Fizz-free grapefruit and spicy clay-pot pasta in Haeundae: Bueokgan

I went to Bueokgan Haeundae Branch, a Western restaurant in Haeundae that's known as a local favorite. Today I'm bringing you the story of a delicious Western meal I had in Haeundae.

This time I visited Bueokgan Haeundae Branch, another well-loved Western spot in Haeundae. Bueokgan is a place where you can enjoy a variety of Western dishes like pasta and risotto. It's a great restaurant to visit when you're on a date in Haeundae or want to eat somewhere with nice atmosphere. Let me give you an honest rundown of how the food tasted, from the sweet potato fries to the main dishes.

Where is Bueokgan Haeundae Branch, and what are its hours and parking?

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is located at 200 Dalmaji-gil 117beon-nagil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, 2nd floor. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 16:30 and last order at 20:30.

• 📍Location: 200 Dalmaji-gil 117beon-nagil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, 2nd floor
• ⏰Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 / Break time 15:00–16:30 / Last order 20:30
• ☎️Contact: 051-746-9022
• 💳Dongbaekjeon accepted

There was parking space available below and in front of the building.

What Bueokgan Haeundae Branch looks like inside and out

Outside the Dalmaji-gil building

We parked under the building and took the elevator right up. This is what it looks like from the front entrance.

Inside: half-moon tables and the dining room

Once you step off the elevator, Bueokgan looks like this.

The interior was bigger than I expected. This Haeundae favorite is designed around the concept of a vintage classic British hotel, and the semi-circular tables are apparently its signature. We had a reservation and, as it happened, we were seated at one of those semi-circular tables. The interior atmosphere was lovely, making it a great spot for couples on dates, moms' gatherings, or family celebrations.

Bueokgan menu and prices, and what the couple's dish set includes

The couple's dish set lets you pick 1 pasta, pumpkin soup, 1 salad, and 1 pizza. The steak set is the couple's dish set with steak added. We wanted pasta and risotto, so we skipped the set and ordered à la carte instead.

• Sweet potato fries ₩8,000
• Single grapefruit drink ₩4,000
• Seafood tomato clay-pot pasta ₩19,000
• Abalone cream risotto ₩20,000

Here's everything laid out together.

How were the sweet potato fries at 8,000 won?

The sweet potato fries (₩8,000) at Bueokgan Haeundae Branch use a rice-flour batter, which made them way crispier than regular fries. They came out first — my boyfriend loves McDonald's sweet potato fries, so I ordered these to see how they compared, and honestly the quality was on a different level.

The oil was drained really well so there was no greasy or shiny feel, just a clean taste, and the rice-flour coating made them genuinely crispier than typical fries. Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is officially confirmed as a fried-food spot in my book... I like regular fries too, so I found myself wishing they served those as well haha.

The sweet potato itself wasn't the usual yellow color, but more of an orange-red — I'm guessing they use a kabocha-sweet-potato variety. Anyway, Bueokgan's sweet potato fries are genuinely delicious, so I really recommend trying them. Crispy outside, sweet inside — they were great even without ketchup.

Single grapefruit: a fizz-free drink if you can't do carbonation

The single grapefruit drink at Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is ₩4,000 and has no carbonation. I can't handle carbonated drinks well, so instead of a grapefruit ade I ordered the still version, and it really tasted like freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. No fizz, just that signature grapefruit bitterness. It paired really well with the main dishes we ordered.

Abalone cream risotto: any fishy smell?

The abalone cream risotto (₩20,000) at Bueokgan Haeundae Branch had absolutely no fishy smell. It's a risotto with rich abalone-liver sauce mixed with cream, a combo of abalone and clam meat, and topped with fried enoki mushrooms. Abalone can easily end up smelling fishy if it's not cooked properly, but this abalone cream risotto at Bueokgan Haeundae Branch had zero fishy smell.

I wanted something rice-based, so I picked the abalone cream risotto, and it was thick and creamy without being too heavy. It was packed with clam meat and abalone, so every spoonful had a chewy bite. The seasoning itself was on the saltier side. It was delicious.

The fried enoki mushroom garnish on top was super crispy, almost like the sweet potato fries. It barely tasted like mushroom at all. I think even people who dislike mushrooms could enjoy it.

After a spoonful of risotto I tried a pickle and it paired so well that we ordered extra pickles! They were made of radish and cucumber, and unlike typical store-bought pickles they didn't have that strong vinegary tang, which I liked.

How spicy is Bueokgan's seafood tomato clay-pot pasta?

The seafood tomato clay-pot pasta (₩19,000) at Bueokgan Haeundae Branch has a fairly spicy sauce, so if you can't handle spice, you might only be able to taste a bite or two. It's a tomato pasta with shrimp, Manila clams, and green mussels in a tomato sauce simmered for a long time. It comes out in the clay pot itself, piping hot, so be careful when you eat it! On the plus side, it stayed warm for a long time and didn't cool down quickly.

True to the description of tomatoes simmered for a long time, this wasn't the sour tomato sauce flavor you'd typically expect from store-bought sauces. A healthy, real tomato flavor! There were also chunks of tomato mixed in like a topping, and I tasted one — the tomato itself was sweet.

But the sauce itself was seriously spicy!! I'm pretty weak with spice, and this was a level I couldn't really handle, so I only had a taste. The shrimp and mussels were genuinely fresh and had a plump, springy texture. I'd recommend this to people who dislike overly rich food and love tomato pasta but also enjoy some heat.

The interior really has the perfect atmosphere for a date, and it's a Haeundae favorite that even has sweet potato fries, which not many places serve. Bueokgan Haeundae Branch — 200 Dalmaji-gil 117beon-nagil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, 2nd floor.