Jeonpo, Busan Chinese pub: mala tomato nabe & egg fried rice, Taising

I was looking for a pub with a good atmosphere in Jeonpo, and this is my story about Taising (타이싱), haha. This time it's a Chinese food spot in Jeonpo: Taising!

Taising location, hours and parking

Taising is at 48 Jeonpo-daero 210beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, on the 1st floor. It's open Sun–Thu 17:00–01:00 and Fri–Sat 18:00–02:00. There's no parking, so I'd go by public transport.

It's a short walk uphill from Jeonpo Station, so it wasn't hard to find, and the whole area is full of pubs with a great atmosphere, haha.

Taising exterior and interior

The exterior already feels Japanese-style, and the sign and soft lighting are the kind that catch your eye as you walk past.

The inside is cutely decorated. There aren't many tables, but that makes the mood even better. Tables for two were comfortable, and it looked like groups come too, pushing tables together.

Taising menu and drinks

The menu is Chinese-based with a Japanese touch, so it's a bit different from an ordinary pub and choosing is fun. Please check the photos for the menu, haha.

Besides the mala tomato nabe, there were Chinese-style stir-fries and fried dishes, plus a variety of light side dishes. The drinks include highballs, gaoliang (Chinese liquor), soju and beer, so you can pick to your taste, and there's sherbet or ice cream for dessert, so you can finish neatly too, haha. It seems like a good place for a second round.

If you join the review event you can also get a dessert like ice cream or sherbet, so I definitely recommend doing it, haha. Getting a sweet finish made me even happier with the visit.

This day, I

ordered the mala tomato nabe (hot pot) and the egg fried rice.

Taising gives you peanuts and water as basic sides, and I laughed a little when the water came in a Delmonte bottle, lol. It gave a nice retro feel.

Taising mala tomato nabe: how spicy and how does it taste?

The mala tomato nabe has the fresh tomato base first, then a gentle mala tingle follows, so I think even first-timers to mala would be fine. It was hearty, with sliced beef brisket, chicken, shrimp, tofu and vegetables.

It looked generous right away, with beef brisket, chicken, shrimp and tofu! Napa cabbage, bok choy and mushrooms were plentiful too, so watching it all simmer was fun, haha.

When it starts boiling, a faint mala aroma rises, and it spreads softly rather than harshly, so it wasn't overwhelming. The first sip of broth gives the fresh tomato base, then mala's tingly feel follows a little behind. This combination worked better than I expected, and I kept going back for more. It's not too strong, so I think first-time mala eaters would be fine.

The beef brisket was fatty but not greasy at all with the broth, and the chicken was mild and went well. With shrimp, tofu and mushrooms too, the textures varied and I kept reaching for it, haha. The broth itself is the kind you keep craving, so it was really good with drinks.

Does Taising egg fried rice go well with the nabe?

The egg fried rice was stir-fried fluffy and nutty, with just the right saltiness, so it paired well with the mala tomato nabe.

One spoonful gives a nutty flavor first, and eating it with the nabe broth changes the taste again, so it's a great way to finish. The food was so good I couldn't resist and ended up ordering a bottle of Terra beer, haha.

Who is Taising in Jeonpo good for?

Taising nails the combination of atmosphere, dishes and menu!! It's the pub you'll think of in Jeonpo when you want a casual drink with distinctive food.

It's good for quiet conversation and feels fine for a date or a night out with friends. The mala tomato nabe is worth trying at least once, so I recommend it, haha.