Jeonpo Station gukbap spot: couple tries spice level 2, Sanbandeul

Location and hours of Sanbandeul Pork Gukbap, Jeonpo Café Street Main Branch

Sanbandeul Pork Gukbap, Seomyeon Jeonpo Café Street Main Branch (산반들 돼지국밥) is at 43 Jeonpo-daero 209beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea, on the 1st floor, and it's open 11:00-20:30. It's a 4-minute walk from Jeonpo Station Exit 7, across from Bujeon Library.

Today I visited "Sanbandeul Pork Gukbap, Jeonpo Café Street Main Branch," a great Seomyeon spot for solo gukbap. It's a Jeonpo favorite where you get rich, clean broth, smoky grilled suyuk and freshly fried sides at a good price.

Sanbandeul was even chosen as a "Good Price Business" (a government-recognized affordable restaurant). It isn't the plain, clean, mild Busan-style pork gukbap but something different, so expect a wait on weekends. Takeout and delivery work too, so it's handy if you live around Seomyeon.

Is the seating at Sanbandeul good for solo diners and couples?

Besides counter seats, the inside has two 2-person tables and one 4-person table, so it works for solo meals, families and couples alike. The atmosphere is cozy, clean and full of Japanese charm.

It's not in the photos, but there are baskets for storing your belongings, so counter-seat diners can use them comfortably.

How is Sanbandeul's gukbap broth different?

Sanbandeul uses the pork bone broth method of Fukuoka, Japan, boiling pork bones for over 40 hours, they say. Every bowl uses jambon (ham-style) pork, and the side dish of flame-grilled suyuk is chewy and good too.

There are tips on the seats for enjoying the food, so you can follow them to suit your taste.

Sanbandeul menu and set prices

Besides cheap single dishes, Sanbandeul has a varied lineup of sets. Sides include fried chicken, large gyoza and shrimp tempura, so order to your taste. It's good value, so you can happily eat here alone too.

• Gukbap + fried chicken set ₩12,900
• Gukbap + flame-grilled suyuk ₩9,900

As soon as we ordered, the owner quickly brought out a full tray. You can swap the gukbap in a set to suit your taste. Also, at Sanbandeul the rice comes pre-mixed into the broth, so it's moister and richer.

Right now you can get shrimp tempura or a large gyoza for writing a Naver or Google review, so be sure to grab it!

How spicy is spicy pork gukbap level 2?

Sanbandeul's spicy pork gukbap comes in level 1 (Shin Ramyun), level 2 (Paldo Teumsae Ramyun) and level 3 (Buldak). I ordered level 2, and even as my first try it was less spicy than I expected and easy to eat. Next time I might try level 3!

The spicy pork gukbap, a Korean favorite, looks different from regular pork gukbap, a deep-flavored bowl that makes you know at first sight it'll be fiery. It comes loaded with jambon pork, wood ear mushrooms, vegetables, green onions, a soft-boiled egg and rice.

The side dishes that come first, chives and kimchi, you can eat with the gukbap to your liking.

The spicy gukbap has an appealing deep, rich broth, plus a soft-boiled egg with a moist yolk and tender white, making it a different kind of Sanbandeul gukbap. The meat inside had no gamey smell at all and a tender texture, so I really enjoyed it.

My boyfriend's pick: spicy gukbap level 1

The level 1 spicy gukbap my boyfriend ordered is the basic spice, an easy level to eat. The moderately rich broth reminded us of ramen gukbap, and we enjoyed it so much. With its ramen broth plus rice combination, he said he'd even want to take more home, and he ate it up happily.

Both the look and taste differ from common pork gukbap, so it was our first try and a huge success! If you want a filling meal alone, the counter seats seem comfortable.

After you've eaten 30-50%, add the seasoned chives for a different flavor.

How was the fried chicken in the gukbap + fried chicken set?

The fried chicken in Sanbandeul's gukbap + fried chicken set (₩12,900) is a side with superb crunch. It comes freshly fried, warm and crispy, and dipped in the sauce that comes with it, need I say more, jmt (Korean slang for "insanely tasty")! The gukbap and fried chicken together made for a hearty, successful meal.

Sanbandeul Pork Gukbap overall review

Sanbandeul Pork Gukbap, Jeonpo Café Street Main Branch was a big hit: good value, reasonable prices and a generous full spread. With a varied lineup from miso gukbap to spicy gukbap, it's a Seomyeon spot where you can eat in a different way, and I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for Seomyeon gukbap or a Jeonpo lunch place.