Affordable Korean cuisine in Taipei: savory-sweet sauce over beef bibimbap rice

Text & Photos /Old K

This Korean stone pot spot was found by Mei Ji. She mentioned seeing crowds queuing during evening commutes. With it nearly 8 PM and us near Guting Station, she proposed dining here. Old K figured, "Haven’t had Korean in ages—let’s do it!"

The place is small and easy to miss, nestled midway between Taipei Metro’s Taipower Building and Guting stations.

Nearly 8 PM, yet it was almost fully booked—business is booming here.

Pricing is quite reasonable, Old K thought. We ordered a beef bibimbap rice; Mei Ji initially wanted doenjang jjigae but switched to spicy tofu stew after spotting someone else’s order XD. Plus, the seafood pancake—Old K’s must-have with Korean meals.

Since the kitchen’s open to the dining area, expect some cooking fumes.

These three small sides are complimentary. The soup comes with the beef bibimbap, while the rice is for the spicy tofu stew. The middle seaweed side is slightly sweet; the other two are saltier but still tasty.

The soup is miso-kelp broth—pretty good too~

Spicy Tofu Stew (NT$140)

Here comes the steaming-hot spicy tofu stew~

Packed with tofu, naturally.

Also loaded with clams, shrimp, glass noodles, etc. Mei Ji found it pretty spicy; Old K thought it was mild. She said it paired well with rice. After a few bites, Old K realized why he’s never been a huge Korean food fan… turns out he dislikes Korean chili powder XD—hence his struggle with kimchi.

Beef Bibimbap Rice (NT$140)

This beef bibimbap rice gave off serious smoke (super hot)! Haven’t had crispy rice in ages, so Old K waited a few minutes before mixing.

Time for the "invisible hand" mix XD

There’s the crispy rice bits—but maybe left it too long; some got burnt XD. The flavor reminded Old K of Japanese beef bowls.<，像吉野家那种(比他们家好吃很多XD) 甜咸甜咸的日式酱汁跟牛肉洋葱的混合，配上焦脆的锅巴，很好吃呢！！！牛肉的话建议可以先捞出来再拌，不然牛肉拌到锅边或锅底再加热后会变的太硬不好吃。

You can also add the red sauce on the table—it’s not very spicy but elevates the taste layers nicely. Recommended to try~

Seafood Pancake (NT$150)

Generous shrimp and squid portions. Oddly, Old K first expected it to be chewy like scallion pancakes, but it’s soft-textured. He’s never loved that feel, so he always checks seafood pancakes hoping for a difference—yet they’re usually similar XD. Anyway, this one’s still soft batter, though the thinner edges are crispy.
The contrast of crispy edges and soft center makes it enjoyable.

Don’t forget their special dipping sauce—not too spicy but complements the flavors beautifully. Delicious~

Old K’s Tips:
No wonder business is thriving—the food’s affordable and tasty. Old K loved the beef bibimbap; non-beef lovers can try other bibimbap flavors. The seafood pancake’s great too. Budget-conscious Korean food fans, check this place out.

Old K’s Personal Rating (out of 10, higher=better)
Taste: 8 | Value: 8 | Ambience: 5 | Price: 7

Han Shi Guo (Korean Stone Pot)
Address: No. 40, Section 3, Roosevelt Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2364-5477
Business hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–21:00 (Closed on Mondays)

Old K
Keep the relay going, Old K！
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