Gwangalli sashimi bar lunch for white fish fans: Gwanganda Jjji

If you're looking for a place in Gwangalli, Busan, where you can eat fresh sashimi and take in the sea, here's one worth knowing about: Gwanganda Jjji (광안다찌), a Millak-dong favorite with a view of Gwangandaegyo Bridge.

I really love sashimi, and white fish in particular, with its clean taste and chewy texture. At Gwanganda Jjji I could enjoy the sashimi I like, plenty of other seafood dishes, and even hot crab stew and abalone porridge all in one meal. Above all, the Gwangalli sea view outside the window made the meal feel extra special.

Can you really see Gwangan Bridge from Gwanganda Jjji?

Yes. Gwanganda Jjji is a sashimi restaurant where big picture windows show you the Gwangalli sea and Gwangandaegyo Bridge at a glance. The first thing that caught my eye when I walked in was the view through those huge windows. Blue sea, the bridge, and sitting by the window I really felt like I was on a trip to Busan. The weather was clear, and sunlight sparkling on the water was so pretty. Eating fresh sashimi while looking at the bridge, you're in a good mood before the food even arrives.

The restaurant is on the 6th floor of Sanbada Hoe Town, so the view is wide open, with the Gwangalli sea and the bridge together. I thought it would work well for a family meal, for taking your parents, or for a gathering on a special day.

What comes in Gwanganda Jjji's ₩55,000 dachi set?

The dachi set (다찌한상) is ₩55,000 per person, and seafood dishes come out one after another, from cream shrimp to grilled abalone. Once the food started arriving, the table filled up bit by bit. What I liked was that it isn't just a lot of dishes; you get to try a good variety of seafood.

What I ate was the dachi set at ₩55,000 per person. A really wide range of dishes came out, including cream shrimp, cockles, grilled eel, hoe-muchim (sashimi tossed in spicy sauce), scallops, monkfish liver rolls, grilled abalone and abalone sashimi.

• Cream shrimp
• Cockles
• Grilled eel
• Hoe-muchim (sashimi tossed in spicy sauce)
• Scallops
• Monkfish liver roll
• Grilled abalone
• Abalone sashimi

The cream shrimp were big and looked really appetizing, and I loved that abalone came both as sashimi and grilled. From chewy seafood to warm cooked dishes, the lineup was varied. Since different dishes keep arriving rather than just one thing, there's no time to get bored. If you want more than just sashimi when looking for a Gwangalli restaurant, this set suits you well.

Gwanganda Jjji's sashimi platter for white fish lovers

The sashimi platter at Gwanganda Jjji was mostly white fish, cut thick, which suited my taste perfectly. Honestly, sashimi was the dish I was looking forward to most this meal. I much prefer clean white fish to oily fish. I like the chewy texture you feel as you bite, and the fishy smell isn't strong, so it's easy to eat.

And this platter really was my style. It was mostly the white fish I like, so my chopsticks just kept moving. The slices were cut thick, so even one piece fills your mouth with that chewy texture.

Flounder with aged kimchi: a must-try pairing

The combo I loved most was flounder with aged kimchi (묵은지)! A thick piece of flounder eaten with aged kimchi, the clean taste of the sashimi and the deep savoriness of the kimchi went together really well.

Sashimi on a perilla leaf with sauce was tasty too, and I put the sashimi on rice and ate it like sushi. If you like clean white fish sashimi, definitely try the flounder and aged kimchi combo. I tend to care about the thickness and texture of sashimi at Gwangalli restaurants, and this time I liked the sashimi itself.

Gwanganda Jjji's finishing soup: crab stew instead of spicy fish stew

The finishing soup of the dachi set was crab stew rather than maeuntang (spicy fish stew), followed by steamed and fried dishes and then abalone porridge. When a sashimi restaurant brings out a hot soup to finish, you naturally expect maeuntang, right? I assumed it would be maeuntang too, but this time out came crab stew! Personally, I really liked this.

The sweetness of the crab came through richly in the broth, and it was spicy yet refreshing. Best of all it was clean with no fishy taste, so I kept spooning up the soup. I expected maeuntang and got crab stew! It was one of the most welcome dishes of the meal.

Steamed and fried dishes followed, so I ate a really big meal. But it wasn't over yet. The last dish to appear was abalone porridge!

Abalone porridge too good to stop eating, even when full

The abalone porridge was made with the abalone innards, so it was rich and creamy with a deep nutty flavor. I like abalone porridge anyway, but this one was especially memorable. I was already so full I thought I couldn't eat any more, but after one spoonful I just couldn't put the spoon down. The savory flavor was so strong that I enjoyed it to the very end.

In the end, I ate such a hearty lunch that I didn't even have dinner when I got home. That's how generous and satisfying the meal was.

Gwanganda Jjji Gwangalli Main Branch hours and reservations

Gwanganda Jjji is on the 6th floor of Sanbada Hoe Town. You can eat looking at the bridge and the sea, and since Naver reservations are available, it's a good place to book ahead for a family meal or a get-together with friends.

• Address: 6th floor, Sanbada Hoe Town, 17-20 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro 344beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea
• Hours: Mon, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 12:00–22:30 (lunch 12:00–16:00, dinner 16:30–22:30)
• Wednesday: 16:30–22:30 (check whether lunch is served)
• Closed: every Tuesday
• Last order: 22:00
• Reservations: Naver Reservation and CatchTable available

Where to park for Gwanganda Jjji in Millak-dong

You can use the outdoor parking lot on the building's 1st floor for free, with room for about 6–7 cars. The public parking lot at Subyeon Park next door is also available. It costs ₩1,800 per hour, and I heard you can get a discount if you ask the restaurant. Note that street public parking and other paid lots aren't covered.

With a great sea view and a hearty seafood spread, it was satisfying as a spot for a family meal or a gathering.