Haeundae Chinese restaurant, after-work date with eggplant: Bueokgan

I'd just finished some errands at Jangsan in Haeundae. After work, my girlfriend and I headed over to Dalmaji-gil for a good dinner to blow off some steam. The place we went to is a Haeundae spot that's getting hot lately — Bueokgan Chinese, Haeundae Branch.

Bueokgan Chinese Haeundae Branch hours and parking

• Hours 11:00–21:00 / Break time 15:00–16:30
• Reservations available via Naver Reservation
• Free corkage
• Parking available (underground lot behind the building)

A unique atmosphere, perfect for a date

Bueokgan's biggest strength is the interior, honestly. The tables are spaced generously too, making it a perfect spot to enjoy a cozy after-work date and conversation.

The moment you step inside, the typical image of a loud, red-toned Chinese restaurant is nowhere to be found —

instead there's a sleek interior that feels more like walking into an upscale Italian restaurant.

Soft, pretty lighting filled the space with warmth, and distinctive sofa chairs placed throughout divided the space nicely. It felt so comfortable! The atmosphere is clean and upscale enough that it'd work great not just for a couple's date but for hosting important guests or a family meal out — everyone would leave satisfied!!

An upscale space, but surprisingly good value

I was a little worried the prices might be intimidating given how nice the vibe is, but they turned out to be very reasonable!

• BUUK jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) ₩8,000
• Paihuanggua (Chinese-style cucumber salad) ₩8,000
• Poached-egg pork belly ganjjajang ₩10,000
• Chili ganjjajang ₩10,000

• Beef brisket jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) ₩12,000
• Seafood jjamppong ₩14,000
• Mala cilantro jjamppong ₩14,000
• Shrimp fried rice ₩10,000
• Poached-egg octopus rice bowl ₩16,000
• Shiitake menbosha (pyogosha) ₩18,000
• Eggplant in fish-fragrant sauce ₩22,000
• Jalapeño cream shrimp ₩22,000
• Whole-garlic yurinji ₩26,000

What we ordered: eggplant fritters ₩22,000, mapo tofu rice bowl ₩12,000, and poached-egg pork belly ganjjajang (double portion) ₩12,000.

Taste and lineup

We also ordered a Coke. They give you a cup of ice with it. :)

Moist, savory poached-egg pork belly ganjjajang

The first thing we tried was Bueokgan Chinese's poached-egg pork belly ganjjajang. We were pretty hungry so we went with the double portion — an excellent choice.

It was unique that instead of a regular fried egg, it came topped with a poached egg — breaking it and mixing it through the noodles made the jjajang even more moist and brought out a deep savory richness.

There were thick slices of pork belly in it too, so every bite brought a mouthful of savory richness!

And the onions — really the lifeblood of a good ganjjajang — were cut into nice big chunks, giving a satisfying crunchy texture with every bite.

Mapo tofu rice bowl, with that appealingly soft texture

Next up, the mapo tofu rice bowl wasn't too intense, which actually made it the kind of dish you keep going back to with your spoon.

If you're expecting the tongue-numbing, intense heat of authentic Sichuan-style mapo tofu, you might find this one a touch milder.

Above all, it used plenty of that distinctively soft silken tofu, which made for great texture. The tofu practically slid down the moment it hit my mouth, and the savory sauce soaked nicely between the grains of rice — delicious!

They also give you egg soup on the side!

Today's highlight! Crispy-outside, tender-inside eggplant fritters

The eggplant fritters! Everyone, if you go to Bueokgan Chinese, I recommend this dish!

The moment you bite in, there's a satisfying crunch — the outside is crispier than you'd expect and the inside stays moist, a textbook example of crispy-outside-tender-inside.

On top of that, it's soaked in a fish-fragrant sauce that's salty with just the right pleasant tang — that sauce was honestly the perfect kick! The balance between the crispy batter and the sauce was so good that I happily ate it down to the last piece! Sweet and sour pork is great, but the eggplant fritters were genuinely excellent!

📝 Final thoughts

Bueokgan Chinese, right at the entrance to Dalmaji-gil coming over from Jangsan! We had a wonderful date dinner, better than expected. I don't think there are many Chinese restaurants like this in Busan — reasonable prices with a genuinely nice atmosphere. It gave us top satisfaction in terms of value. If you want to step outside the typical, run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant and enjoy delicious Chinese cuisine in a distinctive interior, I'd definitely recommend a visit to Bueokgan Chinese, the Haeundae spot that nails both atmosphere and taste!