Busan Station private-room sashimi for a Seoul guest: Ppong Sashimi

Do you like fresh sashimi and seafood? I recently had a meal with a friend visiting from Seoul and stopped by Ppong Sashimi, a sashimi restaurant near Busan Station. Every seat is a private room, so it felt very secluded, and you get a wide range of sashimi and seafood served like a course. Famous actors and a film director are said to love it too, so let me walk you through the well-put-together mixed sashimi course.

How do you get to Ppong Sashimi from Busan Station?

Ppong Sashimi is about 500m from Busan Station Exit 2, in the alley behind Korean Air. Being in a side alley, it's quiet, and it was just right when I wanted good sashimi and a seafood course near Busan Station.

Fresh raw fish is the first thing that comes to mind with Busan, right? Ppong Sashimi, the place I visited near Busan Station, was a great spot to enjoy a sashimi and seafood course all in one go.

Celebrity and film director autographs at the Ppong Sashimi entrance

What caught my eye first at the entrance was the wall packed with autographs from celebrities and film directors. A staff member told me film industry people often come after the Busan International Film Festival. Actor Tang Wei, actor Lee Byung-hun and director Park Chan-wook have all been here, which made me even more excited about this Busan Station sashimi restaurant.

Does Ppong Sashimi have private rooms?

Every seat at Ppong Sashimi is a private room. That was one of the main reasons I brought my friend from Seoul here.

It's cozy and undisturbed by noise around you, so we could focus on the food and our conversation. I think it would suit a meal with your parents, a get-together with friends, or a dinner with someone important.

Ppong Sashimi menu and lunch special hours

The main menu is sashimi and seafood, with a mixed sashimi course, a tuna course and a lunch option, so it works for lunch or dinner. The lunch special runs 11:30–14:00 and comes as a hearty spread of sushi, seafood, sashimi, fried dishes, a braised dish, roe rice and soup.

What comes in the Ppong Sashimi mixed sashimi course?

Starter porridge, seaweed soup, three kinds of sushi and boiled pork

The mixed sashimi course I ordered started with starter porridge and seaweed soup, plus three kinds of sushi and nicely boiled pork (suyuk). It's a sashimi course, but I liked getting to try so many different dishes.

Seafood from Jagalchi Market: abalone, conch and sea squirt

The most surprising part was how fresh the seafood was. A staff member said they bring in fresh ingredients from Jagalchi Market every morning before dawn, and I could taste a faint scent of the sea, so I believed it.

The abalone sashimi was sliced thin, tender and not chewy, and the conch kept a springy bite that was fun to eat. The sea squirt (meongge) had its strong ocean aroma but was clean, with no fishy taste, which I loved.

Maybe because every ingredient was so fresh and in such good condition, my friend from Seoul kept marveling the whole meal. It's plenty delicious even without being in Haeundae or Gwangalli, so if you're looking for a sashimi restaurant near Busan Station, do stop by.

Main sashimi platter: yubiki red sea bream and flatfish fin

The main sashimi platter came with a variety of seasonal fish such as sea bream, salmon and rockfish. The sea bream was prepared yubiki style (skin briefly blanched) to bring out the texture of the skin, and the flatfish (gwangeo) came with the chewy fin part too. Anyone who loves sashimi will be happy with that combination.

Tuna tasting plate

Tuna is one of Ppong Sashimi's popular items, and in the mixed sashimi course we got to try a little as a tasting. It was thawed just right and melted softly in the mouth, with a rich flavor like beef.

Kataifi shrimp tempura, beef sukiyaki and grilled seafood

Next came crispy kataifi shrimp tempura, warm beef sukiyaki, and grilled scallop, abalone and shrimp. It was a proper course, and we were full and satisfied with nothing lacking.

How the Ppong Sashimi course ends, and is it worth it for hosting guests?

The course ended with clear fish soup (jiritang) and roe rice (albap). Having tried a course that starts with porridge and finishes with a hearty meal, I felt this isn't just a place to eat sashimi, and that being able to taste so many different dishes in one sitting made it even more meaningful.

The comfort of all-private rooms, fresh seafood and a nicely varied course made it a perfect space, so if you're looking for a special place to eat near Busan Station, I'd recommend this Busan local favorite.