Daejeon Highlights: Lumbini
Part of my new series, Daejeon Highlights.
While the best Mexican, Turkish, and vegan food are still found in Itaewon, you can definitely get your foreign food fix in Daejeon. In fact, there’s a ton of great halal marts and Japanese restaurants in Gung-dong, thanks to all the international students of KAIST.
Er, well, there’s still no good taco place in Daejeon, trust me (no, not even Rico Taco).
But there’s one really amazing foreign food restaurant that’s well known among all my friends. We go at least once a month to Lumbini.
Lumbini is a Nepali restaurant owned by a young (and very friendly!) family. You’ll often see their toddler son riding his horsey around the restaurant. They’re almost always open, and the food is so good and so affordable. I take everyone here.
The menu has the big staples of Nepali food. If you’re at all familiar with South Asian cuisine, it’s along those lines: samosas, mutton curry, naan, biryani, etc. Of course, you can grab a lassi, Nepali beer or chai.
Lumbini sell dishes that, as my friend puts it, South Asians would expect to see more often at home than in restaurants. Like the samosa chat, which is samosas chopped up and served with curry, yogurt, and chickpeas.
You can also ask for your food to be made vegetarian!
Everything on the menu is around 6,000—unless you get their set, which is 26,000 (~$22) and will feed 3-4 people.
If you’re with a friend or two, I recommend getting 2-3 dishes and splitting, so you can get a bit of everything! My personal top three are: samosa chat, biryani and chaumin.
My friend, who’s Indian-Canadian and misses her mom’s cooking says. at this point, the Lumbini owners are like family.
That’s why we love this place so much. Of course, it appeals to us because the food is so good, but it also feels like a home away from home. How many memories do I have here? We always end up here after a photo walk or rock climbing workout.
The thing about Lumbini too is it’s sort of an underdog. Restaurants in Korea don’t last long and this one is a hole-in-the-wall tucked away among the minimalist cafes and big bbq chains. There’s actually another Nepali restaurant right across the tracks. I haven’t been—I’m sure it’s great and their pictures are lovely—because Lumbini has me twisted around their finger.
When the family closed the restaurant and left for Nepal for four months last year, it felt like Daejeon had lost more than just a restaurant.
When I leave, this place and all our memories here will stick with me :’)
If you come to Daejeon, I hope you support this local business—and eat well! Stop by Sung Sim Dang after for dessert.