Are you craving authentic Korean cuisine in Taipei? Look no further than DODOLI Korean Restaurant! This restaurant offers a delicious taste of Korea, perfect for those seeking a genuine culinary foray into Korean cuisine. Whether you’re a seasoned Korean food enthusiast or a curious newcomer, Korean food in Taipei has never been as good as it is now, with DODOLI Korean Restaurant dedicated to providing you with a snapshot of Korean food.
Taipei Korean food is often known to dull down the spices, flavours, and authenticity of Korean food to appease the Taiwanese palate. DODOLI Korean Restaurant does that a little less than others, and is certainly worth checking out for your next exploration of Korean food in Taipei. However, be aware that it can get busy here, so you should use their online booking system to reserve a table. You can find the link below:
Dive into a piping hot bowl of Bibimbap, a crowd-pleasing favourite, or explore their menu filled with other enticingly authentic specialities such as their delicious sizzling Korean seafood pancake, packed with fresh shrimp, squid, and vegetables. Cool down with their notable cold noodles for a refreshing counterpoint – a perfect choice for any season. No Korean meal is complete without an array of delicious side dishes, and DODOLI Korean doesn’t disappoint. Expect zinging flavours and textures with their banchan, the small plates accompanying your main course.
Kimchi, pickled vegetables, and savoury japchae (glass noodles) are just a few of the delightful options you might encounter. So, come hungry and ready to explore the wonders of Korean cuisine at DODOLI Korean! Let DODOLI Korean take your taste buds on a trip to Korea, right in the heart of Taipei!
Table of Contents
Situated in the heart of the Yongkang Street area right next do Dongmen MRT station in the centre of Taipei, DODOLI sits quietly on one of the many back streets that house some incredible eateries in the city. If you haven’t been to this area before, you have been missing out. But, you’re here now, and all is well in the world!
You can check out this Food Walking Tour at Yongkang Street if you’re interested in visiting the area.
If you aren’t sure how to order or what to do when you arrive at DODOLI, then this is the post for you. See below for How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
3 Fast Tips on How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
The Menu at DODOLI Korean
The link below will take you right to the online version of the menu. A QR code is on the table when you are at the restaurant, which links to the online ordering system. Google Translate really will come to your rescue with this online menu format.
What We Ordered
When you arrive at the table, you're going to find a few of these delicious side plates (banchan in Korean). They're delicious, they can get refilled, and the variety is great! I especially liked the Yuzu pickled Daikon radish (top right), and the pickled seaweed with onion (see the picture on the right below).
All of the sides tasted fresh, had a great balance of spice and acidity, and they added lots of texture and vegetables to the main courses.
Beef Bibimbap
This is my go-to order at most Korean restaurants. I tend to always go for the beef, but what I like most is the amount of vegetables that I can mix in, and I especially love it when the rice takes on a crispy texture from the searingly hot stone pot in which it is served.
After the rice has sizzled for a while in the stone pot, then you should go at it all with that spoon until everything is mixed in. Make sure to tip in the small dish of the spicy chilli sauce, and you are in Taipei Korean Food paradise. With each bite you get crunchy vegetables, rich egg yolk, spicy chilli sauce, crunchy rice, and juicy beef. It's a joy to eat.
Beef Minestrone Tofu Pot
With a deeply rich tomato flavour coursing through the broth, this beef minestrone tofu pot caught me a bit off-guard. It sounded great on the menu, with a tomato soup base, beef slices, egg, spring onions, and delicate tofu. But when it arrived, it didn't look visually appealing. The smells, however, quickly changed my mind. As the pot bubbled away, it gave way to a thick soup filled with amazingly delicate tofu and flavourful beef strips. I enjoyed it a lot. This will be one of my go-to winter warmers when in the area.
Beef Curry Tofu Pot
Beef - good.
Tofu - good.
Curry - good.
Beef + Tofu + Curry = good.
The same silky smooth delicate tofu that we found in the minestrone soup from above was also used in this dish. The curry flavour that ran through the soup was nicely fragrant and, spiked with the beef bone soup, was another excellent winter warmer. It is scolding hot from first to last bite, but it's totally worth the mouth burning.
Scallops Yuzu Noodles (cold)
Chewy, cold noodles are served in a Yuzu spiked ice-cold sauce, laced with sesame, seaweed, and cucumber. The pièce de résistance? That charred scallop on top. Perfectly seasoned, beautifully cooked, and adding that level of decadence that helps to elevate what is a rather simple bowl of cold noodles.
The noodles were made so effortlessly refreshing by that yuzu sauce in which they are served. This is perfect for summer, however, it is a huge bowl for 1 person. I'd maybe suggest a bowl for 2, with some Topokki and that seafood pancake from below.
Pumpkin Beef Tofu Pot
The smell of pumpkin as this landed on the table was rich. The same beautiful tofu was bubbling away in the bowl, with slices of beef poking around here and there, too. Nothing but hearty, soul-warming food to be found here.
I really enjoyed DODOLI Korean Restaurant's tofu pots.
Seafood Pancake
Perfectly crispy, packed with juicy seafood, and accompanied by a lip-smacking chilli sauce, this seafood pancake was spot-on. Oftentimes when a pancake such as this lands on the table, there's more pancake than there is other ingredients. But DODOLI seem to have got the balance really good with all ingredients here.
This definitely comes in on the thin end, but if anything, it adds to the crunchy and crispy texture of the pancake, and makes the fact that the seafood within retains its juiciness, that even more special. This seafood pancake is recommended for 3-4 people.
Mini Seafood Pancake
If you think that the thin and crispy seafood pancake will be too much to handle with your filling main dish, then you should consider this mini seafood pancake. Thicker than the seafood pancake counterpart above, this mini version is crammed full of juicy goodies bursting at the seams.
Due to the relative thickness of the pancake, the textures are vastly different to the seafood pancake above, with this one being chewier and less crispy. However, oftentimes that's what people look for in a pancake. Perfect for 1-2 people, the mini seafood pancake is perfect for date night.
Mushroom Bibimbap
With carrots, pea shoots, wood ear mushrooms, cucumber, corn, plenty of mushrooms, and an egg, this is perfect for vegetarians or those wanting less meat in their diet (if you are vegetarian, then please pass on the soup as it is beef bone soup). The veggies are gradually cooked through when you stir them in to that steaming hot rice in the stone bowl, then when you add that chilli sauce over the top, you've got one tasty mushroom bibimbap. Fresh, flavourful, and worthy of an order.
Grab a lime drink after the meal is a great option, it is only one street away from DODOLI:
Taipei drinks – Lime organic 東海萊姆園 – your number 1 new favourite citrus drink!
The Bottom Line
Is it worth it? DODOLI Korean Restaurant is absolutely worth checking out if you're in the area and in the mood for Korean food.
What is the best dish? I really enjoyed the cold noodles and I also enjoyed the seafood pancake. I'd get both again.
Are there other places like this? There is plenty of Korean food in Taipei, but DODOLI Korean Restaurant is one of the best in the area.