Haeundae Chinese restaurant sweet and sour pork dip: Bueokgan

🎈Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch Address: 200 Dalmajil-gil 117beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea, 1st floor Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 Break time: 15:00–16:30 🅿️Private parking available 👶🏻Baby chairs available

The weather turned cool over the weekend, perfect for being outdoors. We took the kids out to Haeundae and by dinnertime we'd headed to eat our first child's pick — sweet and sour pork. Honestly, my first kid and I love this place's sweet and sour pork so much that this is basically the only Chinese restaurant we eat at. My husband likes it too, and even our 16-month-old second kid likes it. Let me introduce this Haeundae favorite Chinese restaurant.

Is parking easy at Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch?

There's private parking on basement level 1 of the building, plus private parking on the ground floor. The basement connects directly to the restaurant, so weather isn't an issue when moving around with kids. Best of all, there's no parking time limit, so we could relax through the meal. My husband's SUV went into the basement parking easily, but coming out after the meal it didn't fit in one go, so we had to back out. If I come alone without him, I think I'll park on the ground floor instead, haha.

The store guide signage on basement level 1 is really well explained too!

The 1st floor is Bueokgan Chinese, the 2nd floor is Bueokgan Western. One building holds both Bueokgan Western and Chinese.

At the 1st floor entrance, the red sign with that classic Chinese restaurant feel really caught my eye.

Atmosphere and seating

Open the door and there's another door before you, leading to a nice waiting area. It's clean, and on a cold winter day you don't have to shiver outside while waiting.

As soon as we stepped in, the space felt quite large, with an emotional, pretty Chinese restaurant vibe. This is the upscale-feeling Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch! The Marine City branch has private rooms, giving it more of a private gathering feel, while the Haeundae branch has a European-style sensibility and a more upscale mood, more like a date spot.

Big windows keep the space from feeling cramped, and from the window seats you get a framed, lush green view. And the many lights of different sizes are stylish too, haha. From Western to Chinese, Bueokgan's interiors are always so pretty that when I think of a nice-atmosphere Chinese restaurant, Bueokgan Chinese is the first one that comes to mind. It's also a great spot for Christmas or year-end dinners.

The tables come in various sizes, so it works for gatherings and company dinners too, and even the coat hangers feel like decorative touches.

We visited on a weekend without a reservation, right after break time ended at 5pm, and were seated with no wait. Barley tea, danmuji, and jjachai are provided.

What we ordered

• Black vinegar sweet and sour pork (small) ₩28,000
• Beef brisket jjamppong ₩12,000
• Soft-egg pork belly jjajangmyeon ₩10,000 + large ₩2,000

Black vinegar sweet and sour pork, dipping sauce on request

Bueokgan's sweet and sour pork normally comes with sauce poured over it, but since our first kid can't handle sauces well yet, we asked for it served with the sauce on the side. Part of why I love Bueokgan Chinese's sweet and sour pork is that tangy-sweet sauce — it's an unusual sweet and sour pork sauce made from China's black rice vinegar, with a tangy, rich flavor. Eaten dipped, the pork stays crisp instead of getting soggy, and eating the generous, thin layer of onions on top along with the pork is a treat in itself. Eaten with the sauce poured over, the pork soaks it up for a chewier texture. The meat is thick too, so the texture is great. This black vinegar sweet and sour pork, where you end up scraping up every last bit of pork and onion, is a must-recommend.

Beef brisket jjamppong

The jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) is mildly spicy, loaded with beef brisket and vegetables, and I couldn't put my chopsticks down. The noodles alone are delicious, but the broth has such deep flavor that we added a bowl of rice, and it was amazing eaten with rice too.

Large soft-egg pork belly jjajangmyeon

The jjajangmyeon (black bean sauce noodles) is glossy, packed with vegetables and bite-sized pieces of pork. With a soft poached egg on top it looks even more appetizing, and the seasoning is well-balanced, so the kids ate it up. The portion is already generous, but since our first kid especially loves Bueokgan's jjajangmyeon, ordering the large size turned out to be the right call.

Is it okay to bring kids?

With dishware and baby chairs on hand, our young second kid could sit comfortably, making it a great spot for a family meal out. With the baby chair, our second kid was at ease, and our first kid got to eat what they wanted, so it was a fun meal all around. Between the taste, the nice atmosphere, and the clean space, we didn't feel like anything was missing — a great Haeundae Chinese restaurant to visit with kids.

To sum up

• Private parking means no worries about parking
• Baby chairs and dishware on hand — ideal for family dinners
• Big windows let in natural light for a European-style, emotional atmosphere great for gatherings, family meals, and dates
• Wide seat spacing makes visiting with kids comfortable