Affordable Korean Cuisine in Taichung: Generous Portions of Grilled Copper Plate BBQ & Flavorful Budae Jjigae

Text & Photos /Feitian Xuan

This was our fourth visit to Koreatown House. While the food is delicious, the first three experiences weren’t great. The first time, there was a power outage, so we had to eat our hot meal in an oven-like restaurant under the blazing summer sun. The second time, there were no indoor seats left, so we had to sit outside — same issue: it was too hot, and I ended up getting overheated before finishing my meal. The third time, my little one (we call her Little Cherry) was having none of it and started crying shortly after we sat down, so we had to cut our meal short. But recently, when chatting with friends about Korean food, I suddenly realized it had been ages since we last visited Koreatown House — time to give it another go, I thought.

Online listings say the address is at the intersection of Shijia East Road and Daying 11th Street in East District, Taichung. (Seriously, that kind of address totally threw off my navigation — I ended up driving to the start of Shijia East Road, then had to turn back, wasting half an hour.) If you're as bad with directions as I am, just set your GPS for around No. 632, Shijia East Road. There’s a PX Mart convenience store at the corner, and then you’ll have to hunt carefully for parking.

To avoid peak dining hours, we deliberately arrived earlier, around 5:30 PM, but were surprised to find the place already about 80% full. We later learned that Koreatown House actually opens at 4:30 PM — those diners sure know their way around.

For Korean cuisine, the prices here are really reasonable, and I found myself tempted to order just about everything on the menu.

I compiled photos from these few visits into one article. All main dishes come with side dishes, though what you get varies each time. I only really like the kimchi; the rest just don’t do it for me.

They also serve plain rice. By the way, most Korean dishes are spicy — so how can kids eat their fill? I usually give mine rice + non-spicy sides + boiled veggies and meat. Of course, sometimes she’s in the mood and eats happily, other times she just refuses — but I’m not worried, she won’t starve. If she’s hungry, she’ll let us know.

Copper Plate BBQ (Beef) – NT$220

Comes with grilled meat and veggies. For NT$220, the portion is pretty generous.

Don’t overcook the meat, and it stays quite tender. Just beware — the broth gets saltier the longer it boils, so I wouldn’t recommend drinking it.

Grilled BBQ Rice (Beef) – NT$100The portion here is really huge — I’d say it’s enough for two adults. The sauce has a nice aroma without being overly salty, and I love that it comes with lots of veggies, which is great for digestion.

Kimchi Seafood Noodles – NT$120This is probably stir-fried wheat noodles. I used to think “stir-fried wheat noodles” meant Korean-style stir-fried noodles, but turns out 愛炒碼麵 (chǎo mǎ miàn) is just the name of this type of noodle. It comes both dry and in soup, so “stir-fried” doesn’t equal stir-fried noodles per se. The flavor is pretty good — sweet and spicy with plenty of toppings, very authentic Korean taste.

Stir-Fried Spicy Squid – NT$160The sauce is exactly the same as the one in the Kimchi Seafood Noodles, so the flavors are similar. We kinda regret ordering both.

Spicy Beef Bone Soup – NT$170

Army Stew – NT$500Yup, it’s budae jjigae, aka "army stew" or "troop stew" — not sure why they gave it a different name. It’s loaded with veggies, meat, glass noodles… seriously packed with tasty ingredients. But I’m not a fan of the glass noodles. (← Should I be worried that this makes me seem hard to please?)

Among Korean restaurants in Taichung, I’d say Koreatown House’s army stew is top-notch. It has seafood, rice cakes, sausages, fish cake, pork, and more. Seriously generous portions, super flavorful, and the price isn’t bad either. Compared to some army stews that just pile in tons of sausages, Koreatown House’s version is at least a bit healthier. The noodles soak up the rich broth, staying soft but not mushy, and the soup itself is bursting with flavor.

Seafood Pancake – NT$100The crust is perfectly crispy, and the filling includes octopus, shrimp, and veggies. The sesame seeds on top add a nice aroma without making it too greasy. For the price, it’s a solid choice.

When we were leaving, the outdoor seating area was already full, and there were people waiting at the entrance. Glad we came early.

I heard the owner is Korean.

Koreatown House
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Address: Shijia East Road, East District, Taichung (Intersection with Daying 11th Street)
Phone: (04)2213-8606
Business hours: 11:30–14:00; 16:30–21:00

Feitianxuan
I record my daily life — eating, drinking, playing, emotions, joys, and sorrows — in a light-hearted tone. "锛br /> Blog、FB