Daegu Korean restaurant near Kim Kwang-seok Street: Hyangtaek

A hot-pot rice meal found on Kim Kwang-seok Street

This is Hyangtaek (향택), located on Kim Kwang-seok Street in Daegu. It is about a five-minute walk from Exit 3 of Kyungpook National University Hospital Station. Hyangtaek is apparently very famous for hot-pot rice. Such a perfect choice for weather that is starting to turn cool! 👍🏻

At lunchtime, there are about two parking spaces in front of the restaurant. If you park at Kim Kwang-seok-gil Public Parking Lot, you can receive support for 1 hour 10 minutes.

It already looks so delicious just from the photos..! Grilled deodeok and mushrooms—what a nourishing meal. I was really craving the platter of galbi today, so that is what I was going to have, haha.

A comfortable restaurant for solo meals and gatherings

I visited at 5 p.m. on a weekday evening, after the break time ended. The restaurant was spacious and clean, and the wood-toned interior felt so cozy! It has an open kitchen, so you can see the cooking too—definitely reassuring on the hygiene front.

There were lots of large tables, so it looked great for group gatherings too. The people beside me were actually having a wedding-invitation gathering, haha. (Congratulations 🫢) Even though I came alone, I received such a warm welcome, haha. Every staff member was so kind.

Ordering Spanish mackerel gondre rice and galbi

My heart is racing—here is Hyangtaek's menu.

I ordered the signature Spanish mackerel gondre rice and platter of galbi. I heard the eggplant doenjang rice bowl is incredibly good too, but since I came alone... I had to order just one thing..

How to enjoy Hyangtaek

Mix the toppings evenly into the rice or noodles, then eat them with gopchang gim (crisp seaweed) and mixed salted seafood! Add the house special sauce for a totally different flavor, haha.

A big piece of Spanish mackerel and generous gondre

Ahhh, this is insane!!!! Every ingredient was fresh and so neatly presented. There was a big chunk of Spanish mackerel too, so it was a very generous portion for me dining alone. They absolutely did not skimp on the gondre either.

Everything was plated so neatly and beautifully that I was happy before I even started eating. The kind of feeling where food that looks good tastes good too, haha.

Hot-pot rice wrapped with gungchae and seaweed

Following the delicious-eating instructions, I mixed it up properly, then tried it wrapped in seaweed with the platter of galbi and gungchae (stem lettuce) I ordered alongside. Seriously, ridiculously delicious!!!!! It went so well with the gungchae, more than I expected? Crunchy and refreshing—this is food that makes you clap while eating it.

The fish was not fishy at all and had no unpleasant smell. It was so nutty and went perfectly with the gondre. What an amazing nourishing meal. Adding the platter of galbi made the pairing fantastic too. Please make sure to order the Spanish mackerel gondre rice and platter of galbi 👍🏻

Tender platter of galbi too

The platter of galbi that came with it was full of juices, tender, and incredibly soft. It would be so nice to bring children here too. It tasted a little like neobiani—exactly the kind of flavor children would love, haha.

It has been a while since I had such a delicious meal. I feel like it has been ages since I ate Korean food, but truly, Korean food is the best in our country. It tastes healthy too, haha.

Weekday event and waiting tips

If you write a Naver review on a weekday, you get a platter of mushrooms for free!! Of course you have to take advantage of an event like this, right?

Hyangtaek Daebong Branch is such a popular restaurant that there always seems to be a wait. If you join the queue through Tabling, you can get in faster! Joining the queue is essential. I completely recommend Hyangtaek Daebong Branch to anyone looking for a great restaurant on Kim Kwang-seok Street, around Bangcheon Market, or while traveling alone in Daegu. (You will not regret it)