Dae Gyeong (Restaurant)

Dae Gyeong (Restaurant)
34-40 Namchang-Dong
Galchi Jorim Alley
Namdaemun Market
Namchang-Dong
Jung-Gu
Seoul
South Korea

Bulgogi / Char-Grilled Marinated Beef (KRW ₩10,000 / SGD $12)

Rustic Korean Dishes In This Casual Eatery

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 8
Spent about KRW ₩9,000 / SGD $11 per person.


.....


Located along the well known Galchi Jorim Alley, within the famed Namdaemun Market, Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) is a casual, home style Korean dining eatery. It's easy enough to spot, Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) occupies among the largest floor areas of all the eateries along this narrow food alley. With their large outdoor kitchen and clear signage, they easily catch the eye of people passing by.

Ambience at Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) is brightly lit, clean, and comfortable, with a spacious seating area neatly laid out with casual, functional, cushioned wooden furniture. Despite having 2 kitchens (both indoor and outdoor), there is little smell of cooking odors, which is good! Signages are only in Korean though. Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) can get pretty crowded during meal times, due to its popularity with locals.

Service at Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) is decent. Staff are friendly and will quickly seat diners, but they can only converse in Korean, no English or Mandarin here. At least the menu has helpful English translations of dishes, but not everything is listed in the menu. It's best you browse the display, and point to what you wish to order. The staff are casual and down-to-earth, I do feel like I'm dining in their home!

Food at Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) is rustic, Korean home cooking, with a large variety of dishes available. Traditional, classic Korean favourites, prepared to order, using fresh ingredients, result in simple, yet incredibly tasty dishes! Communal dining is highly encouraged, most dishes have a large portion size. Prices are affordable, suitable for everyday dining, budget about KRW ₩9,000 / SGD $11 per person for a full meal here.


.....

Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) Signage

Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) Exterior

Dae Gyeong (Restaurant) Interior

Kitchen Outdoors

Kitchen Indoors

Lower Seating Area

Upper Seating Area

They offer a good variety of Banchan / side dishes, such as the Sigeumchi Namul / Boiled Spinach, or Sesongyi-Guyi / Sauteed King Oyster Mushrooms. These are free-flow, and you can always get more, but compared to elsewhere, the taste is below average. Not particularly outstanding, but suitable and sufficient enough for a meal here.

Sigeumchi Namul / Boiled Spinach

Sesongyi-Guyi / Sauteed King Oyster Mushrooms

Excited to see they have Ttukbaegi Gyeran Jjim / Steamed Egg In Pot (KRW ₩2,000 / SGD $2.50)! This dish is not listed on the menu, you have to browse the display outside and point to it. Love the soft, fluffy texture of the egg, like eating sweet air! It's possible to finish this on your own, as it's incredibly light, and won't make you full. But it makes a great Banchan / side dish, pair it with more heavily seasoned dishes!

Ttukbaegi Gyeran Jjim / Steamed Egg In Pot (KRW ₩2,000 / SGD $2.50)

The Bulgogi / Char-Grilled Marinated Beef (KRW ₩10,000 / SGD $12) has thin stripes of beef, with a savoury salty, meaty flavour, and slices of tender, sweet caramelised onions. Incredibly delicious, and pairs well with white rice! But being pan-grilled / sauteed, the meat lacks the characteristic smoky taste of proper barbecue grilling. Worth ordering!

Bulgogi / Char-Grilled Marinated Beef (KRW ₩10,000 / SGD $12)

The Mandu / Dumpling, Manduguk / Dumpling Soup (KRW ₩6,000 / SGD $7) has dumplings of minced pork and spinach, wrapped within a thin dumpling skin, in a savoury earthy soup / broth of seaweed, anchovies, and egg. It's possible to finish this individually, as it's quite light. Tasty and comforting!

Mandu / Dumpling, Manduguk / Dumpling Soup (KRW ₩6,000 / SGD $7)

Mandu / Dumpling, Manduguk / Dumpling Soup

.....