Gyeongju Korean restaurant for herbal broth chicken stew: Dongyang

On this trip to Gyeongju, I went looking for good eats along Hwangridan-gil and ended up at Dongyang Baekban Gyeongju Main Branch — here's my review.

There are so many good restaurants on Hwangridan-gil that I had a hard time deciding where to go, but I wanted something a little different, so I kept searching.

While browsing the menu, I spotted something called tomato cheese dakbokkeumtang. Chicken stew with tomato and cheese? I was curious what that could even taste like. I usually love tomato-based dishes — tomato pasta, tomato curry, that kind of thing — so the moment I saw it on the menu, I knew I had to try it.

Spoiler alert: it was way better than I expected, and I left really satisfied.

Where is it on Hwangridan-gil? A hanok-renovated interior

Dongyang Baekban's Gyeongju branch sits right on Hwangridan-gil, so it was easy to swing by during the trip. Even the exterior has that hanok (traditional Korean house) feel, which fit right in with the neighborhood's atmosphere.

The interior felt like a converted hanok too — cute, tidy, and nicely decorated. The window seats in particular had floor-to-ceiling glass, so it never felt cramped, and you could watch the Hwangridan-gil scene go by while eating. It really felt like being on a Gyeongju trip while still being a comfortable place to eat — I loved it!

The menu lineup

Main menu

Specialty menu

Other items

Looking at the menu, there was tomato cheese dakbokkeumtang alongside regular dakbokkeumtang, jjimdak (braised chicken), and dak jeongol (chicken hot pot). We didn't hesitate — we ordered the tomato cheese dakbokkeumtang, the one we'd been most curious about.

There were also several rice options — egg rice, ttangcho rice, myeongran (pollack roe) rice, and more. I agonized over it for a while and finally went with the egg rice.

Won over by the egg rice and side dishes first!

After ordering, the egg rice and side dishes arrived first. I'd ordered just one egg rice, and honestly, it was way better than expected. I didn't have high hopes since it was really just a side to the chicken stew, but the rice alone was delicious!!

Looking around at other tables, a lot of people seemed to order one rice dish per person. Besides egg rice, there was ttangcho rice, myeongran rice, and more — if I come back, I definitely want to try the myeongran rice next.

The side dishes were varied too, and the bean sprouts and braised soybeans stood out in particular. I only meant to nibble on them alongside the meal, but they were so good I ended up asking for refills, haha. It wasn't just the main dish that impressed — even the side dishes were well made, which gave me the sense that this place puts real care into everything.

Chicken stew made with herbal medicinal broth

Then the tomato cheese dakbokkeumtang I'd been waiting for arrived! The portion was generous right off the bat. Best of all, it was made with boneless chicken, which made it so easy to eat. Picking through bones is always a bit of a hassle with dakbokkeumtang, so being able to just dig in without that was great. There was also a generous helping of glass noodles inside — anyone who loves glass noodles will be happy here.

Dongyang Baekban's dakbokkeumtang reportedly uses a herbal medicinal broth. I could really taste the depth of that broth as I ate. It had a deeper, richer flavor than a typical dakbokkeumtang, and knowing it uses herbal medicinal ingredients made it feel like it might even be good for you. Taste matters most, of course, but I appreciated the care put into the broth too.

At first I wondered if tomato and dakbokkeumtang would really work together, but after tasting it, they paired surprisingly well. There was the bright, tangy flavor of tomato alongside the savory, spicy kick that's typical of dakbokkeumtang. And with the cheese mixed in, the broth felt a little smoother and richer.

A well-put-together review event, too

After finishing the meal, I noticed they were running a review event. You could choose between a strawberry ice gyeongdan or a spin on a prize draw board. The prize board looked surprisingly well stocked, which seemed like it'd be fun to try too, haha.

This time I picked the strawberry ice gyeongdan, and it was better than I expected too. It made a perfect little dessert after the meal, and the strawberry flavor was great, so I got to wrap things up on a happy note. If you visit next, be sure to take part in the review event too!

A place I'd love to visit again on my next trip to Gyeongju

What I loved about visiting Dongyang Baekban this time was getting to enjoy familiar Korean dishes in a bit of a different way. The tomato cheese dakbokkeumtang in particular isn't something you'll find easily elsewhere, so I'd recommend it to anyone looking to try something a little different during a Gyeongju trip.

If you're looking for a Korean restaurant with a great atmosphere on Hwangridan-gil, or want to try something a bit special, I recommend Dongyang Baekban Gyeongju Hwangridan-gil Main Branch. Save it as a Gyeongju food spot and check it out on your next trip!