First time on campus and looking for restaurant recommendations? If that is the case, here are five of the most popular restaurants near KAIST that you can enjoy with your friends.
Located near the West gate, Moore is one of the few Italian restaurants in Eoeun-dong. It is a small but cozy restaurant with five to six tables. The menu is concise, consisting of salad, pizza, spaghetti, and risotto; however, it is enough to satisfy most tastes. Before the main dish, Moore provides sliced bagels with cream cheese as a starter. Even for people like me who are usually not a big fan of bread, the crisp, warm bagel is savory; I think the secret is in the cream cheese. The price range starts from 12,000 KRW, which is reasonable considering the quality of the food and service. It is recommended to make a reservation if planning to visit during peak hours as the restaurant can only hold up to around 20 people at full capacity.
Woodi Room is a self-service brunch café where you can enjoy paninis, open sandwiches, salad, and soup. After trying everything on the menu, I recommend the Chickavo Grilled Sandwich for those who are looking for something spicy and the Pumpkin Ricotta Grilled Sandwich when craving something sweet. My personal favorite is the Shrimp & Avocado open sandwich with Fresh Tomato Soup. The shrimp and avocado go well with the three sauces provided: sour cream, pesto, and balsamic. The café has a pleasant ambiance, simple but classy, and the decorations become festive during the Christmas season. Be prepared for a wait during peak hours as it may take some time to get your food. Although some say that the food is a little overpriced given the serving size, regular customers believe that the quality of the food and the atmosphere of the café make it worth the money.
At Dalguji Makchang, you can experience one of Korea’s most unique foods: makchang. It is part of a cow’s entrails and is usually grilled Korean barbecue-style over hot coals. When raw, it can resemble a gross pinkish squiggle, but when grilled, it has a chewy texture, crusty on the outside and tender inside. It tastes extra good when dipped into a special sauce that is served along with the makchang. Soybean paste stew and a bowl of rice after barbecued makchang is always a great combination. The price is reasonable: makchang is 9,000 KRW per serving and the menu also includes pork belly (samgyeopsal) and bottom sirloin (ggotsal). Although makchang may sound bizarre and unpalatable to foreigners, it definitely is one of the “must try out” foods when visiting Korea.
Rico Taco, located in Gung-dong, is the only Mexican restaurant near KAIST. The menu consists of typical Mexican dishes, such as hard and soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and enchiladas. When visiting as a group, the restaurant also provides various set menus, which allow you to get drinks at a discounted price. Before the entrée is served, you get a serving of nacho chips with tangy salsa. The restaurant is decked out in traditional Mexican decor with many dolls. There is no waiting area, so it is recommended to make a reservation if you hope to go during their busiest hours. The meals may feel pricey, but they do reflect the quality, portion, and origin of the cuisine.
Although located far from the West gate, Ato is a Japanese restaurant picked by many people as their favorite because of its signature menus: mackerel sushi and futomaki. The futomaki roll is filled with large slices of fresh tuna, salmon, and various types of vegetables that bring a pleasant taste of the ocean’s offerings, balanced out in one bite. Mackerel sushi is also a house specialty, but some may be reluctant to try it out due to fish skin and its distinctive taste. Ato’s bar table allows the customers to enjoy their meal while watching live cooking, but the orientation limits large groups of people from sharing conversation. The prices of the mackerel sushi and futomaki are 13,000 and 15,000 KRW, respectively, which reflects the freshness of the ingredients.
Other recommended restaurants that are worth visiting are Dada-Katsu (Fried pork cutlet), Gol-mok (Korean Barbeque), Gung-Kalguksu (Korean hot noodles), Sallimhanun Namja (Korean rice served with toppings), and Eolangjog (Korean style grilled fish). Have fun discovering new places, especially if you’re new to campus!