Bone-in katsu and chili cream pasta in Gwanpyeong-dong: Choi Dining

If you're wondering what to eat for lunch in Gwanpyeong-dong, Daejeon, let me recommend Choi Dining. I kept going to the same old places and wondered if there was somewhere new. After work I stopped by Choi Dining, and with futomaki, pasta, and katsu all on the menu, there was plenty to choose from.

Where is Choi Dining, and is there parking near Hyundai Outlet?

It's a 10-minute walk from Daejeon Hyundai Outlet, so it's an easy stop before or after shopping. As a Gwanpyeong-dong restaurant, it works for both lunch and dinner. Walk toward the waterside park and turn into the inner alley. Walking there is fine, and if you drive, there are 3 free parking spots right in front!

Inside Choi Dining: a Gwanpyeong-dong lunch spot that welcomes solo diners

There were quite a lot of tables inside. With a good mix of tables for 2–4 people, it looked comfortable for solo diners too. There are plenty of offices nearby, so if you work around here and are stuck on lunch ideas, I'd recommend giving Choi Dining a try.

What we ordered at Choi Dining, from katsu to maki

• Choi bone-in pork katsu ₩16,500
• Whole bacon cream pasta ₩16,900
• Aged kimchi tuna maki ₩9,900

The menu lineup was pretty solid. From katsu to nabe, pasta, and maki, there was enough variety to pick a bit of everything to suit our taste.

How crisp is the Choi bone-in pork katsu?

The bone-in katsu is made from aged bone-in pork loin, fried up, and it was huge. The breading was thin and crispy with visible ridges, so it looked crunchy just from the photos — I loved that. Eating it, the crispy outside and tender inside came through together in every bite.

A generous helping of house-made sauce sits on top of the katsu, sweet and tangy with a deep flavor that kept me reaching back for more. Even with all that sauce, the crispiness held all the way to the last bite.

Cabbage and cherry tomatoes on the side cut through the richness nicely when eaten in between bites. The meat was thick enough with a good chew too — recommended if you're a katsu fan. Portion, taste, and price all satisfied me here!

Bacon cream pasta with heat you adjust using cheongyang chili

Big chunks of whole bacon on top made it look hearty right away. It's a cream pasta with cheongyang chili mixed in — nutty at first, then a sharp spicy kick rushes in right after, which I loved.

I usually get sick of cream pasta pretty fast if I eat a lot of it. But thanks to the cheongyang chili, I never got tired of it — it was actually addictive, and I kept wanting more. ✅ You can also adjust the spice level with the cheongyang chili.

The thick bacon was slightly crispy outside, and biting into it released salty juices from inside — so good. That saltiness paired with the nutty cream made me let out a little gasp with the first bite.

Aged kimchi tuna maki: a clean finish to the meal

The aged kimchi tuna maki is packed with tuna, egg, and perilla leaf, wrapped in aged kimchi (mukeunji). If you already like mukchamgimbap (aged kimchi tuna gimbap), I'd recommend this. It's a different take but still clean, so you can eat something both healthy and tasty. Overall it felt like it cleaned up the palate nicely, so I recommend it!

With a little wasabi on top it's sharp and tingly, and it's also good dipped in the mustard sauce served alongside. The tuna's nuttiness and the perilla leaf aroma come together well, and the crunchy texture of the aged kimchi makes it taste cleaner overall.

I always thought lunch options felt predictable, but Choi Dining lets you enjoy futomaki, pasta, and katsu all in one place. Great for solo diners and groups alike — recommended if you've been stuck on where to eat.