Busan Songjeong Korean restaurant with 5 kimchi sides: Songjeongok

Today I'm reviewing Songjeongok Songjeong Main Branch, where the pot rice was amazing! The cream abalone pot rice was a flavor I'd never tried before, and it was so good!

There seem to be so many good restaurants popping up in Songjeong these days, it's fun checking them off one by one.

Songjeongok's ingredient sourcing and same-day milled rice

Songjeongok had an ingredient traceability sign posted outside. It says they use seasonal seafood shipped direct from the source and obundo rice (light-milled, golden rice), milled the same day, for healthy and tasty rice. The date posted matched the day I visited, which made me trust it even more.

What is on the menu at Songjeongok?

The menu is simpler than you'd expect. It's organized around set meals — from the basic abalone pot rice set, to a set with hinoki (Japanese cypress) added, up to one with whole steamed octopus added. We ordered the most basic abalone pot rice set.

As soon as we sat down, they brought out savory water first. Korean food really should start with good water, haha.

Inside the first and second floors of Songjeongok

Looking around, there are traditional Korean decor pieces scattered throughout, and with the second floor included, it was more spacious and comfortable than I expected.

There was also mother-of-pearl inlay decor, which was fun to look at.

Side dishes served with the abalone pot rice set

First came salad, wrap vegetables, and stir-fried squid, along with doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew). The stew had a rich flavor that went great with rice.

Then the full set finally arrived — it filled the whole table, so it was fun working through each dish one by one. Felt kind of like clearing levels in a board game, haha.

Gabrisal bossam (boiled pork shoulder blade)

First I tried the gabrisal (pork shoulder blade) bossam. The meat was soft and juicy, which I loved. My grandmother likes meat that's soft like gabrisal, so it made me think of her — sniff. This place would be good to visit with older family members too.

Spicy marinated raw crab and five kinds of kimchi

The spicy soy crab was salty and spicy, and tofu kimchi came out with it too. I especially loved the variety of kimchi — scallion kimchi, baek (white) kimchi, and radish kimchi, all to eat alongside the bossam. It was a really solid lineup.

Wrapping meat and kimchi in the lettuce made for a very classic Korean set-meal combo. It reminded me of the story about Scarlett Johansson eating 7 kinds of kimchi — this place already has 5, haha.

What does the creamy abalone pot rice taste like?

Then today's main dish, the abalone pot rice, arrived. This was truly impressive. It had a creamy abalone innards sauce mixed in, giving it a totally different feel from typical abalone pot rice — like the nutty flavor of abalone innards had been smoothed out into something gentler.

On top of that, the egg was mixed in soft and scrambled-looking, making the rice itself incredibly soft. The texture was tender, but the abalone flavor still came through — unusual but really tasty. My friends who came with me also said the abalone pot rice was delicious.

I also liked that, since it's a full set, you get to try everything — side dishes, meat, seafood, and pot rice. The abalone pot rice in particular is a bit different from what you usually see elsewhere, so if you're curious, it's worth trying.

Eating rice alongside so many different side dishes meant I kept enjoying new combinations, which was great. If you love abalone, you'll especially be satisfied here, and it's a good spot to visit on a day when you want something clean and filling rather than heavily seasoned food. It also suits a family meal after checking out Songjeong Beach. Next time I want to try the hinoki menu too.

Who Songjeongok is best for

• Anyone looking for a filling Korean set meal in Songjeong
• Anyone who wants to try a special pot rice like abalone pot rice
• Anyone looking for a place to eat with parents or grandparents
• Anyone who wants to enjoy various side dishes, meat, and seafood all at once
• Anyone looking for a clean, spacious Korean restaurant

I recommend Songjeongok Songjeong Main Branch for all of you! 😊