Busan outlet Italian restaurant with whole chicken leg pilaf: Bueokgan

We went to Shinsegae Simon Busan Premium Outlets over the weekend. The main goal was shopping for dad's sneakers, but thanks to that we also got to eat well at Bueokgan and do some proper people-watching along the way.

From the moment we got the last left-turn signal, the traffic already looked ominous, and sure enough it was jammed up ahead —

but the parking lot is huge, so no need to worry. Maybe because it was the weekend, we could park freely no matter the time, and it was free, so we ended up spending a long time eating and shopping and really getting our money's worth out of the outlet.

Where is Bueokgan? End of NORTH 1F, next to the UGG store

Bueokgan Restaurant is at the far end of NORTH 1F at the Shinsegae Premium Outlets. Once you spot the UGG store, don't take the escalator right next to it — walk further in and you'll find it.

The outlet is so big that finding your way around was a bit tricky, but there were maps placed here and there, so once you got the pattern it wasn't hard. We decided to eat a solid meal first before going into battle-mode shopping, and even though there were plenty of restaurants inside, mom loves pizza, so we settled on Bueokgan, a well-known Western restaurant in Gijang, Busan. Being at the end of 1F actually made it easier to find, and there was a restroom nearby too.

Once you see UGG, there's an escalator right beside it — but don't get on it, just keep walking inside and you'll arrive.

What Bueokgan looks like inside, and the weekend wait

Bueokgan has the feel of a European family home, and the wait on Sunday around 1pm was about 15 minutes. There's a separate waiting area, so you can sit on a sofa while you wait.

Walking inside, you find a space that feels like a European family home. Since it was the weekend and busy, waiting was pretty much mandatory.

The waiting area is kept separate so diners already seated don't feel crowded, so we sat on the sofa and waited with anticipation. It took about 15 minutes on a Sunday at 1pm, and honestly the wait cleared faster than I expected, which was nice.

Each table has its own lighting, and the warm homey atmosphere meant a lot of couples and families were dining there.

There were little decorative touches hidden everywhere. Even the spot with wet wipes and napkins was styled so nicely it was fun just to look around.

What's on the Bueokgan menu

Starting with appetizer soups and salads, then oil, cream, basil and tomato pastas, gnocchi, lasagna, risotto, pilaf, steak, pizza, coffee, ade, cola and beer — this was a Western restaurant in Gijang with a wide range of Italian dishes on offer.

What the three of us ordered

• Carbonara ₩19,000
• Kung Pao Chicken Pilaf ₩22,000
• Pepperoni Pizza ₩17,000
• Cola ₩2,500 × 2

Carbonara, 19,000 won — thick, rich cream sauce

Bueokgan's carbonara is ₩19,000, with a generous pool of cream sauce and a big enough portion that it worked fine split three ways.

My favorite is carbonara, and mom's favorite is also carbonara. So obviously carbonara was non-negotiable.

I love pasta with a moist sauce, and this passed the visual test right away with its pooled cream sauce. Packed with mushrooms, bacon, and onion — the portion was generous enough to split among three.

They grated fresh whole black pepper over it too, and that occasional hit of pepper cut through the richness perfectly — it was so good.

The side dish was house-made pickles.

Pepperoni pizza, 17,000 won — six slices, two each for three people

Bueokgan's pepperoni pizza is ₩17,000, came out in six slices, and we split it two slices each. The pepperoni was packed on without a single gap.

Next up, the pepperoni pizza loaded without a single gap. True to its name, more pepperoni is always better — savory cheese meeting salty pepperoni.

From the moment the pizza landed, the whole table filled with a delicious smell. It came in six slices, split two each between the three of us.

A tomato-based pizza alongside a rich, savory cream spaghetti — eaten together, the flavors balance out perfectly.

I had my own small plate, a fork, and a knife, but —

honestly, isn't pizza meant to be eaten with your hands? Folding a slice in half and eating it by hand is the best way, haha. Is it just me?

The noodles had a good bite, the sauce was thick and rich, the seasoning was spot-on — eating this after a while, it was seriously delicious.

With the pilaf arriving too, today's lunch was complete.

Kung pao chicken pilaf, 22,000 won — a whole chicken leg on top

Bueokgan's kung pao chicken pilaf is ₩22,000, and a whole giant chicken leg is placed right on top. The kung pao sauce turned out spicier than expected, with great umami.

I already knew a chicken leg was coming from the photos, but seeing the actual size in person still surprised me. Can a chicken really get this big????

Wow, it really was turkey-sized, so there was definitely a lot of meat on it, and being oven-roasted made it moist and incredibly tender.

And the kung pao sauce — first time trying it — was way spicier than I expected, with really good umami depth. The rice alone was perfectly seasoned, and piling a bit of the chicken leg meat on top made it absolutely delicious. Another great meal today.

Is Bueokgan worth it? Shopping and lunch in one stop

Bueokgan is a place where you can get a satisfying meal and satisfying shopping done in the same trip. It's Western food but never feels heavy, and the pizza, pasta and pilaf were all delicious — a great spot for anything from a family meal to a date.