Sunset Coast Diner · 60 stories
Writes about small restaurants and market meals around Busan and South Gyeongsang. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Bars · Shopping · Stays
Yubuimdang Sinjeju is a poke and topped inari sushi (sweet tofu-pouch rice) shop on Doryeong-ro in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, close to Jeju Airport. The writer took out a beef bulgogi poke (12,400 won) and a Best 6 mini inari sushi set (9,000 won), and found the poke vegetables fresh and all six inari sushi flavors evenly good. During a Jeju trip full of greasy meals, Yubuimdang Sinjeju made a light yet filling meal.
Solsot Gwangalli (솔솥 광안리점) is a Korean pot rice (sotbap) restaurant near the sea at Gwangalli in Suyeong, Busan. At a packed weekday lunch peak, the writer ordered Solsot Gwangalli's sea bream scallop pot rice with double sea bream and a side of fried shrimp. The pot rice had a rich buttery aroma and deep savory flavor, and the fried shrimp was so good that one order felt too few. Solsot Gwangalli is a no-fail Gwangalli lunch spot whether you go with older relatives, coworkers, fellow travelers or on your own.
Zoblack is a salt bread bakery café on the main road in Marine City, Haeundae, Busan. The writer took out two plain salt breads plus one each of pollock roe, jambon-beurre, chapssaltteok (glutinous rice cake) and squid ink truffle (2,800–4,200 won each), and found the bread itself, crisp outside and chewy inside, as good as the fillings, with the squid ink truffle salt bread the favorite. For someone with strict salt bread standards, Zoblack was the best salt bread tasted in a long while.
Arang Guksu (아랑국수) is a gogi guksu (pork noodle soup) restaurant on Noyeon-ro in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, close to Jeju Airport and open daily 08:00–23:00 with no break time. The writer came alone at an in-between mealtime and ordered gogi guksu (10,000 won) and steamed dumplings with potato-starch wrappers (6,000 won), enjoying the clean, deeply meaty broth and the chewy dumpling skins. Arang Guksu is a pork noodle spot near Jeju Airport where you can comfortably eat alone.
Mannyeon Dakgangjeong Hanok Village Direct Store is a takeout-only dakgangjeong (sweet, crispy glazed fried chicken) shop on Taejo-ro in Jeonju Hanok Village. It sells chicken and shrimp gangjeong, seasoned jjondeugi (a chewy grilled snack) and moju (a sweet Jeonju rice drink). Getting peckish while sightseeing, the writer ordered a small chicken-and-shrimp half-and-half box and jjondeugi to go. Because the writer was on a break from alcohol, there was no beer, but the gangjeong tasted even better once cold and the next day. If you want to alternate chicken and shrimp gangjeong in Jeonju Hanok Village, the half-and-half is the order to get.
Oillaenae Jeonbuk National University Branch (오일내 전북대점) is a budget-friendly pork belly BBQ restaurant in Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, in front of Jeonbuk National University. On a Jeonju trip, before visiting Yeonhwajeong Library and Deokjin Park, the writer had a late lunch of the set with 150g pork belly, 150g pork neck and stew (₩25,900 for two) plus extra rice. The pork kimchi stew, the heaping bowl of rice and the free extras while waiting and after the meal stood out. Oillaenae is a good-value Jeonbuk National University BBQ spot with no break time, so it fills you up even at an awkward hour.
Boulangerie Tan at Hyundai Department Store KINTEX is a bakery on the B1 food floor of the department store in Ilsan, Goyang, and is a branch of a popular bakery from Unjeong, Paju. With an Ilsan Lake Park picnic in mind, the blogger took away a jambon-beurre sandwich made to order in front of them, a pollock roe (myeongran) potato salt bread with a great sweet-salty balance, and a sweet pumpkin cream cheese campagne. Verdict: Boulangerie Tan KINTEX is a good sandwich bakery for picking up takeaway to eat at Ilsan Lake Park.
Munkkocchi Mungangjeong Jeonju Hanok Village Branch is a street food stall on Eunhaeng-ro in the heart of Jeonju Hanok Village, selling octopus gangjeong (crispy glazed fried octopus), octopus skewers and chicken skewers. The writer took a cheese chicken skewer, katsuo octopus gangjeong and a katsuo octopus skewer to go for 19,500 won as a late-night snack at a nearby stay and named the katsuo octopus gangjeong, packed with big, chewy pieces of octopus, the favorite. Munkkocchi's octopus skewer suits eating on a walk, while the octopus gangjeong is the pick to go with beer.
Hanok Maeul Mulgalbi (한옥마을물갈비) is a mulgalbi (galbi hot pot) restaurant on Dongmun-gil in Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeonbuk. Having missed mulgalbi on a previous trip, the writer came for dinner with a friend and ordered the galbi jeongol set for two at 22,000 won per person; the yukjeon (pan-fried beef) was thick and juicy, and the galbi tender and well seasoned. With a clean dining room and friendly staff, Hanok Maeul Mulgalbi is a recommended pick for mulgalbi in Jeonju.
Gongdan Gamjatang Samgyeopsal is a samgyeopsal (pork belly) BBQ and gamjatang (pork bone stew) restaurant near Baekseok Station in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. At Gongdan Gamjatang Samgyeopsal, ordering just the half mixed pork platter (500g, 39,000 won) brings a big pot of gamjatang on the house, every table has its own drinks fridge, and the 3,000 won fried rice cooked in the free gamjatang broth was a generous single serving. With good meat, big portions, clean premises and friendly staff, Gongdan Gamjatang Samgyeopsal is a great-value Korean BBQ spot near Baekseok Station worth returning to for a night out.
Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong is a black garlic dakgangjeong (crispy glazed fried chicken) shop deep inside Gugyeong Market in Danyang, Chungbuk, across from Danbbang Bakery. The writer and a friend bought the Double Black Garlic dakgangjeong for ₩20,000 and 2 bottles of black garlic makgeolli for ₩10,000. The rich black garlic flavor came with nurungji (crispy rice) chips and fried lotus root for varied texture, and the box felt about 1.5 times bigger than a ₩20,000 box in Seoul. The verdict: the best dakgangjeong the writer has had lately.
Central Site Hapjeong is a newly opened drip coffee café near Hapjeong Station in Mapo, Seoul. A regular at the Yeonnam branch sat at a window seat with a friend and ordered a washed Ethiopia Sidama Muntasha, an iced Colombia Geisha Peach Punch and a tiramisu. At Central Site Hapjeong, the green-view window seat and the bright Peach Punch were the highlights.
