Solo Korean meal in Jung-gu, Daegu: mackerel gondre rice with grilled

I wanted a meal that felt a bit healthier and more filling than usual, so after some searching I ended up at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch, a well-known spot in Daegu's Jongno neighborhood.

They serve a variety of Korean dishes built around healthy ingredients like fish and namul (seasoned herbs), so if you like clean, simple Korean food, this place is worth knowing about. I went solo, but I still managed to work my way through both the samchi gondre-bap and the grilled ribs haha.

Location and hours at Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch

• 📍 Location: 19 Jungang-daero 77-gil, Jung-gu (across from Starbucks Jongno Jongtaek Branch)
• ⏰ Hours: 11:00 - 20:00
• Break time: 15:30 - 17:00
• Last order: 15:00 / 19:30
• 🚗 Parking: none

Hyangtaek started as a small spot in a corner of Gyodong Market and has since expanded, with branches now in Jongno as well as Daebong, Seongseo Keimyung University, and Chimsan.

The Jongno branch I visited sits on an alley in the area, making it a convenient stop if you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Jung-gu, Daegu. There's no dedicated parking, so if you're driving, I'd recommend checking nearby lots ahead of time.

An interior that works solo or with the whole family

Once you step inside, the tables are mostly arranged as 2-tops and 4-tops.

Eating alone here, like I did, didn't feel awkward at all, and it also looked like a fine spot for couples or friends. Looking at the menu, I could also see it working well for a clean, simple Korean meal with your parents.

What's on the menu at Hyangtaek

Hyangtaek seems to specialize in Korean food built around healthy ingredients. Looking over the menu, the ingredient combinations stood out compared to typical Korean restaurants.

Among the options, I ordered the restaurant's two signature dishes: samchi gondre-bap and grilled ribs.

Even eating alone, ordering just one dish felt like it wouldn't be enough, so I let myself get a little greedy haha.

After ordering, the neat, tidy side dishes came out first. When I visited, they included gopchang-gim (crinkled seaweed), bibim-jeotgal (seasoned salted seafood), pickled vegetables, soy sauce, and soup.

By the time I'd tasted my way through the side dishes, the main dishes I'd been waiting for arrived quickly.

How was the samchi gondre-bap?

I normally like grilled fish, but gondre (a type of mountain herb) has never really been to my taste, so I was a little worried when I ordered it. But the moment the dish arrived, that worry was pretty much forgotten thanks to how it looked!

The rice was piled generously with golden-grilled mackerel, gondre herbs, and braised mushrooms. I mixed everything together and took a bite — it was already seasoned, and it was much more approachable than I expected.

The gondre flavor I'd been worried about wasn't strong at all — if anything, it came through as nutty and savory. The mild mackerel and the gondre herbs went together better than I expected, which I really liked. It felt less like heavily seasoned food and more like a healthy meal that let the ingredients speak for themselves.

As I ate, I found myself thinking, 'I should bring my mom here next time' haha. It was great on its own, but piling a bit of the samchi gondre-bap and bibim-jeotgal onto the gopchang-gim let me enjoy a completely different flavor.

I liked that even a single dish offered several different ways to eat it.

Is the grilled ribs worth ordering alongside it?

The grilled ribs I ordered along with the samchi gondre-bap also exceeded my expectations. Right away, I liked how thick the meat cuts were.

Taking a bite, despite the thickness, the meat was tender, and the juices blended nicely with the sweet, savory sauce.

If the samchi gondre-bap felt mild and healthy, the grilled ribs brought in bursts of savory richness in between — the combination of the two dishes worked really well.

Since I was dining alone, I had considered just ordering one main dish, but I would have really regretted skipping the grilled ribs haha. If you like tasting a bit of several dishes like I do, I'd recommend ordering it alongside.

Looking for healthy Korean food in Jongno, Daegu?

Hyangtaek offers takeout as well as dine-in.

This time I tried the samchi gondre-bap and the grilled ribs, and both were delicious, so now I'm curious to try the other menu items one by one next time. More than anything, this is the kind of Jongno restaurant in Daegu that comes to mind when I want a clean, filling meal instead of something heavily seasoned.

It would suit a date near Jongno or Banwoldang when you're craving Korean food, and it would also work well if you're looking for a place to eat with your parents. If you're searching for a good restaurant in Jongno, Daegu, or a place for healthy Korean food in Jung-gu, Daegu, Hyangtaek Daegu Jongno Branch is worth a visit.