Busan Korean restaurant for jokbal and makguksu: Sasang Paldo Jokbal

I had a small jokbal (braised pig’s trotters) and makguksu (buckwheat noodles) at Sasang Paldo Jokbal (사상팔도족발) in Deokpo-dong, Sasang-gu, Busan. I worried the small size might not be enough, but it was more generous than expected, and I liked alternating the tender jokbal with the sweet-and-tangy makguksu.

Where is Sasang Paldo Jokbal, and what is the atmosphere like?

The address is 1F, 713 Baegyang-daero, Sasang-gu, Busan, South Korea. When I visited, it was clean and comfortable for a meal. It also seemed fine for dinner with a friend or a casual drink.

What is on the menu, and how much did my order cost?

The menu included warm jokbal, spicy jokbal, chilled jokbal salad, and half-and-half options. These were choices for when you wanted to try different flavors together, and there was also a varied selection of side dishes.

I ordered the small jokbal and makguksu. At the time of the original post, the small jokbal was ₩23,000 and the makguksu was ₩4,000.

How was the portion and texture of the small jokbal?

The small jokbal came sliced into easy-to-eat pieces on a plate. I was concerned about the portion because it was the small size, but it was more generous than I expected. The meat and skin were evenly mixed, so I could enjoy both tender and chewy parts.

Overall, it was moist rather than dry. It was good on its own, but adding small amounts of the pickled onions, garlic, peppers, ssamjang, salted shrimp, and shredded radish that came with it let me eat one plate in different combinations.

I especially liked adding a little salted shrimp and garlic to a piece of jokbal. The saltiness of the salted shrimp brought out the rich flavor of the jokbal.

Was it a good idea to order makguksu too?

The makguksu came in a black bowl with noodles, vegetables, and sauce, topped with shredded seaweed and sesame seeds. Its sweet-and-tangy seasoning and crisp vegetables went well with the rich, chewy jokbal.

Having a bite of jokbal followed by a mouthful of makguksu made my mouth feel refreshed. At ₩4,000, it did not feel burdensome, so I thought it was a good choice to order makguksu with this meal.