wandered through the alleys of Hwangridan-gil, its cute exterior caught our eye, so we happily made our way over.

Tareudang location and takeout visit information

The shop is at 49 Sajeong-ro, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongbuk, so it was easy to find. It is open daily from 11:00 to 19:00, though it closes early when ingredients sell out. There is no private parking, but several public parking lots are about a five-minute walk away, which made it easy to park and walk over.

The menu had a varied lineup of fruit mochi made with seasonal fresh fruit, along with tarts, egg tarts, cheesecake tarts, and more.

There were mango mochi (₩8,500), peach mochi (₩6,500), pineapple mochi (₩5,500), and golden kiwi mochi (₩5,500), among others. You also get ₩500 off each piece when purchasing four or more, which felt very reasonable.

A cute little shop and speedy takeout

The moment I stepped inside, I thought the compact, charming shop itself had such cute décor. True to a Hwangridan-gil dessert hot spot, the mochi were displayed in colorful hanji (traditional Korean paper) wrappers, and they were a delight to look at. The staff welcomed us so kindly too, so we ordered in a great mood.

They worked quickly, so our order was packed up fast without any waiting. After much deliberation, we took away mango mochi, peach mochi, pineapple mochi, and two tarts.

Fresh fruit mochi and tarts at our accommodation

After finishing our itinerary and returning to our accommodation, my girlfriend and I eagerly took them out one by one and started sharing them. The first thing we tried was the mango mochi, and I was surprised to find a whole, generously large piece of ripe fresh mango inside.

The moment I took a big bite, sweet juice burst across my mouth and the chewy glutinous-rice wrapper clung beautifully around it. It was seriously so delicious that I couldn't help but admire it.

The peach mochi had a lovely balance of crispness and sweetness, while the pineapple mochi burst with bright juice and made the fruit feel wonderfully fresh. And the thing that was even more amazing than expected was the tarts we had picked up with them.

The outside was perfectly crisp—crisp enough to make a sound in your mouth—while the inside was unbelievably soft and moist. Once I picked one up, I just kept reaching for more.

The chewy sweetness of the mochi and the nutty, crisp texture of the tarts went together perfectly, and we thoroughly enjoyed every last bite.

What to know before visiting late

One thing I noticed from visiting: because it is so popular, the flavors you want may sell out early if you visit later in the afternoon. It was also a small disappointment that the interior is difficult to use for dining in, as the shop is mainly for takeout.

Still, the fruit quality was so good and the packaging was so carefully done that those points were completely understandable. If my girlfriend and I come back to Hwangridan-gil for another date, I am already thinking of taking home her favorite mango mochi and tarts again.

Recommended for

• Anyone looking for juicy handmade fruit mochi and tarts among Gyeongju fruit mochi desserts
• Anyone considering a thoughtfully packaged gift during a Hwangridan-gil date
• Anyone who loves the combination of crisp tarts and moist, sweet desserts