Solo dining spot in Geumjeong, Busan: salmon udon set at Gatjidong

Even for a single meal, I tend to like places with a slightly unusual menu or a good overall setup. This time I visited Gatjidong (갓지동), located somewhere between Oncheonjang and Jangjeon-dong. Since it sells tonkatsu, udon and salmon dishes all together, my first impression was that the menu was quite varied. It's not a place that only specializes in tonkatsu or only udon, so it seemed like a good spot for a group where everyone could pick what they wanted. After actually eating there, the portions were generous overall, and with the self-serve bar on top of that, it was a solid restaurant to fill up at near Oncheonjang.

How far is Gatjidong Busan Jangjeon Branch from Oncheonjang Station?

Gatjidong is about a 7-minute walk from Oncheonjang Station and near the Raemian Jangjeon apartments, so anyone who frequents this area shouldn't have trouble finding it. It sits right on the roadside, so there's no need to go deep into an alley, and the yellow sign with 'Gatjidong' written large is noticeable even from a distance. The exterior also felt cleaner and more put-together than a typical snack shop or old-school tonkatsu place. Since it's within walking distance of the station, it's easy to visit without a car — a convenient stop if you're looking for a casual lunch near Oncheonjang.

Inside Gatjidong: window-side bar seats for solo diners

Walking inside, the place was bigger than I expected. Usually this style of restaurant makes you picture a small space with just a few tables, but Gatjidong had plenty of regular table seating plus a bar-style seat by the window designed for solo diners. The tables weren't crammed together, so it was comfortable to eat, and overall the wood-tone tables with orange accents gave it a bright, casual atmosphere.

What is on the Gatjidong menu, from tonkatsu to salmon and rice bowls?

The menu was far more varied than I expected. Alongside the signature half-and-half tonkatsu, there's an assorted katsu, classic tonkatsu, onion tonkatsu, whole mozzarella cheese tonkatsu, chicken katsu and more, plus pasta dishes like whole pollack roe cream pasta, vongole cream pasta and pepperoni cream pasta. On the udon side there's tonkatsu kimchi nabe udon, beef fried tofu udon, fried tofu udon and skewered fish cake udon, while the salmon lineup includes tomato-citron salmon udon, sake-don and a salmon-heavy salad. There are also rice dishes like oyakodon, katsu curry rice and chicken karaage curry rice, giving quite a wide range of choices.

The self-serve bar with unlimited rice, soup and broth

While waiting for my order, I checked out the self-serve bar. At Gatjidong you grab your own basic side dishes, and not just kimchi and pickled radish — rice, soup and broth are all available self-serve too. What I liked in particular was that rice, soup and broth are all unlimited. Sometimes the rice can run a bit short when eating tonkatsu, but here you can just grab more, which is a real plus for anyone with a big appetite. While waiting for my food I brought over a bowl of the broth too, and it had that soft, familiar taste of an old-school Western-style diner soup — good for waking up the appetite before the meal. If you're after an Oncheonjang restaurant with a solid self-serve bar, this part will likely appeal to you too.

What we ordered at Gatjidong and what it cost

What I ordered that day was the tomato-citron salmon udon with a mini sake-don set for ₩19,800, plus the classic tonkatsu for ₩10,800. Once everything arrived together, the table was pretty loaded. The tomato-citron salmon udon, with salmon arranged like a flower in a large bowl, looked fresh and vibrant with tomato, onion, cucumber, scallion and citron on the side. Next to it, the mini sake-don, despite the name, had a generous amount of salmon on top. The classic tonkatsu also came with two large cutlets alongside rice and cabbage salad, more than enough for one meal.

How the tomato-green-citron salmon udon tastes

I started with the tomato-citron salmon udon. Visually it looks like a salad or a cold pasta, but once you mix it up you find quite a lot of udon noodles inside. Lifting the noodles up, more kept coming from the bottom of the bowl, so the portion felt bigger than it looked. The sauce is tangy and slightly salty, with the freshness of tomato and the brightness of citron keeping it from feeling heavy. Eating the thickly sliced salmon together with the noodles added its soft, savory flavor on top. The onion and cucumber gave a crunchy bite here and there that cut through any richness, and overall it felt like a dish that would especially suit summer. It's noticeably different from a typical udon, so if you're looking for something a bit unusual at a restaurant near Oncheonjang, it's worth trying.

The mini sake-don (salmon rice bowl)

The mini sake-don that came alongside was simple and easy to enjoy. Salmon was generously arranged over the rice, with wasabi, onion and sprouts on top. Placing a bit of rice with a piece of salmon and a touch of wasabi gave a clean, smooth, savory flavor.

Western-style tonkatsu at Gatjidong, 10,800 won

The classic tonkatsu was bigger in person than it looked in photos. Usually 'classic tonkatsu' brings to mind a thin, wide-pounded cutlet, but looking at the cross-section, Gatjidong's version had quite a thick cut of meat. The outside was fried crisp while the inside was packed with thick pork, giving a proper meaty bite. On top was a generous amount of the familiar brown Western-style sauce, not overly sweet or salty, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy. Eating the tonkatsu with cabbage helped balance out the heaviness of the sauce, and with rice on the side it became exactly the classic diner-style meal you'd expect. For ₩10,800, this thickness and portion size felt more than worth the trip to this Oncheonjang restaurant.

With a wide range of menu choices and generous portions, this is a good spot for a meal whether you come alone or with a group.

Is Gatjidong worth it for a meal alone?

Gatjidong isn't the kind of restaurant that pushes one single dish hard — what stood out was being able to comfortably enjoy tonkatsu, udon, salmon and rice bowls all in one place. At first I wondered if having such a varied menu might make things feel unfocused, but the tomato-citron salmon udon I tried was refreshing, and the combination of salmon and udon noodles worked better than expected. The mini sake-don, too, had more salmon than you'd expect from a side dish. The classic tonkatsu also had impressively thick meat, making it feel like great value for the price. On top of that, there's a self-serve bar where you can freely help yourself to rice, soup and broth, so it's a good place to leave full. The restaurant itself is fairly spacious for this kind of place, and it even has a separate window-side seat for solo diners, so it's not intimidating to visit alone. It's less a fancy restaurant for special occasions and more a solid restaurant near Oncheonjang for those 'what should I eat today' moments, where anyone in the group can pick something different. If you're near Oncheonjang Station or the Raemian Jangjeon apartments looking for a meal with good value, generous portions and plenty of menu choices, I'd be happy to visit Gatjidong again.