Gyeongju Korean restaurant with Cheomseongdae crab fried rice: Hwangnam Dukkebi

Gyeongju-style Korean food on Hwangridan-gil

While looking for a good place to eat on Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju, I stopped by Hwangnam Dukkebi Restaurant (황남두꺼비식당). It serves Korean dishes that fit right in with Hwangridan-gil's distinctive atmosphere, and I visited because the name was fun and the menu looked like something worth trying at least once during a Gyeongju trip.

Crab-marinated fried rice in the Cheomseongdae seven-item set

The dish I ordered that day was the Cheomseongdae seven-item set. Since I was in Gyeongju, I wanted to try something that felt like Gyeongju, and this one really put me in the travel mood from its Cheomseongdae-inspired name alone.

The Cheomseongdae seven-item set is a great meal for a Gyeongju trip.

The thing that caught my eye most was the crab-marinated fried rice.

Instead of simply arriving in a bowl, it came shaped like the Cheomseongdae observatory tower, so it looked fantastic the moment it landed on the table. Maybe because I was eating it while traveling in Gyeongju, a dish with this kind of Gyeongju-only touch felt even more fun. It is also great for photos, so I think it would suit anyone looking for a Gyeongju-style meal on Hwangridan-gil.

I am curious about the pork back ribs next time

One of Hwangnam Dukkebi's signature dishes is its pork back ribs, made with domestic pork. According to the owner's introduction, they are simmered in a cauldron from 5 a.m. every day and prepared in a limited quantity of 100 servings. You can choose spicy, aged-kimchi, or royal-court-style flavor. I had the Cheomseongdae seven-item set rather than the ribs this time, but I am curious to try the ribs on my next visit.

Another popular dish is the Emperor Bibimbap, which is said to include cockles, yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), and charcoal-grilled bulgogi. If you want to sample several things at once in Gyeongju, this kind of combination menu could be worth keeping in mind.

Handmade slushy sikhye filled with fine ice

Handmade slushy sikhye filled with fine ice

I also ordered handmade slushy sikhye (a sweet Korean rice drink) with the meal.

This was absolutely perfect for cleansing my palate. The cup was filled with fine ice, making it wonderfully cold, and it tasted even better because I had come in after walking around Hwangridan-gil. It was fun to enjoy sikhye this chilled, almost like a slushie, rather than in its usual form.

Hwangnam Dukkebi also says that slushy makgeolli is a popular menu item. If you do not drink alcohol, you can choose handmade slushy sikhye after your meal as a palate cleanser, like I did.

A warm atmosphere like Grandma's house

A warm atmosphere like Grandma's house

As the owner describes it, Hwangnam Dukkebi is built around the warm feeling of visiting Grandma's house.

Hwangridan-gil has so many atmospheric cafés and restaurants, but it was nice during a trip to find a place where you can enjoy Korean food along with this kind of homey atmosphere. When traveling around Gyeongju, you tend to keep walking from attraction to attraction, so I think it would be a fine stop when you want a satisfying meal in the middle of the day.

Keeping families with children in mind, there are dishes that children can enjoy too. Their fluffy, generously portioned royal-tomb steamed eggs are also on the menu, so there are options for family visits.

A meal that captures the feeling of a Gyeongju trip

This time I tried the Cheomseongdae seven-item set, and above all, the look of the Cheomseongdae-shaped crab-marinated fried rice stayed with me. If you want your food to make you feel that you have arrived in Gyeongju, a dish like this is definitely fun.

If you are looking for a menu that captures the feeling of a Gyeongju trip rather than an ordinary meal on Hwangridan-gil, or simply looking for a good Gyeongju restaurant, Hwangnam Dukkebi Restaurant could be one to add to your list.

Next time, I would also like to try the pork back ribs that are introduced as a signature dish.