Medium gamjatang with a rice pot in Gimhae Yulha: Ppyeodae Itneun

As the weather cools down a bit, I start craving warm soupy food. This time I was in Gimhae Yulha and wanted gamjatang (pork bone and potato stew), so I visited Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Gamjatang Yulha Branch.

The restaurant was clean and the food was hearty, making it a good spot for a family meal.

Where is Ppyeodae Itneun Gamjatang Yulha Branch, and what are its hours and parking?

Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Gamjatang Yulha Branch is located at 40 Yulha 7-ro, 1st floor, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, and operates from 08:00 to 22:00, open every day of the year. Parking is available both in front of and behind the restaurant. They said subscribers to their notifications get a sample marinated crab, and those who write a Naver review get a garlic-boiled pork dish.

Parking was easy — there's a marked section in front and more space in the back, so I didn't have to worry about it at all.

The interior felt clean and tidy. Overall it gave off a well-maintained vibe, which I really liked.

Ordering the medium gamjatang with a solbap rice pot (and the Daega Hansang set)

On this visit at Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Gamjatang Yulha Branch, we ordered a medium gamjatang and a rice pot. Looking at the menu, there was also a set called "daega hansang" (big feast set) that comes with gamjatang plus sliced boiled pork, marinated crab, and seasoned skate salad. If you want to have a drink with a bunch of side dishes, that set seems like a good option. But since gamjatang was our main goal that day, we went with the medium gamjatang and rice pot.

What add-ins can you refill at the self-bar?

Once we ordered, the self-bar caught my eye. It had quite a variety — dumpling dough (sujebi), potato, glass noodles, jorangi rice cake, and even ramen noodles. And best of all, you can help yourself to unlimited refills of these add-ins!

At a lot of gamjatang places, adding extra sari (add-ins) costs extra money each time, but here you can grab whatever you like from the self-bar and add it yourself — I really liked that.

How much pork neck bone is in the gamjatang?

A little while later, the gamjatang arrived, and it had way more neck bones than I expected — really hearty. The broth was delicious too, so once I started eating, I just kept scooping more.

They say they only use domestically sourced neck bones, and when I actually tried the meat, it was tender and delicious.

I brought over add-ins from the self-bar to eat with the gamjatang, and at the end, I finished off with ramen noodles.

Adding the ramen noodles made me way fuller than expected haha — so in the end I couldn't get to the fried rice, which is basically a must-do after gamjatang. Gamjatang really calls for fried rice, but I missed out, and that was such a shame.

The kimchi and diced radish kimchi (kkakdugi) that came with the meal were also tasty, and pairing a piece with each bite worked really well. Also, the slightly sweet garlic sauce here was amazing for dipping the meat in.

The stamp coupon: a free gamjatang after 10 visits

At Ppyeodae Itneun Haejangguk Gamjatang Yulha Branch, they stamp your coupon after every meal, regardless of how much you spend. After 10 visits, you get a free gamjatang. If you're a regular, this coupon can really add up. Total regular-customer reservation made!!

• Unlimited sari (add-in) refills
• Uses domestic neck bones

The portions were generous and the broth was tasty, so it seems like a great place to have a drink alongside your meal too. This time I ate my fill of gamjatang, but next time I want to try the boneless haejangguk. When picking meat off the bones piece by piece feels like a hassle, boneless would probably be easier to eat, so I've got that marked for my next visit.

They also had slushies, which were nice for cleansing the palate after the meal.