Mala kaoyu with vegetable set for two, ₩55,800: Bantiannyao Daejeon

Last Sunday at noon, I went and had kaoyu (Chinese boiled fish hot pot) in Daejeon. I kept thinking about the kaoyu I had in China, so I went hunting for it here — and long story short, I was genuinely satisfied. Picking the right fish was especially a game-changer 🔥

Location and hours of Bantiannyao Kaoyu Daejeon Branch

📍 13 Dunsan-ro 31beon-gil, 2nd floor, Unit 1, Seo-gu, Daejeon 🕚 Open daily 11:00 – 22:30

There's only one Bantiannyao Kaoyu location in Daejeon, and it's in Dunsan-dong! It's right behind Galleria Department Store, so you could say it's in one of the hottest spots in Daejeon (though there doesn't seem to be a dedicated parking lot ㅜ.ㅜ)

What we ordered for two and the total price

• Honghuajiao Kaoyu (signature mala dish) — ₩43,000
• Fish choice: ningbo eo (★ definitely choose ningbo fish)
• Vegetable set — ₩8,000
• Self-bar for two — ₩4,000 (₩2,000 per person)

Total for two came to ₩55,800.

Once the red oil broth starts bubbling away, that's when it really begins haha. The owner personally cleaned and prepped the fish for us, which made things super easy.

Why you should choose ningbo fish

Fish-picking tip!

Definitely order the ningbo eo (Ningbo fish)! There's a step on the menu where you choose the type of fish, and according to the owner, it has almost no bones and is soft, making it the safest choice — and the tastiest.

Most of all, since it's nearly boneless, I kept eating without the stress of picking out bones. Especially recommended if you find deboning fish a hassle.

The flavor itself is a really delicious mala-tang vibe! The base spice level is already fairly hot, so keep that in mind if you can't handle spicy food.

What's at the self-bar (rice and sauces)

And here's another perk! The self-bar has its own rice cooker, so you can scoop as much white rice as you want. Small plates, sauce dishes, ladles, and tongs are all there too. The sauce selection is really varied — chili sauce, oyster sauce, pickled chili, mala sauce, mayu (numbing oil), minced garlic, minced scallion, cheongyang chili, crushed peanuts, and sesame seeds, so it's fun mixing your own combination to taste.

I made mine with a chili oil base, plenty of minced garlic, and a generous amount of crushed peanuts. Dunking the kaoyu fish flesh into this brings out a big nutty flavor that softens the spiciness a lot 🥜

If you're planning to eat with rice, using the self-bar is way better value than ordering fried rice separately! It's ₩2,000 per person, and that covers rice, sauces, snacks, and even ice cream.

Why the ₩8,000 vegetable set is a must-add

The vegetable set — you absolutely have to add this. For an extra ₩8,000, you get a generous helping of bok choy, lotus root, wood ear mushroom, quail eggs, and udon noodles.

Most importantly, the kaoyu broth is so rich and spicy that eating just fish gets tiring fast! But once the vegetables and noodles go in, the broth becomes much more balanced and you don't get sick of it even by the last bite.

I think I would've regretted not ordering the vegetable set. Think of it not as an option but as essential ❗

The self-bar even covers dessert

After finishing the meal, I looked over at the self-bar and found two kinds of snacks ready. There's also ice cream on the side 🍦 A bite of ice cream after all that spice makes your numb mouth feel so good~!

Overall verdict and who should go

₩55,800 for two isn't exactly cheap. But when you consider you get a whole fish, plus vegetables, noodles, rice, and dessert all included, the price makes sense. It was satisfying to know you can get kaoyu of this quality in Korea.

I'd recommend this to people like:

• Anyone who loves mala-tang or mala longxia (crayfish)
• Anyone who finds deboning fish a hassle → ningbo fish highly recommended
• Anyone who can handle spicy food (even the base flavor is quite hot)

★ Things to remember ★

• Choose ningbo fish
• Adding the vegetable set is a must
• Self-bar is ₩2,000 per person (includes rice, sauces, snacks, and ice cream)