Mild-spice braised pollock in Hanam, small size for three: Appa Jjim

It's been a while since I got to eat out with my mom and sibling haha. I picked a menu I thought my mom would love, and honestly I've never seen her eat so happily lol. Let me introduce you to Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch, our totally successful family outing~~

Where is Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch, and how do parking and reservations work?

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch is on the 1st floor at 60 Wolho-ro, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do. There's a really spacious dedicated parking lot right in front of the restaurant!

There's even a man helping with parking, so even a rookie driver like me felt totally at ease.

Living up to its reputation as a famous spot, you have to register at a waiting kiosk. I'd smartly booked a Naver Reservation in advance, so I walked right in with no wait! Just a heads-up, same-day reservations aren't possible, so I'd recommend booking well ahead.

Is the small-size braised pollock enough for three people?

Since there were three of us, I agonized a million times over whether to get the braised pollock small or medium.

Since the spice level is adjustable, it was perfect for me, someone who can't handle spicy food well — I was so happy.

Even the small size turned out to be a huge amount!! A staff member deboned all the pollock for us, so we could eat comfortably haha. The pollock flesh was substantial, plus there were chewy rice cakes and soft tofu in there too, so it was so much fun picking through and eating bit by bit!!

Dried radish greens, crispy seafood pancake and the side dishes

My beloved dried radish greens (siraegi) were completely soaked in the sauce — genuinely fainting-level delicious!! My mom said the pollock was moist and well-seasoned, so good, haha. I also picked the crispy seafood pancake because I was really craving it, and it was truly a stroke of genius!

The side dishes were laid out so generously that the table barely had room! With the three of us feeling like we'd burst, we ended up leaving some food behind, sniff. So here's a pro tip I'm about to drop!

How to eat Appa Jjim's braised pollock at its best

Mixing the bean sprouts vigorously into the braise sauce is absolutely delicious!

Put rice on a piece of crispy seaweed, top it with pollock flesh and dried radish greens, and wrap it up for a bite — it's a total flavor explosion!

The rice was freshly cooked suhyangmi pot rice, and the nutty aroma was just art. My mom, who's usually picky, was somehow devouring it, which was so surprising lol. I'm still bummed, though, that I was too full to do the final must-do step and fry up the leftover rice — I can still picture it, so disappointing, ugh.

Seating and atmosphere: does Appa Jjim suit family meals and group dinners?

True to its status as a real hidden gem, there were tons of celebrity autographs on display!! Felt like I'd really found the right place haha.

The moment we walked in, it was packed with customers, and I thought, "Wow, I really found a great restaurant!" The space was wide and comfortable, so it looked perfect not just for family meals but also for group gatherings or work dinners. Even though it was super busy with so many people, all the staff took great care of us so kindly, and I genuinely enjoyed the meal the whole time.

There's also extra Kakao coupon accumulation, so the pollock and monkfish braise ended up free!!! After eating, even the coffee was free haha. So great!

Braised pollock really makes you want a drink, ugh. There were a lot of customers drinking, so having the call-taxi number posted was really nice! After finishing, they also sell snacks and ice cream for dessert!

Final verdict on Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch

With adjustable spice so even a spice wimp like me had nothing to worry about, generous portions, and the fun of picking out dried radish greens, rice cake, and tofu, this braised pollock was full to the brim! Pairing it with the crispy-outside, tender-inside seafood pancake was a match made in heaven, and it instantly made sense why people line up for this place. Parking was completely hassle-free and the staff were so kind, too — there's really no better place to bring your parents. Next time, I'm definitely going to scrape up every last bit of fried rice!