Busan teppanyaki with grill-front counter seats: premium set at Karen

Where is Karen Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch?

Karen Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch is a Taiwanese teppanyaki restaurant located in the basement 1 food court of Lotte Department Store in Seomyeon. It's set up as a bar table, so it's perfect for solo dining.

Hi everyone haha! I visited Karen Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch, a Taiwanese teppanyaki spot in Seomyeon, Busan Lotte Department Store.

There are baby chairs too, so it's also good for family visits.

What comes in the 2-person premium set

This is Karen's menu. I ordered the 2-person premium set. The 2-person premium set is made up of imperial short rib steak, flank steak, 4 scallops, 1 tomato and egg, and cuttlefish.

Watching the cooking from the counter seat in front of the grill

I sat in a seat with a direct view of the grill. Karen's teppan grill is NSF-certified, meaning it's been recognized as non-toxic for direct contact cooking, which is a characteristic of teppanyaki.

On the grill across from my seat, bean sprouts were being stir-fried separately.

I also watched the tomato and egg being stir-fried.

I got to watch the scallops, cuttlefish, and steak being grilled too. It was great being able to see the cooking happen right on the grill.

The cuttlefish and scallops sizzling away.

The steak was being cooked nicely too...

What the side spread includes

While I was busy watching the teppanyaki cooking, the basic side spread came out. It includes rice, egg soup, sautéed onions, carrot rapé, sautéed bean sprouts, and salad.

The sautéed bean sprouts had a light oyster sauce flavor that paired really well with the meat. The carrot rapé had a refreshing taste that was great for resetting the palate after the rich flavors.

And then everything we ordered arrived. Let me introduce each one.

Flank steak

First up is the flank steak. It comes finely sliced with sauce, wasabi, and garlic flakes.

Dipped in the moist sauce, one bite! The meat was incredibly tender, and this sauce was the real kick. It went really well with the garlic flakes too.

Imperial short rib steak

Next is the short rib steak. The setup is the same as the flank steak.

It was thinner than the flank steak and had a bit more fat since it's short rib. This one paired well with the sautéed bean sprouts.

Scallops

Next are the scallops. The sauce was a bit more chili-forward compared to the steaks.

I usually can't eat scallops because of the fishy taste, but there was none of that here — they were moist and tender.

Cuttlefish

Next is the cuttlefish. The sauce was the same as the scallops.

The stir-fried cuttlefish was really bouncy and chewy. Squid usually gets tough when overcooked, but there was none of that — it was tender.

Stir-fried tomato and egg

Lastly, the tomato and egg stir-fry. Honestly I didn't expect much from this one, but I was blown away. It's so good!!!!!!!

The savory depth and addictiveness are amazing — I could eat just this with rice and be happy ㅠㅠ My favorite dish ❤️

I cleaned my plate completely. It was a delicious meal ^0^

Is Karen worth it? Final verdict

Karen Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch, a Taiwanese teppanyaki spot in Seomyeon, Busan!! It's a bar table setup so it's comfortable for solo dining, and since they cook right on the grill in front of your seat, it's fun to watch too. They stir-fry a variety of ingredients on the grill — meat, seafood, fish, egg — and it was all so delicious. The meat was juicy and tender, the seafood was moist, and the tomato and egg stir-fry with its incredible savory flavor rounded everything out perfectly.

If you're looking for a great teppanyaki spot in Seomyeon, Busan, a solo-dining-friendly restaurant at Seomyeon Lotte Department Store, or a good lunch spot at Seomyeon Lotte Department Store, I highly recommend Karen Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch!