Pohang ocean-view restaurant lunch: Plan A Restaurant

I visited Plan A Restaurant (플랜에이레스토랑), near Songdo Beach in Pohang, with my father, who was visiting from my parents' hometown. It was just the two of us that day, and I wanted us to have a relaxed lunch while looking at the sea.

Was it hard to get a window seat for weekday lunch?

Plan A Restaurant is a Western restaurant where you can dine while taking in the sea at Songdo Beach. I arrived at opening time on a weekday so we could have lunch with a sea view.

Even though I went at opening time, most window seats were either reserved or already occupied. If you want a window seat, it would be a good idea to check whether reservations are available before visiting.

What did we order for lunch, and how much was it?

There was a wide selection of pasta, risotto, steak, and salad. Overall, the prices did not feel overly burdensome to me. The two of us ordered three dishes that day.

• Spicy beef chop steak, 120g: ₩22,000
• Mushroom basil cream risotto: ₩15,000
• Mushroom black sesame salad: ₩12,000

What did the mushroom black sesame salad taste like?

The mushroom black sesame salad arrived first. The greens were topped evenly with tomatoes, cheese, cranberries, and nuts.

The crisp vegetables, sweet cranberries, and nutty nuts gave it varied textures.

The black sesame dressing was sweet and nutty. It had a noticeable black sesame flavor without being overly thick or heavy, making it a refreshing start before the other dishes arrived.

How spicy was the beef chop steak?

When I eat with my children, I usually choose dishes to suit their tastes. Since it was a meal for just my father and me that day, I ordered the beef chop steak in the spicy version.

When I tried it, the subtly spicy kick in the savory-sweet sauce cut through the richness of the meat. To me, it was not intense enough to make my tongue tingle; it simply left a little heat at the end.

The plate came with chop steak, fries, and salad, so it was more substantial than I expected. The meat was fine on its own, but dipping it in the accompanying sauce brought out more savory flavor.

The mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions grilled alongside the meat also went well with the sauce. The moist meat and crisp vegetables made for a pleasant texture.

Did the mushroom basil cream risotto pair well with the chop steak?

For the risotto, I chose the mushroom basil cream risotto that I always have here. I like basil's fresh aroma, so it is a dish I find myself choosing again each time I visit.

Basil aroma was infused into the smooth, nutty cream sauce, so it did not feel only heavy or rich. The cream flavor came through first, followed by a subtle lingering basil aroma.

The cream sauce had soaked moistly into the grains of rice, and the chewy texture and savory flavor of the mushrooms worked well too. It was seasoned with a moderate saltiness. Alternating the soft risotto with the spicy chop steak kept me from getting tired of either dish through the end.

How was lunch with my father?

It had been a while since I had shared a relaxed meal and conversation with just my father. The atmosphere of eating in front of Songdo Beach while looking at the sea was lovely, and I was satisfied with the combination of salad, spicy chop steak, and soft risotto.