Busanjin pizza restaurant dinner set for two: Pickles

I had some errands to run in Seomyeon on Wednesday, and by the time I was finished, I was unbelievably hungry. At times like this, you don't want to just walk into anywhere—you want to go somewhere you've had your eye on.

My wife and I decided to head to Pickles in Jeonpo, a pizza spot in Seomyeon we had been curious about for ages. It had a 4.6–4.7 rating and ranked near the top among pizza places in Jeonpo on DiningCode, so our expectations were high.

A three-party wait, even on Wednesday evening

We arrived a little after 7 p.m., and there were already about three parties waiting. I was surprised to see that much of a wait on a Wednesday evening, but it made me think there must be a reason it is known as a great Seomyeon restaurant.

If a place has this much of a wait even on a weekday evening, the wait could be longer during weekend peak hours, so I recommend allowing plenty of time. While we waited, we looked over the menu and decided what to order.

The self-service bar and table setup

Once we were seated, I saw that the self-service bar had water and pickles, so we could help ourselves whenever we needed them. Hot sauce and smoked salt were set out on the table too, and I loved that detail because it let us adjust the flavors to our own tastes.

These are the sorts of details you would not know unless you actually visited, so I thought they would be helpful for first-time visitors.

A ₩39,000 half-and-half pizza set

We ordered the pizza set, which lets you enjoy pizza and pasta together, for ₩39,000. We could choose a half-and-half pizza, so we picked jambon-beurre and potato, then chose puttanesca for the pasta.

The portion was just right for two people, making it a satisfying value as well. About 10 minutes after ordering, the pizza arrived first.

Jambon-beurre pizza with smoked salt

The first one we tried was the jambon-beurre pizza. It was exactly the kind of pizza that proves hot pizza cannot possibly be bad. The dough had a wonderfully chewy texture, and the jambon ham and butter on top came together naturally. Contrary to what I expected, it was not overly salty, so it balanced nicely with the dough.

A staff member told us it would be good to sprinkle smoked salt over the edge of the dough, so we tried it. A light sprinkle did not make much of a difference, but once we added plenty, the smoky aroma really came alive and went amazingly well with the jambon-beurre pizza.

I learned this time that the amount of salt is a more important tip than you might think.

Potato pizza with hot sauce

The second pizza, the potato pizza, caught my eye right away with its generous topping of large potato pieces. Potato pizza often makes you think of sweetness, but this version was not excessively sweet; the potato's naturally nutty flavor came through.

A light drizzle of the hot sauce on the table was especially good with the potato pizza. After trying them ourselves, we found our own pairing tip: smoked salt suits the jambon-beurre, while hot sauce suits the potato pizza.

Puttanesca with bold anchovy and olive aromas

We ordered puttanesca for the pasta, and from the first bite, the anchovy and olive aromas felt more intense than expected. Honestly, it could be a love-it-or-hate-it flavor for anyone not used to those aromas.

The two of us like these bold flavors, so we enjoyed it, but if you usually find anchovy or olive aromas overwhelming, another pasta menu item may be worth considering.

A set that is just right for two

Even with two kinds of pizza plus pasta, it was exactly the right amount for two people. Considering the ₩39,000 price, I definitely felt the combination and quality offered good value.

It was a filling meal without feeling expensive, making it just right for a casual stop after work.

That Wednesday evening, after finishing our errands, we happened upon Pickles in Jeonpo and had a much more satisfying time than expected. Once we tried the food ourselves, we understood why it is popular enough to have a wait.

If you are looking for pizza in Seomyeon, I would recommend this as a nice place to stop by and unwind after work. Next time, I am planning to come back and try another pizza combination.