Daega Restaurant
The Best Grilled Fish Serving around Gwangju
Written and photographed by Melline Galani.
Daega (대가), the house of grilled fish, has been one of my favorite restaurants in Korea since I first discovered it in 2015. Though it is considered a traditional Korean eatery, I would argue that it is not only this because it satisfies all my culinary tastes and expectations. And the most particular experts are my children, who still refuse nearly all Korean food but will gladly go to Daega any time.
Daega’s main specialty is grilled fish and offers Korean mackerel, Japanese Spanish mackerel, Pacific saury, garfish, and cutlass. They come together with many diverse and tasty side dishes, a landmark of South Jeolla’s amazing cuisine and, of course, rice. The rice itself is also amazing, and here the sotbap (솥밥) is the best. It is basically rice and other grains cooked in a stone pot called a dolsot (돌솥). It is delicious, and you can have nureungji (누룽지, scorched rice), too. For meat lovers, the restaurant serves tteok-galbi (떡 갈비, grilled short rib patties), another tasty local treat. I must confess that here they have the best tteok-galbi I have ever had in the Gwangju and Damyang areas. Though I am not a meat fan, I definitely enjoy the dish here.
Daega has been around for decades and is situated near Gwangju Dam. The restaurant is a hanok-style wooden building with high ceilings, wide windows, and big, wooden tables. There is a small stream inside the restaurant with live fish swimming around and spacious parking outside.
The prices are cheap when compared to what is on offer and vary depending on the number of people eating. A menu item for two starts at 32,000 won and goes up to 80,000 won for five people. There is also a special menu for kids for 5,000 won, but the portions are generous. Moreover, they have free ice cream, coffee, and sikhye (식혜, a traditional, sweet rice beverage). For those passionate about going to coffee shops, there is one near the restaurant and offers a 10 percent discount on the coffee items if you present a receipt from Daega.
Being a famous matchip (맛집, a popular place with tasty food), the restaurant is always packed with people, and every time I have been there, the venue was absolutely crowded though we haven’t had to wait long for the food to come.
As it is located just outside of Gwangju, it may be a bit difficult to reach for those who do not have a car, but it is well worth the effort. I have taken all my friends and relatives who visited Gwangju to Daega, and they have all loved the place and the food.
I would describe it as unique, cheap, and popular, with friendly service and amazing food – a must-try for anyone in the area.
THE AUTHOR
Melline Galani is a Romanian enthusiast, born and raised in the capital city of Bucharest, who is currently living in Gwangju. She likes new challenges and learning interesting things, and she is incurably optimistic.