Hanam siraegi braised pollock, 56,500 won for three: Appa Jjim

I was hunting for somewhere to eat lunch in Hanam and this time landed on Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch. Honestly, braised pollock (kodari-jjim) isn't something I usually go out of my way for. The friends I went with really wanted to try it, so I mostly went for the cuttlefish and siraegi (dried radish greens)...

But to cut to the chase — I'd go back. Walking out, I actually thought, "wait, was braised pollock always this good?" haha

Arriving for the 11am opening at Appa Jjim — and finding tables already taken

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch opens at 11am, and we timed our visit right for the opening. I figured we'd be nearly first in — but no, there were already about five tables seated inside.

It was well before typical lunch hour, so I was a little surprised at how many people were already there. By the time we finished eating, more people kept coming in and the parking lot was nearly full too. I realized this must be a real go-to lunch spot for people in Hanam.

And the entrance is covered in signage!! For fellow non-drivers, it's a quick walk from Pungsan Station in Hanam.

This place is a certified "model restaurant"! As I've posted before, my parents run a restaurant, and getting that certification isn't easy at all. Just seeing that sign alone made me think, "this has to be good."

What three of us ordered at Appa Jjim, and how the bill hit 56,500 won

The three of us ordered siraegi kodari-jorim for 35,000 won, three orders of hyangmi pot rice for +7,500 won, extra siraegi for +5,000 won, and one extra whole cuttlefish for +9,000 won. Total: 56,500 won.

The combo was really solid. I especially loved that we got to have pot rice, which is something I never quite get around to making at home. Freshly cooked rice mixed with the pollock's sauce — I inhaled a whole bowl!

The side dishes at Appa Jjim won us over first

Even before the main dish arrived, the basic banchan (side dishes) at Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch were good. At Korean restaurants I care about the side dishes as much as the main — and here, it wasn't just one or two standouts, the whole spread was seasoned just right and paired nicely with the braised pollock.

I was already thinking "this place knows what it's doing" before the main even showed up. And the pot rice was so good!

We even got a good scraping of nurungji (crispy scorched rice)! It's not individual pots — three servings of rice come out in one shared pot.

Braised pollock for someone who doesn't usually like it

This is the most honest part of the review. I'm not usually a big braised pollock person, so I went in with low expectations — but the sauce was exactly my style, Jeolla-do style!

Perfect with rice, and the pollock meat was deboned nice and soft, so I kept going back for more. Adding the extra siraegi was a great call too — pile the sauce-soaked siraegi and pollock meat on rice and it's basically rice-thief territory.

Was the 9,000 won cuttlefish add-on worth it?

We also added one whole cuttlefish. The pollock is soft while the cuttlefish is chewy, so eating them together actually made the texture contrast more enjoyable. If you're eating with family, adding an extra item like this seems worth it!

Appa Jjim also has a separate lunch special menu

Appa Jjim also has a separate lunch menu, so if you're looking for somewhere to eat lunch in Hanam, the lunch special looks like a good light option. If you're going as a family like we did, ordering the single dish and adding siraegi or cuttlefish for a fuller meal also works well.

So this seems like a solid pick not just for people looking for good braised pollock in Hanam, but also for those searching for seafood stew restaurants in Hanam or lunch spots in Misa.

Next visit: the seafood braise at Appa Jjim

Walking out, my husband and I said the exact same thing: "let's come back here." I never really liked braised pollock before, but I could see myself eating this one again.

So next time, instead of braised pollock, I'm going to try the seafood stew (haemul-jjim). If the pollock was this good, I'm curious what the seafood stew is like. Haha

Parking at Appa Jjim Hanam: come early

Parking at Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch wasn't a problem when we arrived at 11am, but by the time we finished eating, the lot was nearly full. If you're visiting around lunchtime, it seems more comfortable to head over a little early — especially on weekends or peak family dining hours, arriving near opening time looks like a good idea.

Would we go back to Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch?

Yes. The most surprising thing that day was that I don't usually love braised pollock — and yet everything, from the side dishes to the pot rice, the siraegi, to the pollock itself, was genuinely delicious.

It wasn't just one standout dish — the whole table was satisfying. If you're looking for a Korean restaurant to take your parents to in Hanam, or a family lunch spot, this is worth a visit. We're planning to go back next time for the seafood stew.

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch at a glance: prices, hours, location

• Good for family dining in Hanam
• Separate lunch special menu available
• Pot rice available (3 servings in one shared pot)
• Extra siraegi (dried radish greens) available
• Extra cuttlefish available
• Parking can get crowded during lunch hours

That day, even with our 11am opening run, about 5 tables were already seated, and by the time we finished, more customers kept coming in and the parking lot was nearly full.