Busan curry restaurant near Bujeon Station for a day trip: Sarugak20

Where to eat early near Bujeon Station: Sarugak20

Sarugak20 (사루각20) is a curry house in Jeonpo-dong, near Busanjin Station, famous for Japanese-style curry. Last weekend my husband and I took a day trip to Busan, arriving at Busanjin Station by KTX from Andong Station. We left super early and were so hungry that we decided to eat first!

Not many places near the station open early in the morning, and since we'd come all the way to Busan, I didn't want to just grab something random. I looked around and found Sarugak20, well known as a Japanese curry place in Jeonpo-dong! My husband is a total curry lover, so it was like "This is the one!!" and we headed straight over.

Sarugak20 opening hours and how to get there

Sarugak20 is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30–19:30, and closed every Monday. From Exit 8 of Jeonpo Station, go to the Busan Bank intersection and walk up toward the Jeonpo 1-dong community center. The restaurant is right across from it.

It was our first visit, so we followed the map, but the sign isn't big, and even right in front of it we were like "It says it's here, but where??" haha It really is right across from the community center, and if you see a cute monkey drawing, that's Sarugak! It's in the basement, so you go down some stairs, and before I even saw the owner's face I heard a kind voice say "Watch your step^^" haha

The counter is right there as you get downstairs, a funny layout! And the entrance alone is so atmospheric. It has that "a hidden gem I want to keep to myself" feel~ haha

What is Sarugak20 like inside? A sunlit, cozy basement restaurant

Inside Sarugak20 is even more atmospheric and cozy than the entrance. It's a vibe women can't help but love!! Even people who don't like curry would probably come to like it!! It's the kind of cozy eatery I love, and I was so happy to find it, it's been a while♡

The interior and lighting are calm too, so I'd recommend it as a date spot in Jeonpo-dong!

Even though it's in a basement, maybe because Busan has so many slopes, sunlight pours in through the windows, and you can see houses outside sitting lower than the restaurant, so it never felt like a basement at all.

Can you eat alone at Sarugak20?

Sarugak20 has a bar table by the window, so eating solo is easy. By the time we finished, someone who looked like a solo traveler came in pulling a suitcase~ We stopped by as a travel meal too, and it was a Jeonpo-dong spot we'll remember fondly for both the food and the atmosphere♥

There's also a hand-washing area inside, and they even set out hand cream, such a thoughtful touch!! It was a warm place with little considerate details.

They also sell a variety of small goods in one corner of Sarugak20.

Just browsing them was a small joy,, haha

Sarugak20 menu: cream curry, specialty curry, half-and-half and toppings

The curries at Sarugak20 are divided into cream curry and special curry. There are 2 kinds of cream curry and 2 kinds of special curry, plus a half-and-half curry that mixes the two.

You can add toppings to taste, like scrambled egg, poached egg, sausage, sweet potato cheese croquette, shrimp tempura and pork cutlet, and the prices are really good! haha

You can also get Sarugak's curry by delivery or takeout, and the prices there are very reasonable too! On days when you've lost your appetite at home, Sarugak curry would be a simple, filling meal. The curry is also sold on Naver Smart Store!

What we ordered at Sarugak20 and the prices

• So-pecial Curry ₩12,000
• Sarugak Curry ₩12,000
• Sweet potato cheese croquette ₩3,500
• Grapefruit juice ₩2,500

At Sarugak20 the rice and curry come piled on a big plate, and when they brought it they told us to ask if we wanted more curry or rice~ This amount was plenty for us, so we didn't ask for a refill, but I liked that it makes a hearty meal.

The cutlery also comes neatly in a pretty wooden box, which was nice~

Sarugak Curry: rich beef curry with pork cutlet and cabbage

Sarugak Curry is a rich beef curry served with cabbage and pork cutlet. When it arrived I wondered how good it would be~ and took a bite, and sure enough,, the deep, rich flavor of the beef curry really came through, and mixed into the rice it was so good>_<

There's lots of minced beef in the curry like this, so the texture is great and it tastes even better. It isn't salty, with a subtle spiciness rising up! It feels balanced so anyone can enjoy it. If you like thick, rich Japanese curry, this should suit your taste!

The pork cutlet topping has a crispy coating, and the thick meat is moist, tender and juicy, so dipped in the curry it was insanely good>_< The cabbage in curry felt a little odd at first, but it's thinly shredded so it didn't feel out of place and seemed to add texture.

The curry is so perfect that Sarugak Curry was great with just the pork cutlet topping♡

So-pecial Curry: the same beef curry with sausage, poached egg and cheese

So-pecial Curry has the same beef curry base as Sarugak Curry; the difference is the toppings: sausage, poached egg and cheese. With so many ingredients it was fun to eat, and the pretty look was a treat for the eyes.

There's cheese in the So-pecial Curry too, so when you mix the rice, the cheese stretches along with it, and maybe because of that the texture was even smoother.

I love the curry and egg combo so much that even at home I eat curry with a runny fried egg, and cracking the poached egg and mixing it into the curry was so nutty and good>_< I don't know what sausage they use, but it wasn't salty and was mild, which made it even better.

They also gave us kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) that seemed homemade, and eating it in between meant we didn't need any other side dishes haha The curry honestly suited our taste so well that I wanted to eat only this curry until I got sick of it>_< Now that I'm home I'm thinking about it again 😋

Is the sweet potato cheese croquette worth ordering?

The sweet potato cheese croquette (₩3,500) at Sarugak20 is a side you absolutely have to order. The coating is really crispy, and even the coating on its own is nutty haha

Inside is a combination of sweet sweet potato mousse and mozzarella, so it felt a bit like a sweet potato cheese pork cutlet. I think it's best eaten right away while warm. The price is easy for a side, and it was good enjoyed like a dessert too.

The cabbage underneath has a touch of yuzu sauce, so I finished every bit.

A drink to go with curry: grapefruit juice

The grapefruit juice at Sarugak20 is ₩2,500, the same price as soda. We don't usually drink anything with meals, but the grapefruit juice went quite well with the curry! The juice isn't very sweet, and the slightly bitter grapefruit cleansed the palate, so I enjoyed sipping it throughout the meal. If you don't like fizzy drinks, I'd definitely recommend the grapefruit juice haha

Why Sarugak20 makes a good first meal on a Busan day trip

You can feel the care in every bowl of curry at Sarugak20, and after trying it I understood why everyone raves about this Jeonpo-dong restaurant🍛 The warm atmosphere and service, plus the taste and price, all satisfied us, and next time I'd like to try the cream curry too❤️

If you're looking for a meal spot or date course in Jeonpo-dong, or a special yet filling meal during a Busan trip like ours, I recommend Sarugak20, a meal made with real care☺️