Clean Bowl Club · 28 stories

An Empty Bowl

I write about meals at restaurants I visit in Busan and Gyeongnam. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Cafés · Bars

PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Solo tonkatsu in Jeonpo, Busan after a lecture: loin and curry, Hets

Hets Jeonpo Branch is a Japanese-style tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant near Jeonpo Station in Busanjin, Busan. After finishing a lecture, the writer came across Hets in a Jeonpo-dong alley and ate alone at a bar seat: a black pork top loin cutlet that was crisp outside and juicy inside, a meat curry generous with meat and a slightly spicy doenjang (soybean paste) soup. For an easy solo tonkatsu meal near Jeonpo Station, Hets Jeonpo Branch is a place worth returning to.

Written Jul 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongnae, BusanHair & beauty salons

Lumbar lordosis back pain care in Dongnae, Busan: Bareunmom Sugi Care

Bareunmom Sugi Care (물리치료사의 바른몸 수기케어) is a physical therapist-run posture correction exercise and manual care center on Chungnyeol-daero 126beon-gil in Dongnae, Busan. After sudden lower back pain that followed a stretch of caregiving, a walking exercise instructor took a free 3D body analysis at Bareunmom Sugi Care. The scan showed severe lumbar lordosis, so the session focused on exercise coaching to stabilize the pelvis with glute strength instead of the lower back, plus manual care. One session at Bareunmom Sugi Care left the lower back feeling lighter, and the biggest gain was finally understanding why it hurt.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongnae, BusanBars

Quiet Oncheonjang izakaya to catch up with a friend: Oneul-ui Tokyo

Oneul-ui Tokyo Oncheonjang (오늘의도쿄 온천장점) is a Japanese-alley-style izakaya (Japanese pub) on Oncheonjang-ro in Dongnae, Busan. The writer caught up with an old friend there over a charcoal-grilled skewer set and the signature oden nabe (fish cake hot pot), with music kept low enough to talk comfortably. Oneul-ui Tokyo Oncheonjang suits anyone looking for a calm Oncheonjang bar rather than a noisy one.

Written Jul 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBuk-gu, BusanRestaurants

Sisters' mala xiang guo and guobaorou lunch in Busan: Mara Golmok

Mara Golmok (마라골목) is a mala Chinese restaurant on Deokcheon 2-gil near Deokcheon Station in Buk-gu, Busan. Two sisters shared mala xiang guo (spicy stir-fried hot pot) and guobaorou (crispy sweet-and-sour pork) for lunch, picking their ingredients at the self-serve bar and adding free bowls of rice. Bright and comfortable after its 5th-anniversary renovation, Mara Golmok is a place worth returning to whenever a spicy meal sounds good.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongnae, BusanRestaurants

Eel buffet with scallion kimchi in Anrak-dong, Busan: Songnim Bok

Songnim Bok Jangeo Unlimited Freshwater Eel, Busan Dongnae Branch is an all-you-can-eat restaurant on Myeongjang-ro in Dongnae-gu, Busan, grilling freshwater eel, pork belly and duck neck meat over real charcoal. The writer took a tired-looking older sister to Songnim Bok Jangeo for a stamina-boosting meal and enjoyed charcoal-grilled eel, scallion kimchi and complimentary bokbunja (Korean black raspberry wine). The most impressive point: Songnim Bok Jangeo prepares eel every morning, brought in from an eel farm and a direct-sale market.

Written Aug 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangseo, BusanRestaurants

Myeongji seafood jjim spot with two rounds of fried rice: Haemullae

Haemullae (해물래) is a restaurant specialising in stone-plate seafood bone jjim (spicy braised seafood and pork spine) on Myeongjigukje 1-ro in Gangseo, Busan. At a family dinner with a son who lives in Myeongji, we ordered Haemullae's stone-plate seafood bone jjim for 3 (about 57,000–58,000 won), with octopus, abalone, shrimp, squid and pork spine bones, and the fried rice was so good that we ordered a second round. Haemullae's portions are generous enough that 3 adults could share 2 servings plus extra fried rice.

Written Aug 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongnae, BusanBars

Dongnae Station bar with steamed clams and risotto: Lounge Mokhwa

Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch is a red-neon Hong Kong-style bar in Myeongnyun 1-beonga, near Dongnae Station in Busan. On a repeat visit with her older sister, the writer ordered saekong bajjak yurinji (crispy fried chicken with vegetables) for 19,000 won and steamed clams with risotto for 20,000 won, and the clams worked as both a drinking dish and a filling meal. Lounge Mokhwa Dongnae Branch is a good place in Dongnae for a quiet drink and a long catch-up.

Written Aug 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Songjeong Chinese restaurant then beach festival walk: Songjeong Dol

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong (송정돌짬뽕) is a stone-plate jjamppong restaurant on Songjeong Gwangeogol-ro in Haeundae, Busan. Arriving right at opening, the writer ordered the whole squid dol jjamppong (medium) at 31,000 won with spice level 1, added handmade gyoza dumplings at 8,000 won and macaron mangboosha at 14,000 won, and finished with the scorched rice stuck under the stone plate. Songjeong Dol Jjamppong works best as a lunch stop before walking over to the Songjeong Beach festival.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGeumjeong, BusanRestaurants

Salmon restaurant in Jangjeon-dong, Busan: udon set at Gatjidong

Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch is a Japanese rice-bowl restaurant on Sikmulwon-ro in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, about 382m from Exit 5 of Oncheonjang Station. Over a meal with family, the writer ordered the salmon-loaded salad for 13,800 won and the tomato-green citron salmon udon with mini sake-don (salmon rice bowl) for 19,800 won, adding soup, broth and rice from the free self-bar. With bar seats for solo diners, baby chairs and free parking inside the building, Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch is an easy choice whoever you bring.

Written Aug 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanRestaurants

Steamed monkfish for two in Suyeong, Busan: Sintongyeong Agu Suyuk

Sintongyeong Agu Suyuk.Tang is a monkfish restaurant on Suyeongno 725beon-gil in Suyeong-gu, Busan. Out for a light, healthy meal with her older sister, the writer skipped the spicy agujjim and ordered the 50,000 won agu suyuk (steamed monkfish), which arrived as a full plate of tender fish, chewy collagen-rich cuts, bean sprouts and eomandungi (sea squirt) — easily enough for two. For anyone who likes clean-tasting seafood, Sintongyeong delivers on both flavor and portion size.

Written Sep 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanHair & beauty salons

Haeundae posture care near Jangsan Station: deep release at Bodydeem

Bodydeem Recovery Body Correction is a 1-on-1, appointment-only posture care center in the Cartium building near Jangsan Station in Haeundae, Busan. After Sunday service left the writer with bad neck and shoulder tension and a headache, Bodydeem ran through BODY CHECK, full-body deep release, body care and movement training in that order. Bodydeem suits anyone who wants to see how their own body moves and learn stretches, rather than just take a hard massage.

Written Sep 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Haeundae European restaurant with free corkage for 3 bottles: Bueokgan

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is a European restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae, Busan. Meeting her walking mentor after a long time, the writer ordered the 51,000-won Bueokgan couple set — sweet pumpkin soup, garden salad, kungpao chicken pilaf and pepperoni pizza — and confirmed that corkage is free for up to 3 bottles. Bueokgan Haeundae Branch suits a slow, talkative lunch with someone you have missed.

Written Sep 5, 2026Sponsored