Spice-toned-down green pepper kaoyu, ₩2,000 self bar: Bantiannyao

Bringing you my Bantiannyao kaoyu review 🐟🔥 I first tried kaoyu in Myeongdong about 3-4 years ago, and I've made a point of eating it regularly in Seoul ever since... but then Bantiannyao opened in Daejeon!!!!! Finally got to try it haha

Right next to the Galleria in Dunsan-dong

The location is right next to the Galleria in Dunsan-dong!! Across from Zara. Totally the heart of Dunsan-dong.

Heading somewhere that really feels like China

The vibe inside and the odor-fighting extras

The place is reeeeally spacious + clean + comfortable. They even have group seating for larger parties. Also, eating kaoyu tends to leave a strong smell on your clothes, but the counter has deodorizer, phone cleaner, and all sorts of hygiene items stocked in every variety — loved that. Whoever set this up has great taste.

What we ordered: green Sichuan pepper kaoyu + vegetable-mushroom mix

The menu is nice and simple. This was my first time trying the green Sichuan pepper (qinghua jiao) kaoyu! Plus an added vegetable-mushroom mix haha, plus — oh, the self bar too. This self bar deal is a total steal, you have to do it.

How to build your self bar sauce

The self bar is genuinely great!! The sauce variety is huge —

• mala sauce
• chili sauce
• peanut sauce
• soy sauce
• vinegar
• sesame oil
• minced garlic and more

You can mix your own to taste. There's even a suggested combo written on the wall, so if you're not sure what to put in, you can just copy that haha. I like savory sauces so peanut-based was my favorite. And while you wait for the fish to cook, you've got to snack on the crackers too...

Even soda is included in the ₩2,000 per-person self bar, so you basically have no excuse not to do it haha. Oh, and also!! Kaoyu without rice just doesn't make sense.

Rice and peanut sauce — essential hotpot ingredients...

Taste and spice level of the green pepper kaoyu

This was my first time with the green Sichuan pepper version — a whole fish comes out with green and red chilies piled all over the top, so I got a little tense just looking at it lol. Salty + numbing + spicy Chinese seasoning flavor came through perfectly, really loved it.

They gave us a big table, so eating on the sofa felt nice...

Honestly I'm pretty spice-shy so I pulled out almost all the chilies haha. But even so it was plenty spicy and sharp, so if you're spice-sensitive, I'd recommend asking them to leave the chilies out when you order.

What's in the vegetable-mushroom mix

The vegetable-mushroom mix I added!! It'd be a shame to only eat the fish haha. Napa cabbage / mushrooms / lotus root / wood ear mushroom / tofu / fried tofu / quail eggs. Just drop them into the kaoyu broth however you like. Panda, glass noodles, grab them all.

So how does the fish taste?

I think this kaoyu fish is Ningbo fish? Anyway, I always order the same fish, and this fish is truly magical. Just fatty enough, wonderfully tender and soft — even people who don't usually like fish really need to try this. Anyone who's had Bantiannyao's kaoyu fish already knows.

The mushrooms and tofu especially soak up the seasoning so well, they're genuinely delicious. Picking out the seasoned veggies and tofu is such a fun part of the meal. Pull apart the fish, cook the veggies down in the broth, eat a spoonful of rice, dip in more sauce... there's always something more to eat 😭

How many people is this good for?

The fish was really, really tender and the seasoning soaked all the way through — so good 🔥 Dipping it into the broth/sauce is especially amazing... you absolutely need rice!!! I'd recommend one kaoyu plus extra sides for 3 women with good appetites. Could probably stretch to 4 for lighter eaters haha.

Even dessert ice cream

I think this is the only branch I've seen it at, but they also have ice cream, so I grabbed one haha. It was tasty — the brûlée bar. If you love mala, enjoy numbing spicy Chinese food, or just like trying new dishes, this place is worth a visit at least once 🌞🌞🌞 For first-timers, I'd recommend the mala kaoyu!