Gaya-dong Chinese restaurant, Busan: cold seafood jjamppong

I was craving good Chinese food today, so a friend and I headed to Surabanjeom, known as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Gaya-dong, Busan. This is the place I go to whenever I want Chinese food — let me introduce you to my go-to spot!

Where is Surabanjeom Gaya Branch, and what are its hours?

It's located at 143 Eomgwang-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea. Hours are Tue-Sun 11:00-21:00 (last order 20:00, break time 16:00-16:30), closed every Monday.

Inside Surabanjeom Gaya Branch and its unlimited rice self-serve corner

Walking into the restaurant, the clean, tidy hall interior caught my eye right away. The overall vibe is pleasant and cozy, great for settling in comfortably for a meal. Living up to its reputation as a Gaya-dong Chinese restaurant favorite, the self-serve corner was well set up — and one of the best parts is that rice is unlimited! You can freely grab more rice or side dishes without feeling awkward, which made the place feel really generous.

What is on the menu at Surabanjeom Gaya Branch?

Surabanjeom's menu is so varied it gave me a happy dilemma over what to order. Along with basic noodle dishes like jjajangmyeon (black bean sauce noodles), woo-samgyeop jjamppong, and seafood jjamppong, there were plenty of special dishes like shrimp ganjjajang, Chinese-style bibimbap, and sundubu jjamppong. We carefully picked six pieces of plump shrimp mangboksa (a crispy-yet-moist fried shrimp dish), the smoky Daegu-style Chinese bibimbap, and the seafood cold jjamppong, a summer specialty.

They're also running a review event, so be sure to check it out :)

Table setting and sauces at Surabanjeom Gaya Branch

When you order, they set the table with danmuji (pickled radish), chunjang (black bean paste), and onion. Soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper flakes are on each table, so you can mix your own sauce to taste!

Our food arrived! Doesn't it look amazing?

Smoky Chinese-style bibimbap with free jjamppong broth

First, the Chinese bibimbap, done Daegu-style with plenty of smoky wok flavor, was so spicy and packed with umami my spoon just didn't stop.

The spicy seasoning was fully infused with that smoky char, so one bite and my mouth was flooded with deep flavor.

Plus, ordering the Chinese bibimbap comes with a free jjamppong broth on the side — and unlike the thrown-together broths you get elsewhere, this one was loaded with meat, which honestly surprised me. Even the free side broth was this generous, so the title of best Gaya-dong Chinese restaurant felt well-earned.

Cold seafood jjamppong, a summer specialty in Gaya-dong

The seafood cold jjamppong, picked as a summer special, had a broth that was both refreshing and spicy — top notch.

It felt like sipping a delicious naengmyeon (cold noodle) broth, cooling me down to the bone — totally my style. It was generously loaded with seafood and toppings with great texture, so it was fun to chew through, and the spicy-yet-cool broth chased the heat right away. If you're wondering what to order in summer at a Gaya-dong Chinese restaurant, you have to try this cold jjamppong.

Six-piece plump shrimp menbosha (fried shrimp toast) as a side

Finally, the shrimp mangboksa we ordered as a side lived up to its name, packed full of plump shrimp meat — really appealing.

Crispy on the outside, filled with moist, tender shrimp meat inside — dipped in chili sauce, it was a truly fantastic combo. My friend and I marveled over every single dish, they were all that good.

Is Surabanjeom Gaya Branch worth a visit? Final verdict

From the food quality to the generous portions to the attentive service, there wasn't a single thing lacking — it was a perfect meal. If you're looking for a hearty, delicious Gaya-dong Chinese restaurant, I strongly recommend paying a visit!