Jeonpo curry restaurant with four special curry toppings: Sarugak20

I was looking for a good spot for a solo lunch in Jeonpo and ended up visiting Sarugak20.

Where is Sarugak20 and what are its hours?

Sarugak20 is in the basement at 78 Seojeon-ro 68beon-gil, Busanjin-gu. It's open 10:00–19:30, and offers both takeout and delivery, plus it's fine to bring kids or pets.

• Address: 78 Seojeon-ro 68beon-gil, Basement 1F, Busanjin-gu
• Hours: 10:00–19:30
• Amenities: Takeout ⭕️ Delivery ⭕️ Kids welcome ⭕️ Pets welcome ⭕️

Since it's a basement shop, I expected it to be a bit dark, but once inside, natural light came in through the windows and it felt brighter and warmer than I imagined. It's on a quiet alley, which gave it a relaxed feel different from the busy Jeonpo café street.

Ordering the special curry with four toppings at Sarugak20

Sarugak20 is a Japanese curry restaurant, but they also have a good variety of side dishes like tonkatsu and fried items. I kept wanting to try this and that, and in the end I just ordered the special curry with a whole load of toppings.

The moment the food arrived, it was such an exciting sight even though I was eating alone. A generous serving of curry came out on a big plate. And even though they're toppings, tonkatsu, shrimp tempura, croquette and fried egg all came out on separate plates, filling the whole table!!! It was one of those "solo dining, you're winning" moments haha.

Tonkatsu and shrimp tempura toppings

I tried the tonkatsu (pork cutlet) first, and the crispy batter and meat went really well with the curry. It's delicious dipped fully into the curry, but I'd also recommend tasting the crispy texture on its own first. The tonkatsu alone would have been filling, but having shrimp tempura too gave me the fun of picking and choosing.

The shrimp tempura had a plump, springy shrimp inside the crispy batter, which made it a great bite between spoonfuls of curry.

Croquette and fried egg toppings

Can't forget the croquette either. Crispy outside and soft inside, it tasted even richer paired with the deep curry flavor.

And with a fried egg placed right on top, it looked even prettier, and mixing the yolk lightly into the curry made the flavor even smoother.

Alternating between the tonkatsu, shrimp tempura, croquette and fried egg, even though it was the same curry, I kept enjoying different combinations within the one plate, so I never got tired of it until the last bite.

Is the curry at Sarugak20 too strong?

What I liked about Sarugak20's curry is that it was milder than expected. The spice wasn't too intense or overly salty or spicy, so my spoon kept going back for more without any burden. It had plenty of the rich, smooth flavor typical of Japanese curry, but no strong aftertaste lingered in the mouth, which made it comfortable to eat. As I ate, I thought this would be a fine place to visit with kids too.

There are menu items kids would like, like the fried food and tonkatsu, and since the curry isn't overly strong, it seems like a good place for a family meal too.

Melon soda to drink with the curry

The cute highlight of the day was definitely the melon soda ♡ Once you put the straw in, it's a mysterious drink that fizzes up like a marble soda. With the green melon soda placed in front of a full spread of Japanese curry, I suddenly felt like I'd wandered into a small curry shop while traveling in Japan. Taking a cool sip of melon soda between bites of curry and fried food cleaned my palate and its sweetness went surprisingly well. If you usually like melon soda, I'd recommend ordering it too.

Solo dining, takeout and frozen curry pickup

Even though I went alone, piling the special curry with plenty of toppings made me feel properly treated to a full meal. If you're someone who wants to taste a bit of everything rather than just one topping, the special curry seems like a pretty satisfying choice. There's no need to eat carelessly just because you're dining solo. Taking a bite of tonkatsu, then curry, then shrimp tempura, then croquette, you can put together quite a happy meal time even alone.

Eating right at the restaurant is great, but apparently every menu item is also available packed as a lunchbox for takeout. They also sell frozen curry through their Smart Store, which you can pick up directly at the restaurant, so it seems good for anyone who wants to enjoy it comfortably at home or work.

Inside the basement dining room

Even though it's located in the basement, warm sunlight came through the windows, making Sarugak20 much brighter and cozier than expected ☀️ The interior had a charming feel that made me think of Japan. There's floor seating, table seats for a comfortable meal, and solo seats good for eating alone, so you can choose a spot based on your preference or the number in your party.

The atmosphere was cozy without feeling cramped, which made it comfortable both for eating alone and for dining with a group.

Rattan bags and key rings on display

Sarugak20 was also fun to browse beyond just the dining space. They sell various props like rattan bags and cute key rings, and since these pieces suited the Japanese-inspired interior so well, it was enjoyable to look at each one.

One thing I really liked about Sarugak20, this Busan Jeonpo curry restaurant, is that it runs with no break time. Being able to visit without worrying much about timing was convenient, and opening at 10 also made it good for a late breakfast/early lunch. Sarugak20 is a great place to visit on days when you're craving a mild Japanese curry in Jeonpo, or when you want to enjoy a hearty solo meal loaded with toppings. Next time I'd like to try it as takeout too, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a Jeonpo curry restaurant they can comfortably eat at with kids 🍛🍈♡