Seomyeon Station Chinese restaurant, japchae rice set for two: Suraban

What we ate at Suraban Seomyeon, a Chinese restaurant near Seomyeon Station

At Suraban Seomyeon (수라반점 서면점), I had the "jjajang + japchae rice + mini tangsuyuk" set from the two-person menu. I was looking for a good Chinese restaurant in Seomyeon, Busan and stumbled onto this place. It's close to Seomyeon Station, easy to get to, and comfortable for anything from a simple meal to a get-together. The set was well put together and the portions were satisfying, so I'd recommend it as a Chinese restaurant near Seomyeon Station.

Seomyeon has some of the heaviest foot traffic in Busan, so the competition among restaurants is fierce. Even so, Suraban has kept up steady popularity with its clean atmosphere and wide range of Chinese dishes.

What's the atmosphere like at Suraban Seomyeon?

The dining room at Suraban Seomyeon is spacious and well kept, which made it easy to relax over a meal. Office workers fill it at lunchtime, and in the evening it felt like a good spot for a family dinner or a meal with friends. The variety of set menus that let you try several dishes at once is a plus, especially for first-timers who might struggle to choose.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was how clean the place looked. Many people picture a Chinese restaurant with dated decor, but Suraban Seomyeon is bright and tidy overall, so it was comfortable to eat in.

The tables are spaced fairly wide, so you don't feel squeezed against the next table. It works for families, work gatherings or meals with friends.

The interior was kept clean throughout, and the tables and chairs were in good shape. Customers came in steadily at mealtimes, but the space never felt stuffy. The area around Seomyeon Station tends to be crowded at lunchtime and on weekends, so being able to eat in a relatively relaxed atmosphere made me even happier.

Suraban's japchae rice set for two: what's in it and the price

The "jjajang + japchae rice + mini tangsuyuk" combo on Suraban's two-person menu is ₩30,000. Looking at the menu with its many dishes and sets, I'd normally agonize between jjajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) and jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), but this time the japchae rice (stir-fried vegetables and meat over rice), which I love, caught my eye, so I picked the two-person set that included it. If I go alone I only get to eat the japchae rice, but going with my husband and ordering the set meant we got jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk (Korean sweet-and-sour pork) too, which made it much more satisfying.

• Two-person set: jjajang + japchae rice + mini tangsuyuk — ₩30,000

Soon after we ordered, the hot dishes were laid out on the table just like this, whoosh! Maybe it's because it had been a while since I'd had Chinese food, but my eyes lit up. That delicious, punchy aroma got my mouth watering.

The mini tangsuyuk in the set: how are the portion and taste?

Despite the name, the mini tangsuyuk in Suraban's two-person set came out more generous than I expected. Tangsuyuk is the one dish a Chinese restaurant can't do without, right? I assumed "mini" meant a small portion, but it was fried crisp outside and juicy inside, and I was impressed by how clean it tasted, with no gamey smell from the meat.

The sauce was a classic sweet-and-sour style, and the batter wasn't too thick, so it was easy to keep eating. I picked up a few pieces before starting on the jjajangmyeon and japchae rice, and my appetite really kicked in. I also liked that being part of a set didn't mean lower quality.

I'm a dipper (jjikmuk, sauce on the side) kind of person. The tangsuyuk sauce is good, but you know it's a real treat when you alternate dipping pieces in soy sauce and chili powder, right? The meat inside the batter was substantial too, and I really enjoyed it.

Is Suraban's japchae rice worth ordering instead of jjajangmyeon?

The star of this meal was, without question, the japchae rice. Japchae rice can easily get too sweet or greasy and tire you out, but Suraban's was well balanced. It was packed with vegetables, meat and mushrooms, and had a faint wok-fired smoky flavor, as if it had been stir-fried quickly over high heat.

Every ingredient kept its own texture, which made it fun to eat, and the sauce wasn't overly strong, so it was easy to enjoy.

Mixed with the rice, the seasoning was just right. Not too salty, not bland, so I enjoyed it to the very end. Most people order jjajangmyeon or jjamppong at a Chinese restaurant, but if you visit Suraban, I recommend trying the japchae rice at least once. It was much more satisfying than I expected.

The jjajangmyeon that came with it

The jjajangmyeon in Suraban's two-person set was good too. A glossy black bean sauce was piled on generously, and the noodles were nicely springy. You could taste the rich flavor of the chunjang (black bean paste) without it feeling too heavy, so it was easy to eat.

Sharing it with the japchae rice let us enjoy two different charms: one side was the smoky japchae rice, the other the familiar, comforting taste of jjajangmyeon, and the combination worked really well. Going as a pair, each of us took one dish and swapped back and forth along the way, so we never got bored and enjoyed it all the way through.

Is Suraban Seomyeon's two-person set good value?

The two-person set (₩30,000) at Suraban Seomyeon was decent value for what you get. With restaurant prices these days, two dishes plus tangsuyuk at a Chinese restaurant adds up fast, but this set had one jjajangmyeon, one japchae rice and a mini tangsuyuk, and the two of us ate until we were comfortably full. Finish with a pretty decent cup of coffee on the way out and it's perfect.

There's also a Naver review event going on, so keep that in mind. If you love menbosha (shrimp toast), definitely join in!

If you're looking for a Chinese restaurant in Seomyeon, Busan, do drop by Suraban Seomyeon sometime. If you're wondering what to have for lunch in Seomyeon, or you need a place for a family meal or dinner with friends, I recommend it. The two-person set with japchae rice at Suraban Seomyeon was a more satisfying meal than I expected.