Gyeongju Korean restaurant for soy-braised pork belly rice: Handa Sot

A warming hot-pot rice meal found on our Gyeongju trip

I’m at the age when I need to look after my health now! These days, when I travel, I find myself looking for food that is easy on the stomach rather than anything too intense. Gyeongju trips involve so much walking in particular, so I think I naturally look for something more filling.

And so, the rice restaurant we visited in Gyeongju: Handa Sot Gyeongju, near Hwangridan-gil and Cheomseongdae. To give you the conclusion first: “A hot-pot rice set meal that leaves you full and warmed through!”

Can you walk there from Hwangridan-gil and Cheomseongdae?

Handa Sot Gyeongju is a five-minute walk from major sights such as Hwangridan-gil and Cheomseongdae. It is in a two-story hanok-style building on a main road, so it was easy to find.

🚗 Parking information: Nearby paid public lots include Daereungwon Hwangnam District Public Parking Lot and Jjoksaem Parking Lot. I parked at Jjoksaem Parking Lot and walked for five minutes.

You can dine with a view of royal tombs!

The restaurant was comfortable and tidy overall, and you can smell the rice the moment you walk in. On the second floor especially, you can eat while looking out over green fields and royal tombs, so I recommend dining upstairs.

The atmosphere for couples and family meals

Suitable for solo diners, couples, families, and more

The space is divided mostly into four-person tables, making it nice for a private meal. When I visited, there were mostly couples and families, and there were especially many international visitors. It was lovely to see them enjoying their food.

As a hot-pot rice specialist, it had a range of hot-pot rice dishes depending on the topping ingredients.

• Abalone hot-pot rice ₩21,000
• Soy-braised whole pork belly hot-pot rice ₩18,000

What are the eight side dishes like?

Eight tidy, satisfying side dishes

At Korean set-meal restaurants, sometimes there are simply lots of side dishes without much you actually want to eat. Here, though, the selection was tidy and satisfying, focused on dishes anyone would enjoy. I couldn’t wait for the rice and started eating; the side dishes were neatly prepared and not overly seasoned.

Sesame oil aroma and abalone innards in the abalone rice

My wife’s pick: abalone hot-pot rice

A waft of sesame oil aroma, tender abalone

When we lifted the lid, it was full of abalone, and the sesame oil aroma rushed out too. I picked up a piece of abalone, and it was chewy yet tender—more delicious with every bite.

Rich, savory abalone innards

They serve the abalone innards separately for you to mix into the rice. Honestly, abalone innards can taste fishy if they are not done well, right? I was a little worried as I lightly mixed them in, but wow! Why was I worried? Their salty, rich flavor created a hot-pot rice dish with a completely different charm from eating it plain.

How did we eat the soy-braised whole pork belly rice?

My husband’s pick: soy-braised whole pork belly hot-pot rice

Pork belly full of smoky aroma + refreshing minari

As soon as we lifted the lid, the smoky-smelling pork belly had us salivating before we even ate it. Hot-pot rice and pork belly could become a rich combination, right? The minari (water dropwort) cuts straight through the richness of the pork belly and makes it refreshing—it is the total kick. Meanwhile, the garlic flakes add a crisp texture and nutty flavor.

The lightly sweet sauce is good mixed in or used as a dip!

The lightly sweet sauce comes separately. It is tasty mixed into the rice, but my husband said the rice itself was so good that he recommends dipping the meat in the sauce and placing it on top of the rice instead!

A small tip for enjoying crispy nurungji

Nurungji that goes beyond nutty—so nutty!

My husband gave the nurungji (crispy scorched rice) a thumbs-up the moment he tried it! One spoonful, and it was wonderfully nutty. Here is a little tip: I gently scoop out the rice so that I deliberately leave some stuck to the pot. That makes the nurungji even more delicious, with its crispy texture and extra nutty flavor.

Eating well even while traveling

Eating healthily even while traveling!

I’m at the age when I need to eat healthily even while traveling now! In that respect, I made the right choice today.

A hearty, healthy Korean meal seems to digest well and sit comfortably, making a trip even more enjoyable. Rather than an excessive spread, this was a Gyeongju rice restaurant that left me feeling like I had eaten just the right amount.